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American Morning
Happy Homecoming
Aired April 25, 2003 - 09:36 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A big homecoming for hundreds of U.S. sailors and officers who served in the Persian Gulf. The USS Mobile Bay and the USS Shiloh will be arriving in San Diego today. The two missile cruisers are part of the USS Lincoln battle group.
Our Frank Buckley is aboard the Mobile Bay and David Mattingly is waiting dockside where families and friends will be greeting their loved ones.
Let's go ahead and begin with Frank. Hi, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Heidi.
A very long deployment for the men and women aboard the Mobile Bay and the Shiloh. You'll recall the Abraham Lincoln battle group was halfway home. They had already completed a six-month deployment. They were in Australia when they got orders to return to the Persian Gulf. So they are coming home nine months and one day; 286 days is how long this deployment has been for the men and women aboard this ship and they are finally coming home.
Right now, the last breakfast just being served. Some of the last remnants of breakfast just being cleared away, actually. Some pancakes there and we can tell you that they're served a lovely Navy breakfast here and we got to enjoy some of it. And as is the tradition, we had some wonderful navy coffee.
And joining us right now, one of the sailors who is headed home, Michael Wartmann. Michael, first of all, just what kind of a day is this for everybody on the ship?
MICHAEL WARTMANN, U.S. NAVY: Well, I think every day -- or today, actually, is one of the best days that we had, because like you said, when we were in Australia, we were heading home and, all of a sudden, we got the word, Hey, we're going back to the Gulf. So all of our expectations went down the drain. And once we got the word that we were getting ready to go back home, come back home, everybody's morale and everything went up. Not that it wasn't up already, but we all had a good expectation of coming home and everything.
BUCKLEY: Well my colleague David Mattingly has someone on shore who wants to talk to you and who I'm sure you'll like to talk to.
David, I'll toss it back to you.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Frank. If you think nine months, it seems a long time for a sailor, it's just as long for the families they leave behind. And when they get back -- the Mobile Bay is going to be pulling into port right over here behind me. When they get here, there will be hundreds of people here, very happy people here ready to greet them and to see them for the first time in what has been a long, long time.
And one (AUDIO GAP) -- Wartmann you just saw your husband on the air. How long has it been since you've seen him?
JENNIFER WARTMANN, HUSBAND AT SEA: It's been six months. So it was great to see him.
MATTINGLY: Now he was able to be here for the birth of his daughter Kaitlyn (ph)?
J. WARTMANN: Yes.
MATTINGLY: And she's here right here. Good morning. Good morning. Everybody's a little bleary-eyed this morning. And also his daughter Arrianna. Good morning. You ready to see your dad today? Everybody's just absolutely speechless.
J. WARTMANN: Very excited.
MATTINGLY: But he's missed a lot. Arianna was able to walk while he was gone...
J. WARTMANN: Right.
MATTINGLY: ....right? So he has a lot of catching up to do.
J. WARTMANN: Definitely. She's a lot more vocal what she wants. She speaks a lot clearer now, so -- you know, and the little one, I mean, she's starting to crawl and roll and cut teeth. So I'm ready for him to come home so he can get to experience what I get to experience every day.
MATTINGLY: Now he was one of the lucky ones. He was able to be here when she was born but had he to join the ship later?
J. WARTMANN: Right.
MATTINGLY: And what do you plan to do when he comes home?
J. WARTMANN: Just take it one day at a time and kind of let the kids guide our day-to-day activities, you know? Let him bond with them again. That's the most important thing, I think, right now.
MATTINGLY: We have a monitor set up over here so you can see him. Now you've been able to communicate with him. He's been able to call you and you've been able to see pictures of him. This will the first time you get the whole picture.
J. WARTMANN: Package, yeah. MATTINGLY: Yes. And how does he look?
J. WARTMANN: He looks great. It's -- I can't wait till I can hug him again and, you know, just have that sense of security knowing he's home with us again.
MATTINGLY: Well, he was smiling pretty big. Does he look like he's lost weight, anything like that while he's been out?
J. WARTMANN: He looks pretty much the same. You know, this is our second deployment, so he looks the same. You know? It's a great feeling just to see him and know that they're a few hours out, so....
MATTINGLY: Now can we hear him? Let's try and talk to him right now. Can you hear him?
BUCKLEY: Of course, you can.
J. WARTMANN: Hi, Michael.
BUCKLEY: He's listening to you.
M. WARTMANN: Hey, baby. How you doing?
MATTINGLY: Michael, can you hear us?
M. WARTMANN: Yes, I can.
MATTINGLY: Can you hear him?
J. WARTMANN: No.
MATTINGLY: Well, we see your lips moving.
J. WARTMANN: It's great to see him at least.
Arianna, looks, there's daddy. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
MATTINGLY: Well, he can't see us here, but if-- Michael, in case you can hear us, you have a very beautiful family. They're all very anxious to see you right now. Thank you very much.
M. WARTMANN: I bet they are.
MATTINGLY: Everyone got up so early. You might have to go back to bed early today and let him put the kids to bed for a change.
J. WARTMANN: Exactly. I think he's going to have to. So I'm almost ready for a nap now.
MATTINGLY: All right.
J. WARTMANN: So...
MATTINGLY: Well, everyone's going to liven up pretty quick here. In just a few hours we're expecting the ship to get here and boy, oh, boy, you know, one of the best stories you could possibly have today, everybody coming home. Back to you.
COLLINS: David Mattingly, we love these reunions. Jennifer Wartmann for her husband, Michael. She's got the kids standing by. We also want to thank Frank Buckley there. Thanks so much guys, to both of you.
