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American Morning

Marines Coming Home to Camp Lejeune

Aired April 18, 2002 - 09:43   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Today there's a special homecoming in North Carolina. Marines with the 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit will return home after a seven-month-long deployment as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

And Martin Savidge is there at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as some of the ships have come in. He joins us now.

Good morning, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

Yes, in the background you can see that thing which is referred to as an LCAC. That's L-C-A-C, landing craft air cushion, and it is pretty much the traditional landing for the U.S. Marine Corps. The 26 MEU, as you say, returning after seven months of combat operations in Afghanistan. They were some of the first military units to be deployed after September 11.

And you can imagine the excitement for these Marines coming back on shore now. In a short while, they're going to be reunited with their families. The ships appeared off shore last night. That always creates what they call really a fever on board ship as the soldiers begin to hear the radio stations, the cell phones begin to work, they start communicating with the loved ones back on shore. Nobody goes to sleep, everybody's packing their gear and they wait for this moment when they finally make it back on American soil.

The 26 MEU has a lot to be proud of. Among their number of achievements, the seizure of the Kandahar Airport, right in the heart of the Taliban territory there, the main strategic air base for coalition forces for a long time, major base for Special Forces operating in the war in Afghanistan. Then they helped build the detainment facility, and then also they helped to reopen the American Embassy in Kabul. So now it's mission accomplished. That's all a thing of the past.

I was proud to be there with many of these Marines in Kandahar, and now I'm glad to see them safely home. And safe is the key word, not a single member of the 26th MEU was lost in combat activity -- Paula.

ZAHN: Wow, very good news indeed. Marty, if you would, stand by because we -- you're looking at a live picture now at Jeanne Meserve's position. And she's standing by at the position where family members will finally be reunited with those returning Marines and sailors.

Jeanne, that must be a great place to be right now -- good morning.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is. It is, Paula, and the reunions have started. I think if you look right over here, you can see a family. Just a moment ago, this Marine bent down ever so tenderly to pick up these young children from whom he's been apart for seven months. A deep hug from his dad, from his mom. It's really wonderful.

These are amongst the first reunions. You can see here some of the families that have turned out. There's been a little bit of a logistical problem because the first Marines weren't expected here until 11. They're coming in about an hour and a half early and the families don't know. So right now the Marine Corps is frantically trying to reach them and get them here so they can meet their loved ones.

Shirley Paga (ph) is here with me, a mom. Your son, Corporal Paga, has been in Afghanistan. You're a lucky mom, you actually got to see your son while he was there.

SHIRLEY PAGA (ph), MOM: Yes, I did. Christmas Eve we received word he had been photographed from the American press and Christmas Day his picture was on CNN and it was on Larry King's show and it was in a lot of newspapers across the United States.

MESERVE: You tell me how traumatic it was to get that first call asking are you the parents of Corporal Paga.

PAGA: Yes. Yes.

MESERVE: Tell me about that.

PAGA: Christmas Eve about 11:30 the telephone rang and our oldest son answered the phone. And the man on the other end asked our son if he was any relation to Corporal Paga, United States Marine. And our oldest son said, yes, why? And they said are their parents available? And my son just like yes, but why? Like why? And then the reporter said I just photographed your son (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

MESERVE: But your first thought, of course, was something else?

PAGA: Oh absolutely, because we had not heard from him for weeks, and we had a feeling that he was in Afghanistan but of course we didn't know. And this just kind of finalized it all. And yes, it was very emotional. It was very emotional.

MESERVE: But today you're going to get to see him in the flesh.

PAGA: Oh yes. (CROWD CHEERING)

MESERVE: You can -- you can hear they're very enthusiastic at that prospect, as is every family here.

Paula, it's going to be quite a morning. Back to you.

ZAHN: And I love the fact that they're all wearing that same T- shirt showing the picture that this photographer called to tell her about.

MESERVE: Absolutely. Absolutely. Maybe we can zoom in here (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

ZAHN: Yes, well I want to be careful on whose body you zoom in on there. I think one is more strategically placed on the tummy then...

JACK CAFFERTY: There you go.

ZAHN: There we go. The back will do. You can zoom in closer. Well, all right, we'll come back to that shot.

Jeanne, it you'd stand by, we're going to keep on cutting back and forth between you and Marty Savidge.

Marty, you talked about the tremendous pride these returning Marines and sailors should have. These, after all, were the men and women that helped seize Kandahar Airport. Tell us a little bit more about how these troops are feeling.

SAVIDGE: Well you know one of the significant things, there was a lot of questioning and second guessing of the involvement of the Marines in this particular operation in Afghanistan, primarily because the Marine Corps had never operated so far away from a beachhead. That's the traditional way they get into any nation when there's a conflict. Of course Afghanistan is landlocked. So there were people that were saying well we wonder if the Marines can really do this, are they up to the task?

