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CNN Live At Daybreak

USS Cole Repairs Finished, Ship Ready to Set Sail

Aired April 19, 2002 - 06:20   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, it was a year and a half ago that the USS Cole was attacked by terrorists. Well now it has been repaired and upgraded and it's ready to set sail.

CNN's Sean Callebs is live from Pascagoula, Mississippi, where the Cole will be re-commissioned later this morning -- good morning, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Behind me, you see the destroyer, the USS Cole. It is scheduled to pull out of Pascagoula, Mississippi in a matter of hours. And, again, making its way back to the home base in Norfolk, Virginia. This, as you mentioned, 18 months after a suicide attack ripped a gaping hole in the side of the ship, claiming 17 lives.

Well the crew says they are heading out with a renewed sense of duty and pride.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): Reconditioned ship with unquestioned commitment from her crew.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, you know, we've been down here rebuilding the ship, but every ship belongs at sea, and we're looking to get back into the fight.

CALLEBS: The USS Cole went through more than $250 million worth of repairs. Eighteen months ago, this was the Cole. Seventeen sailors died, more than twice that number were injured in a suicide attack in the port of Yemen. They are not forgotten.

This is the hall of heroes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Also, on the deck, we have 17 stars, which are all pointed to port, where the blast occurred. Also in commemoration of their lives.

CALLEBS: The terrorist attack happened at mess time. Now, all sailors must pass through this refurbished area to eat.

SARAH GOMEZ (ph): I'm not going to lie. I mean, it does -- it's always emotional for me. CALLEBS: San Antonio native Sarah Gomez (ph) was at her post in the communication room when the blast occurred.

GOMEZ (ph): We just helped each other out and we got through it. We comforted each other and we brought her home. I'm glad we got to bring her back into the states and get her repaired.

CALLEBS: The Cole is a guided missile destroyer, armed with cruise and surface-to-air missiles. It will take about three months of training before the Cole is ready for deployment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A huge, huge sense of pride that we're being able to bring Cole back to Norfolk and bring Cole back to the American people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: The ship has a new commanding officer, and only 15 percent of the sailors are holdovers from the time of the attack. But all the crew members can claim a connection to a sobering chapter in U.S. history, as the Cole prepares to head out to rejoin the U.S. fleet -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Where exactly is it headed, Sean?

CALLEBS: Well, Carol, first it will head out to sea for several months testing and re-testing. And after that, it is expected to join the USS Enterprise in the Mediterranean Sea somewhere as part of that battleship group.

COSTELLO: Something else I wanted to ask you. Is it kind of eerie for sailors to re-board a ship where so many people died?

CALLEBS: Well, only 15 percent of the crew actually was -- will join the ship, were serving at the time the blast occurred in Yemen. And we talked to several of them yesterday. They didn't say it was so much eerie, as it's a constant reminder. Every time you walk down the hallway toward the mess area, you walk down the area where the 17 stars are, the hall of heroes. And, as they said, you know, they just can't get passed that.

A lot of them did admit that they were offered the opportunity to talk to psychologists, psychiatrists, after this to get over any kind of trauma. So, certainly, it not necessarily haunts them, but it is going to be a constant reminder.

COSTELLO: Oh, yeah. Well thank you, Sean, reporting live for us from Mississippi this morning. We thank you.

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