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CNN Live Today

New York's Fleet Week Launches Many Ships

Aired May 22, 2002 - 11:10   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Our Michael Okwu is out there reporting on this for us live. Let's check in with Michael.

Are you there, Michael?

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, I am here indeed. You know I can say this, that the headline from the Hudson River is "The U.S. Navy Is Late." Essentially, they were supposed -- they were supposed to start here at about 10:30, but there has been a lot of activity in the air, very little activity on the seas.

We saw about three helicopters -- it looked like they were military helicopters -- just fly above us just moments ago. And if you look at this shot -- we're going to try to give you a shot down along the Hudson River -- you can see the parade of ships may in fact be starting. There's a spout of water coming from at least two vessels down there.

We believe that one of the vessels there is the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle. Now this is 295-foot long; a free-masted vessel. It is one of the very few sailing ships in the U.S. Navy, and it's essentially used as a training vessel for naval cadets. But this is going to be the first of some 20 U.S. naval ships that will be parading up along the Hudson River. Clearly, we'll try to get you a better shot of them as they sail past us.

And there is a lot of security here. We are told that there's been much security since 9/11, including the fact that there are vessels that can only go a certain distance to the moving and to the moored U.S. vessels. We are told, also, in addition to the display of these wonderful ships that you are going to see here within hopefully the next half hour or so, that there will be a display of compassion. That once they get to the site now known, of course, as ground zero, that the 6,000 Marines and sailors above -- aboard these 20 boats will stand at attention and salute.

And one other thing, Leon, about this is there was a flag apparently that used to fly proudly in the courtyard of the World Trade Center, a U.S. flag there. It made it's way to Afghanistan, transported by New York City Police and then by U.S. military personnel to Afghanistan, and was hoisted above the airport in Kandahar. That flag will be brought back here today here to New York flying above the USS Iwo Jima, which is the newest and the largest naval ship on display today. And when that flag gets to the site around ground zero, it will be lowered in commemoration of those people, of course, who lost their lives there.

But at this point, now, really activity in the air; not as much activity on the seas. But we hope that just momentarily, again, in the next 30 to 40 minutes, we will get closer look at the vessels -- Leon.

HARRIS: Yes, Michael, even as you were speaking we have a shot up right now. The U.S. Coast Guard Eagle, the ship -- the three- masted vessel you were speaking of, that Coast Guard ship is making its way up there right now. You may be able to see it if you turn around. And we do see it right now. And as you were talking about that flag that's going to be making its return to New York, I was wondering if it would be this one that we're seeing on the Coast Guard Eagle, but I guess not.

And speaking of that flag, you mentioned that it will be delivered by the USS Iwo Jima, which is an amphibious assault carrier. That ship is actually sort of taking the place of one of the -- I guess one of the more -- the ship that has actually participated in this Fleet Week tradition for the longest, the USS John F. Kennedy, which is an aircraft carrier. It would have been here had it not been for the activities right now a half a world away. That ship is still on duty right now in the theater over there near Afghanistan and, as a result, will not be here.

The Iwo Jima, however, is taking its place.

OKWU: That's exactly right, Leon. And, in fact, there are seven other ships that will be coming here to New York that are returning from an operation in Afghanistan, of course, and we're eager to get a look at those ones. And of course, the sailors aboard those ships are eager to be here in New York. They are going to be going through a number of activities working with local people here and going to local functions, visiting ground, we are told. So they're interested in having an interesting time here in New York -- Leon.

HARRIS: No doubt. No doubt.

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