Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Showdown With Iraq: Seven U.S. Warships Head to Sea

Aired January 17, 2003 - 10:07   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: A massive deployment is getting underway at one of America's major naval ports in California. Seven San Diego-based ships and their crews are heading to sea this morning, bound for the Persian Gulf and possibly into war with Iraq.
CNN's Frank Buckley has the latest on today's deployment -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka.

We are at Pier 13 in San Diego. Along the side, the USS Bonhomme Richard, one of those seven ships that you mentioned. Some 10,000 sailors and Marines will be deploying in a couple of hours. We can give you a sense of what's happening here pier side, families saying their final goodbyes before they take off for what could be several months at sea. Marines possibly going into any hostilities that could take place with Iraq, if, in fact that happens.

We want to introduce you to one family that will be saying goodbye here today, Teryl Dickson and Erin Dickson. Teryl is a petty officer third class and is among the ship's company. This is Jada, who is two years old. And this is Corporal Dixon of the U.S. Marine Corps on this side, Greg, who -- Corporal Dixon will be the one who is being left behind this time with Jada. That's sort of a turn on what we normally expect. Tell me, dad, and husband, what it's going to be like for you.

ERIN DICKSON, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I expect it to be a little challenging. I know I can handle it. There's a lot of things that, you know, she needs to be taught and I'm sure I can take the helm with that while my wife is gone.

BUCKLEY: And let me ask you, Teryl, what are your thoughts as you get ready to leave today. Your daughter will be here with your husband, but he's not mommy. Tell me what it's going to be like for you.

TERYL DICKSON, U.S. NAVY: Well, I'm pretty afraid to leave them behind, especially my daughter. And she doesn't realize what really is going on, but she knows that I have to go to work everyday. And I know that it's going to be hard being away, but I know I'm going to be back, also. So I'm not -- there's a lot of mixed feelings, excitement and then sadness at the same time. But it's -- I just have to -- just, you know, bite down and just take it day by day, everyday, out there.

BUCKLEY: We often talk to Marines and sailors who say, look, this comes with the territory. But I wonder, did you ever expect a situation where you would have to leave your 2-year-old daughter at home while you deployed on such a short notice deployment?

T. DICKSON: That never crossed my mind. I never thought that I had to leave her. But coming back to sea duty, I knew that there was a risk that I had to take also. But going on deployment early, I never expected that. So it's pretty hard, but it's going to be okay.

BUCKLEY: How will you keep in touch with the family, and is -- are you -- do they have the morale phones onboard that you will be able to speak to her? Will she be able to hear your voice?

T. DICKSON: Yes, there's phones on board and we'll be able to e- mail each other everyday, and also by letter. And just sending packages is very important. Every sailor, you know, expects a package from family and that's the most important thing, is when we get mail call, that you'll get mail and it's very important.

BUCKLEY: And, Corporal, let me ask you, you will -- even though you are not mommy, you will be thrust into the role of mom and dad for a while. Were you ever expecting this, and are you prepared for it?

E. DICKSON: I've been -- ever since September 11, it's crossed my mind. My wife -- we just got married last year and I knew there was a chance of her getting deployed or else myself getting deployed, and I've been preparing myself since then. And knowing her mom, it's going to be kind of tough, but I know I can handle it. It's -- I'm not trained for that, but...

BUCKLEY: Teryl, how have you explained it to Jada? What have you told her about mommy leaving for a while?

T. DICKSON: Well, she knows that -- every morning we get up she knows that we both have to go to work. We put on our uniforms, she's -- she knows that -- she says, "Mom, Dad going to work," and she doesn't cry after us and she knows about the ship and going on base with her. So she's pretty much aware of it, but she doesn't know that we're going on deployment -- we don't tell her that.

BUCKLEY: Well, the Dickson family, we wish you well. Good luck to both of you. Dad, good luck handling mom's responsibilities, and we wish you well. Thank you very much.

T. DICKSON: Thank you.

E. DICKSON: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: Just one of the many families here, Fredricka, on Pier 13. Ten thousand families going through similar circumstances today, as seven ships deploy to the Persian Gulf.

Back to you.

WHITFIELD: A pretty significant huge deployment there, Frank, and it takes about a month or so before their ships make it to the Persian Gulf region, right? BUCKLEY: That's right, and they'll be carrying with them an amphibious capability. This Bonhomme Richard, this ship that we are standing next to, for example, will not only carry approximately 1700 Marines, but will also be carrying what are called LCACs, these are the landing craft air cushion, the military hovercraft. They'll also be carrying helicopters and some 19 Harrier jets -- these are the vertical liftoff capability jets. And there will be seven such ships, not all of them with the same capabilities, but all of them carrying Marines into what could be harm's way.