The Kandahar Airport is about 500 miles away from any shore. And then when they were working up in the Khost-Gardez region, that's about 700 miles away. So they did that mission. They did it exceedingly well, and that has a lot of people in the Pentagon looking at new ways possibly to use the Marine Corps.

Then on top of that, they had those very significant operations with Special Forces. Now the Marine Corps had worked with Special Forces before but never on such a scale. And there was a close unity that was built up between the operations of the Marine Corps and the Special Forces, and that too is being looked upon as a possible new avenue. Special Forces likely to be the way of the future in conflicts and the Marine Corps could be very much with them.

But you look now as these soldiers come ashore and they're not thinking about what they have done, they are thinking about what lies ahead, mainly just about 20 minutes away from this position and their families. And having spent a long time in Afghanistan myself, not as long as they did, I know what is - what they're feeling in their hearts and how they can't wait to be in the arms of their loved ones -- Paula.

ZAHN: Well we are happy to have you home.

And what lies ahead is exactly unfolding where Jeanne Meserve is standing by at a different part of Camp Lejeune.

Jeanne, I know you've had the opportunity to talk with some more families as they await -- this must be a lot of tension now as they know it's like some of them are 15-20 minutes away from meeting their loved ones again?

MESERVE: Paula, I wouldn't exactly call it tension, I think I'd call it high anticipation.

This was a very small group of Marines that came in. We've seen only a handful of reunions thus far. These people are still waiting.

Over here we have Bill and Mary Urich (ph), down here from Pennsylvania, waiting for your son.

BILL URICH, FATHER: That's right.

MARY URICH, MOTHER: Yes.

MESERVE: Too excited?

M. URICH: Oh very excited. He was right over there. I got to hug him already.

MESERVE: You did? You did.

M. URICH: Yes.

B. URICH: We grabbed him. We grabbed him.

MESERVE: You notice how envious everyone is?

B. URICH: We went through the barriers there. We went right over there, you know. We didn't get kicked out, so I guess we're safe, you know.

MESERVE: And how did it feel to see him and hold him?

M. URICH: Wonderful.

B. URICH: Great. Great.

MESERVE: And what were your first words?

B. URICH: Welcome home. You know...

M. URICH: I don't even remember. B. URICH: Yes, we just grabbed him.

MESERVE: Son, I have to believe I love you was somewhere in there.

B. URICH: Yes.

M. URICH: Yes, it was.

MESERVE: Just great. And what's on the agenda? What are you going to do now that he's home?

M. URICH: Well he can't leave yet until the 25th, but so at least...

B. URICH: Somewhere around that time.

M. URICH: ... we has -- hopefully we have some time with him.

B. URICH: We came down to see him.

MESERVE: Yes.

B. URICH: And then he'll be coming home probably next week.

MESERVE: OK great.

B. URICH: And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) have some time.

MESERVE: Well...

M. URICH: We're having a big celebration at home. We have it all decorated and everything all ready.

B. URICH: His four sisters and everybody...

M. URICH: Yes.

B. URICH: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we decorated the place already. Everything's set.

M. URICH: He's the only son so...

B. URICH: Yes.

MESERVE: A big deal.

M. URICH: Yes.

MESERVE: Were you very scared while he was over there?

M. URICH: Very.

MESERVE: Sleepless nights?

B. URICH: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). M. URICH: Yes, we worried a lot, because we didn't know he was -- he was actually on land for 59 days. We didn't know that, you know, until he told us in a letter -- when we got the letter.

B. URICH: And we -- when the 15th went in, we thought that they were just in, but actually his platoon, this CLAC platoon (ph), was actually in there in the perimeter of Kandahar Airport before we even knew it.

M. URICH: Yes.

B. URICH: They were the first one off the 26th that actually went in there on land (ph).

MESERVE: You sound mighty proud.

B. URICH: I am very proud, very proud. Go Marines!

MESERVE: All right. Thank you both.

And a lot of other people, hopefully, are going to have the same opportunity coming up.

Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: Jeanne, just a quick question about how many people are gathered there now? I know you said this was a small group that was coming to the point where you're standing.

We're going to try to take a wide shot to give our audience a better idea of the sense of anticipation there.

(CROWD TALKING)

ZAHN: Well there they are, maybe some of them tempted to break through the barriers like that mom and dad just did to see their son for the first time in seven months. And you know what, none of us blame them for that.

We're going to take a short break here and return to Marty Savidge and Jeanne Meserve as they watch the members of the 26 MEU return home after one of the longest deployments in Operation Enduring Freedom. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: As we've been telling you all morning long, there's a very special homecoming unfolding in North Carolina right now. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are home after a seven-month- long deployment as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

And let's go to Jeanne Meserve who has the joy of being with families now as they are reunited with the very brave Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU.

Good morning again, Jeanne. MESERVE: Good morning, Paula. It really is a joy. People are so excited here.