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 April 25, 2003 - 09:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A big homecoming for hundreds of U.S. sailors and officers who served in the Persian Gulf. The USS Mobile Bay and the USS Shiloh will be arriving in San Diego today. The two missile cruisers are part of the USS Lincoln battle group.
Our Frank Buckley is aboard the Mobile Bay and David Mattingly is waiting dockside where families and friends will be greeting their loved ones.
Let's go ahead and begin with Frank. Hi, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Heidi.
A very long deployment for the men and women aboard the Mobile Bay and the Shiloh. You'll recall the Abraham Lincoln battle group was halfway home. They had already completed a six-month deployment. They were in Australia when they got orders to return to the Persian Gulf. So they are coming home nine months and one day; 286 days is how long this deployment has been for the men and women aboard this ship and they are finally coming home.
Right now, the last breakfast just being served. Some of the last remnants of breakfast just being cleared away, actually. Some pancakes there and we can tell you that they're served a lovely Navy breakfast here and we got to enjoy some of it. And as is the tradition, we had some wonderful navy coffee.
And joining us right now, one of the sailors who is headed home, Michael Wartmann. Michael, first of all, just what kind of a day is this for everybody on the ship?
MICHAEL WARTMANN, U.S. NAVY: Well, I think every day -- or today, actually, is one of the best days that we had, because like you said, when we were in Australia, we were heading home and, all of a sudden, we got the word, Hey, we're going back to the Gulf. So all of our expectations went down the drain. And once we got the word that we were getting ready to go back home, come back home, everybody's morale and everything went up. Not that it wasn't up already, but we all had a good expectation of coming home and everything.
BUCKLEY: Well my colleague David Mattingly has someone on shore who wants to talk to you and who I'm sure you'll like to talk to.
David, I'll toss it back to you.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Frank. If you think nine months, it seems a long time for a sailor, it's just as long for the families they leave behind. And when they get back -- the Mobile Bay is going to be pulling into port right over here behind me. When they get here, there will be hundreds of people here, very happy people here ready to greet them and to see them for the first time in what has been a long, long time.
And one (AUDIO GAP) -- Wartmann you just saw your husband on the air. How long has it been since you've seen him?
JENNIFER WARTMANN, HUSBAND AT SEA: It's been six months. So it was great to see him.
MATTINGLY: Now he was able to be here for the birth of his daughter Kaitlyn (ph)?
J. WARTMANN: Yes.
MATTINGLY: And she's here right here. Good morning. Good morning. Everybody's a little bleary-eyed this morning. And also his daughter Arrianna. Good morning. You ready to see your dad today? Everybody's just absolutely speechless.
J. WARTMANN: Very excited.
MATTINGLY: But he's missed a lot. Arianna was able to walk while he was gone...
J. WARTMANN: Right.
MATTINGLY: ....right? So he has a lot of catching up to do.
J. WARTMANN: Definitely. She's a lot more vocal what she wants. She speaks a lot clearer now, so -- you know, and the little one, I mean, she's starting to crawl and roll and cut teeth. So I'm ready for him to come home so he can get to experience what I get to experience every day.
MATTINGLY: Now he was one of the lucky ones. He was able to be here when she was born but had he to join the ship later?
J. WARTMANN: Right.
MATTINGLY: And what do you plan to do when he comes home?
J. WARTMANN: Just take it one day at a time and kind of let the kids guide our day-to-day activities, you know? Let him bond with them again. That's the most important thing, I think, right now.
MATTINGLY: We have a monitor set up over here so you can see him. Now you've been able to communicate with him. He's been able to call you and you've been able to see pictures of him. This will the first time you get the whole picture.
J. WARTMANN: Package, yeah. MATTINGLY: Yes. And how does he look?
J. WARTMANN: He looks great. It's -- I can't wait till I can hug him again and, you know, just have that sense of security knowing he's home with us again.
MATTINGLY: Well, he was smiling pretty big. Does he look like he's lost weight, anything like that while he's been out?
J. WARTMANN: He looks pretty much the same. You know, this is our second deployment, so he looks the same. You know? It's a great feeling just to see him and know that they're a few hours out, so....
MATTINGLY: Now can we hear him? Let's try and talk to him right now. Can you hear him?
BUCKLEY: Of course, you can.
J. WARTMANN: Hi, Michael.
BUCKLEY: He's listening to you.
M. WARTMANN: Hey, baby. How you doing?
MATTINGLY: Michael, can you hear us?
M. WARTMANN: Yes, I can.
MATTINGLY: Can you hear him?
J. WARTMANN: No.
MATTINGLY: Well, we see your lips moving.
J. WARTMANN: It's great to see him at least.
Arianna, looks, there's daddy. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
MATTINGLY: Well, he can't see us here, but if-- Michael, in case you can hear us, you have a very beautiful family. They're all very anxious to see you right now. Thank you very much.
M. WARTMANN: I bet they are.
MATTINGLY: Everyone got up so early. You might have to go back to bed early today and let him put the kids to bed for a change.
J. WARTMANN: Exactly. I think he's going to have to. So I'm almost ready for a nap now.
MATTINGLY: All right.
J. WARTMANN: So...
MATTINGLY: Well, everyone's going to liven up pretty quick here. In just a few hours we're expecting the ship to get here and boy, oh, boy, you know, one of the best stories you could possibly have today, everybody coming home. Back to you.
COLLINS: David Mattingly, we love these reunions. Jennifer Wartmann for her husband, Michael. She's got the kids standing by. We also want to thank Frank Buckley there. Thanks so much guys, to both of you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
