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CNN Live Today

Several Thousand Marines, Sailors Shipping Out From San Diego

Aired January 17, 2003 - 11:41   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: In the meantime, several thousand Marines and sailors are shipping out from San Diego today ready for war if they do get that call.
CNN's national correspondent Frank Buckley is aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, and he checks in now live in what looks like a gorgeous day out there in San Diego.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely beautiful day here,. Leon.

The Bonhomme Richard one of seven amphibious ships that are leaving from San Diego today with 10,000 Marines and sailors aboard, their destination the Persian Gulf. We often see the scenes on the pier of the families waiting and saying goodbye, and that sort of thing. We're going to give you a unique perspective today from aboard ship as it's pulling away from those families. You can some of the men here manning the rails already, as this particular ship prepares to pull out, and onshore, if we can take you down below, we can show you the families are down there in fact looking back up, and waving and looking expectantly at their loved ones aboard this ship and the six others, a very difficult day for all concerned.

I've got with me two Marines and two sailors. If you guys could turn around, and let's chat for a second here. You corporals, we were just talking a moment ago, Corporal Hart (ph) and Corporal Toptoe (ph), you guys just got back from deployment a month ago. That's highly unusual to go back out so quickly. What kind of a situation is that for you? What kind of a strain has that placed on you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it's just really hard on our families coming back, our families really want to see us. There's a lot of hardships with my fiance, but it's our job seven days a week, and we're Marines. That's what our job is.

BUCKLEY: Let me tell our viewers, Corporal Hart is in trouble with his fiance, because she was supposed to meet him down here on pier 13 and did not get here in time, so if she happens to be watching, go ahead and tell her goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to tell you that I love you, I miss you, and I'll be home soon to see you.

BUCKLEY: Corporal, what about yourself? Your family is down there. Tell me what this day is like for you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a tough day. Leaving is always tough. That's the toughest thing I think being in the Marine Corps, is just leaving. I don't worry about when we leave or what we're going to do, but the only thing I worry about is leaving my family. That's the toughest job, period, and you know, that's the only tough thing about it.

BUCKLEY: OK, thank you very much.

Let me talk quickly to airman Allard (ph) and Petcheko (ph). Gentlemen, what about yourselves. You're just out to sea seven months around. You're turning back around. How difficult is this for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For myself, I don't have any family here in New York, so I've got my stuff taken care of. I'm ready to go.

BUCKLEY: And Petchecko (ph), what about yourself?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And me, on the other hand, I'm from San Diego, so I had to say my goodbyes yesterday, and I'm just ready to put my game face on today, and ready for any operation we've got to do, so you just got to leave your stuff behind and focus on whatever's going to come up now, you know for the next six to whatever long we're out here. So that's pretty much all I have.

BUCKLEY: Gentlemen, thanks very much for spending time with us. We appreciate it. Just four of the men onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard. As we say, 10,000 sailors and Marines deploying. This ship pulling out in about 15 minutes will be aboard.

Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Frank. We'll check back with you later on.

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




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Aired January 17, 2003 - 11:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, several thousand Marines and sailors are shipping out from San Diego today ready for war if they do get that call.
CNN's national correspondent Frank Buckley is aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, and he checks in now live in what looks like a gorgeous day out there in San Diego.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely beautiful day here,. Leon.

The Bonhomme Richard one of seven amphibious ships that are leaving from San Diego today with 10,000 Marines and sailors aboard, their destination the Persian Gulf. We often see the scenes on the pier of the families waiting and saying goodbye, and that sort of thing. We're going to give you a unique perspective today from aboard ship as it's pulling away from those families. You can some of the men here manning the rails already, as this particular ship prepares to pull out, and onshore, if we can take you down below, we can show you the families are down there in fact looking back up, and waving and looking expectantly at their loved ones aboard this ship and the six others, a very difficult day for all concerned.

I've got with me two Marines and two sailors. If you guys could turn around, and let's chat for a second here. You corporals, we were just talking a moment ago, Corporal Hart (ph) and Corporal Toptoe (ph), you guys just got back from deployment a month ago. That's highly unusual to go back out so quickly. What kind of a situation is that for you? What kind of a strain has that placed on you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it's just really hard on our families coming back, our families really want to see us. There's a lot of hardships with my fiance, but it's our job seven days a week, and we're Marines. That's what our job is.

BUCKLEY: Let me tell our viewers, Corporal Hart is in trouble with his fiance, because she was supposed to meet him down here on pier 13 and did not get here in time, so if she happens to be watching, go ahead and tell her goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to tell you that I love you, I miss you, and I'll be home soon to see you.

BUCKLEY: Corporal, what about yourself? Your family is down there. Tell me what this day is like for you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a tough day. Leaving is always tough. That's the toughest thing I think being in the Marine Corps, is just leaving. I don't worry about when we leave or what we're going to do, but the only thing I worry about is leaving my family. That's the toughest job, period, and you know, that's the only tough thing about it.

BUCKLEY: OK, thank you very much.

Let me talk quickly to airman Allard (ph) and Petcheko (ph). Gentlemen, what about yourselves. You're just out to sea seven months around. You're turning back around. How difficult is this for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For myself, I don't have any family here in New York, so I've got my stuff taken care of. I'm ready to go.

BUCKLEY: And Petchecko (ph), what about yourself?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And me, on the other hand, I'm from San Diego, so I had to say my goodbyes yesterday, and I'm just ready to put my game face on today, and ready for any operation we've got to do, so you just got to leave your stuff behind and focus on whatever's going to come up now, you know for the next six to whatever long we're out here. So that's pretty much all I have.

BUCKLEY: Gentlemen, thanks very much for spending time with us. We appreciate it. Just four of the men onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard. As we say, 10,000 sailors and Marines deploying. This ship pulling out in about 15 minutes will be aboard.

Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Frank. We'll check back with you later on.

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




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