WHITFIELD: All right, Frank Buckley in San Diego, thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 17, 2003 - 10:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A massive deployment is getting underway at one of America's major naval ports in California. Seven San Diego-based ships and their crews are heading to sea this morning, bound for the Persian Gulf and possibly into war with Iraq.
CNN's Frank Buckley has the latest on today's deployment -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka.

We are at Pier 13 in San Diego. Along the side, the USS Bonhomme Richard, one of those seven ships that you mentioned. Some 10,000 sailors and Marines will be deploying in a couple of hours. We can give you a sense of what's happening here pier side, families saying their final goodbyes before they take off for what could be several months at sea. Marines possibly going into any hostilities that could take place with Iraq, if, in fact that happens.

We want to introduce you to one family that will be saying goodbye here today, Teryl Dickson and Erin Dickson. Teryl is a petty officer third class and is among the ship's company. This is Jada, who is two years old. And this is Corporal Dixon of the U.S. Marine Corps on this side, Greg, who -- Corporal Dixon will be the one who is being left behind this time with Jada. That's sort of a turn on what we normally expect. Tell me, dad, and husband, what it's going to be like for you.

ERIN DICKSON, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I expect it to be a little challenging. I know I can handle it. There's a lot of things that, you know, she needs to be taught and I'm sure I can take the helm with that while my wife is gone.

BUCKLEY: And let me ask you, Teryl, what are your thoughts as you get ready to leave today. Your daughter will be here with your husband, but he's not mommy. Tell me what it's going to be like for you.

TERYL DICKSON, U.S. NAVY: Well, I'm pretty afraid to leave them behind, especially my daughter. And she doesn't realize what really is going on, but she knows that I have to go to work everyday. And I know that it's going to be hard being away, but I know I'm going to be back, also. So I'm not -- there's a lot of mixed feelings, excitement and then sadness at the same time. But it's -- I just have to -- just, you know, bite down and just take it day by day, everyday, out there.

BUCKLEY: We often talk to Marines and sailors who say, look, this comes with the territory. But I wonder, did you ever expect a situation where you would have to leave your 2-year-old daughter at home while you deployed on such a short notice deployment?

T. DICKSON: That never crossed my mind. I never thought that I had to leave her. But coming back to sea duty, I knew that there was a risk that I had to take also. But going on deployment early, I never expected that. So it's pretty hard, but it's going to be okay.

BUCKLEY: How will you keep in touch with the family, and is -- are you -- do they have the morale phones onboard that you will be able to speak to her? Will she be able to hear your voice?

T. DICKSON: Yes, there's phones on board and we'll be able to e- mail each other everyday, and also by letter. And just sending packages is very important. Every sailor, you know, expects a package from family and that's the most important thing, is when we get mail call, that you'll get mail and it's very important.

BUCKLEY: And, Corporal, let me ask you, you will -- even though you are not mommy, you will be thrust into the role of mom and dad for a while. Were you ever expecting this, and are you prepared for it?

E. DICKSON: I've been -- ever since September 11, it's crossed my mind. My wife -- we just got married last year and I knew there was a chance of her getting deployed or else myself getting deployed, and I've been preparing myself since then. And knowing her mom, it's going to be kind of tough, but I know I can handle it. It's -- I'm not trained for that, but...

BUCKLEY: Teryl, how have you explained it to Jada? What have you told her about mommy leaving for a while?

T. DICKSON: Well, she knows that -- every morning we get up she knows that we both have to go to work. We put on our uniforms, she's -- she knows that -- she says, "Mom, Dad going to work," and she doesn't cry after us and she knows about the ship and going on base with her. So she's pretty much aware of it, but she doesn't know that we're going on deployment -- we don't tell her that.

BUCKLEY: Well, the Dickson family, we wish you well. Good luck to both of you. Dad, good luck handling mom's responsibilities, and we wish you well. Thank you very much.

T. DICKSON: Thank you.

E. DICKSON: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: Just one of the many families here, Fredricka, on Pier 13. Ten thousand families going through similar circumstances today, as seven ships deploy to the Persian Gulf.

Back to you.

WHITFIELD: A pretty significant huge deployment there, Frank, and it takes about a month or so before their ships make it to the Persian Gulf region, right? BUCKLEY: That's right, and they'll be carrying with them an amphibious capability. This Bonhomme Richard, this ship that we are standing next to, for example, will not only carry approximately 1700 Marines, but will also be carrying what are called LCACs, these are the landing craft air cushion, the military hovercraft. They'll also be carrying helicopters and some 19 Harrier jets -- these are the vertical liftoff capability jets. And there will be seven such ships, not all of them with the same capabilities, but all of them carrying Marines into what could be harm's way.

WHITFIELD: All right, Frank Buckley in San Diego, thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com