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American Morning

Reporting with Army Fifth Corps

Aired March 20, 2003 - 09:42   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to one of our imbed reporters. Karl Penhaul is with the Army Fifth Corps. He, too, is in an undisclosed location in northern Kuwaiti desert. One can only assume he is near the Iraqi border.
Karl, what do you have for us this hour.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, like many of my colleagues, during the course of the day, there have been repeated chemical attack alerts in the course of the day. In the spot where I am, we've had at least five alerts. That's involved each time donning gas masks, along with the soldiers of course; they, too,, have been donning gas masks, going away into tents. Each time, the alert has lasted about 20, 25 minutes.

Commanders have said, too, that they have not yet detected any presence of chemicals in atmosphere. In addition to that, Bill, preparations are continuing here at the camp where I'm based. As you can see in some video, the air crews, the maintenance and ammunition crews on the Apache helicopter pilots have continued arming helicopters. You see in some of the video them signing messages on some of the hellfire missiles and on the rockets, signing some humorous messages, some a limit cruder, but nevertheless, messages to the Iraqi regime, some very heartfelt messages there -- Bill.

HEMMER: Karl, thanks. Karl Penhaul with the Army Fifth Corps, one of many imbedded reporters now with the U.S. military.

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 March 20, 2003 - 09:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to one of our imbed reporters. Karl Penhaul is with the Army Fifth Corps. He, too, is in an undisclosed location in northern Kuwaiti desert. One can only assume he is near the Iraqi border.
Karl, what do you have for us this hour.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, like many of my colleagues, during the course of the day, there have been repeated chemical attack alerts in the course of the day. In the spot where I am, we've had at least five alerts. That's involved each time donning gas masks, along with the soldiers of course; they, too,, have been donning gas masks, going away into tents. Each time, the alert has lasted about 20, 25 minutes.

Commanders have said, too, that they have not yet detected any presence of chemicals in atmosphere. In addition to that, Bill, preparations are continuing here at the camp where I'm based. As you can see in some video, the air crews, the maintenance and ammunition crews on the Apache helicopter pilots have continued arming helicopters. You see in some of the video them signing messages on some of the hellfire missiles and on the rockets, signing some humorous messages, some a limit cruder, but nevertheless, messages to the Iraqi regime, some very heartfelt messages there -- Bill.

HEMMER: Karl, thanks. Karl Penhaul with the Army Fifth Corps, one of many imbedded reporters now with the U.S. military.

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