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CNN Live Today

29th Marine Expeditionary Unit Returns

Aired April 18, 2002 - 14:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Following the 9-11 attacks, among the first to be deployed to join Operation Enduring Freedom, members of the 26th Marine expeditionary unit based out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. That was about 7 months ago.

Well, guess what. Now they're back home and our CNN Jeanne Meserve was with them, with the family members, greeting the 26 MEU back home. Hi there, Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. It has been quite an afternoon. And I'm going to bring you the essence of it if I can get this couple to stop kissing long enough to talk to me. Welcome home. Lance Corporal Shawn (ph), how was it over there?

LANCE CORPORAL SHAWN, 26TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT: It was crazy. It was kind of rough, but it was OK.

MESERVE: And how does it feel to be back?

SHAWN: It feels great. I just wanted to get home, get back on U.S. soil.

MESERVE: Were you happy to see this particular face here?

SHAWN: Oh, I love her.

MESERVE: You are his girlfriend?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Girlfriend, yes.

MESERVE: And how does it feel to see him after -- how long has it been? Seven months for you, or longer?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just three and a half.

MESERVE: Really hard?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Extremely hard.

MESERVE: And what's in store for you now? Do you get to go on leave right away, or do you have to stay on duty for a bit?

SHAWN: We have to stay on duty for a couple days, do some work, and then we get to go home to our families. MESERVE: Is that so hard to be back, see the people you love, and know you really can't spend all your time with them right away?

SHAWN: No, it's not that bad. But, yes, I want to see my family, believe me.

MESERVE: Great, well, welcome back.

SHAWN: Thank you very much.

MESERVE: That I think brings to you better than my words ever could the emotion that's going on here at Camp LeJeune today. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Jeanne. I know there are an awful lot of happy people out there. I noticed that some of the pictures earlier, we even had some expectant moms out there. I'm sure they were glad they were able to hold on to their little packages until their loved one was able to get back today.

MESERVE: Right, and 62 babies were born while these men were away. Several of these very tiny little babies were out here, battling heat and sun today, waiting to meet their daddies for the first time. And it was such a wonderful thing to see these big tough Marines who came off with pretty stern faces, just melt when they got their first glimpses of children they had not met before. It was lovely.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That is so great. And I know the 26th MEU, that was already a deployment that was scheduled even before the 9-11 attacks. It just so happened that they ended up being in the throes of the thick of things, right immediately. And they were at the ready.

MESERVE: That's right. But we were in Norfolk when they deployed from there. And they knew at the time of course what had happened September 11th. And they knew there was a high risk that they might end up in this situation.

But many of the parents who I've spoken to here today said when their kids enlisted, it was the last thing they expected, that they'd ever really see combat. They found it very tough, very difficult. And there was a collective sigh of relief here today that every member of this unit has come back alive.

WHITFIELD: Great they're all back. And job well done. All right, thanks a lot. And, job well done to you too, Jeanne. Jeanne Meserve at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Thanks a lot.

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