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CNN Live At Daybreak

Flight 93 Cockpit Tapes Record Voices of "Heroes"

Aired April 19, 2002 - 05:45   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: Turning now for more on the September 11 hijacking we don't usually hear about, United Flight 93 which crashed into a rural Pennsylvania field, relatives who heard the cockpit voice recording says the tape offers proof that those on board acted heroically, fighting back against the hijackers.

CNN's David Mattingly reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A day that began with anxiety and doubt ends with tears of sorrowful satisfaction.

ALICE HOGLAND, MOTHER OF VICTIM: The cockpit voice recording does indeed confirm that our loved ones died heroes. There were 40 heroes on board Flight 93. I'm so proud of my son.

MATTINGLY: Careful not to reveal the contents of the cockpit voice recorder as instructed by the FBI, families of Flight 93 emerged after hours behind closed doors declaring they had heard what they needed to hear.

HAMILTON PETERSON, SON OF VICTIM: These were clearly people who were informed of the unthinkable. They digested it and acted upon it in no time at all. And, if anything, I consider it another Normandy. And I think it's a message to the world that the American spirit is alive and kicking.

MATTINGLY: Not willing to divulge details out of concern it would jeopardize efforts by federal prosecutors, relatives of Flight 93 did say the recording recovered that the crash site in Pennsylvania was a poor quality. Wind noise so loud that it was difficult to distinguish passenger's voices even as they shouted. Still, the information they took from the recording, some say, was surprising but intensely emotion and answering many questions while raising new ones.

DERRILL BODLEY, FATHER OF VICTIM: I'm just here to honor my daughter's last moments, to be as close to her as I could be.

DEENA BURNETT, WIDOW OF VICTIM: Very glad that I have been able to hear the tape and surprisingly found more peace and comfort from listening to it than I expected. MATTINGLY (on camera): In all, to quote one man who lost his father, "a bittersweet day," well worth the seven months families had to wait and for some, worth the painful memories played out in vivid detail on tape.

David Mattingly, CNN, Princeton, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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