As you can see, there aren't that many people here, that's in part because the Marines are coming back earlier than anyone expected. But when I got here at 7:00 this morning, someone was pulling in and that was Brenda Penkowski (ph) here from Vermont here to greet your son?

BRENDA PENKOWSKI, MOTHER: Yes, we are.

MESERVE: And how many family members are here total?

PENKOWSKI: We have about 25.

MESERVE: And from the whole East Coast, right?

PENKOWSKI: From Florida -- exactly. Exactly. Yes.

MESERVE: Does your son have any idea this reception is waiting for him?

PENKOWSKI: Yes, we didn't tell him who exactly though. He doesn't know who exactly is going to be here for him.

MESERVE: Is it tough to sit here and wait and wait...

PENKOWSKI: Yes.

MESERVE: ... and wait, particularly when you see other families greeting their loved ones?

PENKOWSKI: Yes, it is. It is. It is. It's so exciting. We're all excited. It's great.

MESERVE: Do you have a sense of what he was doing over there?

PENKOWSKI: A sense, yes, but I mean he can't -- he obviously didn't tell us anything, but, yes, we have a sense of what he did over there.

MESERVE: OK now I have to believe with 25 people here you probably have a big party planned?

PENKOWSKI: Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

MESERVE: We want to hear about that Whew!

PENKOWSKI: We will. When he -- actually when he goes back. He's not coming home on leave right now. He'll go back in May. When he comes home in May there will be a big party for him.

MESERVE: OK. And are you proud?

PENKOWSKI: We are extremely proud. Every one of us.

Are we all proud, guys?

CROWD: Yes. Whew!

PENKOWSKI: We are. We are.

MESERVE: Did you ever expect that your son would actually see combat?

PENKOWSKI: Never in a million years. Never. When he enlisted in the Marines, you know (AUDIO GAP) some friends of mine said, look, it'll be fine. You know we haven't been to war in forever. Don't worry about it. And the next thing you knew-- and when it happened, it was like who would have imagined in a million years it would be my son.

MESERVE: So...

PENKOWSKI: But it was.

MESERVE: Brenda, thanks so much. Thank you. All of you, enjoy your reunion.

PENKOWSKI: Thanks. Thanks.

MESERVE: Have a good time.

There are more than 2,000 Marines coming home. They'll be coming in in waves. We'll bring you more of these family moments when we can.

Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: Feel free, Jeanne, if you want to, we have about 40 seconds more left of your satellite time. Is there any other families you want to talk to? Anybody else there?

MESERVE: Oh let me turn around. Here's a lady over here. Let's wander over here.

Hi, what's your name?

JOY PIPER (ph), GRANDMA: Joy piper from Omaha, Nebraska.

MESERVE: Omaha. Here to meet who?

PIPER: My grandson.

MESERVE: And what are you going to say to him when you see him?

PIPER: I'm not going to say anything and I'm not going to cry.

MESERVE: You're almost crying right now.

PIPER: No, I'm... (LAUGHTER)

PIPER: No, no, no, no. No, I am -- he knows what I'm going to say, don't go where there's fighting. You stay right here right now.

MESERVE: Did you ever expect he would see fighting?

PIPER: Yes, I'm afraid I did. He kept telling me, I'm still on the ship. I'm still on the ship, Grandma. And I -- I'm not that dumb, I knew he wasn't, you know. These guys were going in, he was going in with them.

MESERVE: Great, thank you so much.

PIPER: Yes.

MESERVE: Hopefully you'll see him very soon.

PIPER: You know (ph), I saw him one time when they came in and he saw us so he knows I'm here.

MESERVE: Great.

We've got to go.

Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: Jeanne, you got the best job at CNN today. Wow! We'd all love to be there with you.

MESERVE: I think you're right.

ZAHN: Thank you very much.

Boy, the grandma may not say she's going to cry, but she had the rest of us crying.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

CAFFERTY: (INAUDIBLE).

ZAHN: And just the families are extraordinary.

COOPER: Yes.

ZAHN: Their strength,...

CAFFERTY: It's why those...

ZAHN: ... their sense of pride, their patriotism.

CAFFERTY: That's why those folks over there that did this stuff to this country will never win. And there's not a chance they'll ever win because of the kind of people that live here...

ZAHN: You're right. CAFFERTY: ... those kind.

ZAHN: There is millions of those families...

CAFFERTY: Yes.

ZAHN: ... and the men and women who fought for our country.

COOPER: It's remarkable, especially when you consider they've been away for so long. Seven months is...

ZAHN: Yes.

COOPER: ... just an extraordinary amount of time.

ZAHN: Love to attend one of those parties. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) wow, what a place to be.

CAFFERTY: Be fun.

COOPER: I'm sure that could be arranged.

ZAHN: Yes. See you all in the morning.

CAFFERTY: OK.

ZAHN: Thanks.

That wraps it up from all of us here on AMERICAN MORNING. For Jack and Anderson, I'm Paula Zahn, appreciate your being with us. Hope to see you again tomorrow morning.

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