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CNN Live At Daybreak

Marines' Families Eager For Arrival of USS Nassau

Aired May 26, 2003 - 06:52   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In just a few hours on this Memorial Day, more than 2,000 Marines will return to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina after duty in the war in Iraq. The disappearance of two sailors aboard the USS Nassau has delayed the voyage by a few hours. Some pilots have already returned from the ship, but as you can imagine, the Marines' families are eager to be reunited.
CNN's Gary Tuchman has more on that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This will be the first major contingent of Marine ground troops to return home, 2,300 of them.

MAJ. JOE PASCHALL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I'm feeling like I'm ready to get home. It's been a long nine months and it's been fairly eventful. It's been a pretty good adventure for the whole nine months. But, you know, now it's about time to get home.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Joe, we just want to introduce everyone to you, reintroduce everyone. Do you remember Sue? You left her nine months ago. And your three kids. They're right here. They're looking at you right now.

SUE PASCHALL, WIFE OF MAJ. JOE PASCHALL: We are very excited to get you home tomorrow. It's been a long year, but we're very proud of you and we can't wait to have you back. The kids are excited. We have a lot of things to show you and things to catch you up on.

TUCHMAN: What do you want to do with him when he gets home?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Go to the beach and the pool.

TUCHMAN: And, Chrissie (ph), what would you like to say to your dad right now?

CHRISSIE: I love you and I hope you come home soon.

JOE PASCHALL: Hey, love you guys and I think the pool is opening up this weekend.

TUCHMAN: Your dad just said he loves you and he knows the pool is opening. When he left nine months ago it was open and he's going to take you to the pool the second he gets home. How do you feel about that?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Oh, cool!

TUCHMAN: There you go.

And you've been married for 18 months. He has been gone for almost half your marriage. How does it feel to see him on TV? I know he's coming home here tomorrow to North Carolina.

ELIZABETH SISTO, WIFE OF CPL. JEFF SISTO: It's wonderful to see him. It's been a long road and we're just really looking forward to having a normal marriage, trying to spend some time together, get to know each other again.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The reunions are happening as we speak.

CAPT. JEFF BONNER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: A lot of emotions go through your mind, you know? It's been a long time. Nine months is a long time. And we've done some great work. We're real proud of the Marines, what they've done. And all that kind of comes back here. Seeing the family, it's really what it's all about.

MRS. BONNER: I'm just so happy he's home.

TUCHMAN: What's the...

MRS. BONNER: I'm very proud of him.

BONNER: It's great to be back. Nine months is a long time. It's great to be back. We've got 2,300 more Marines coming in tomorrow. It's going to be a great Memorial Day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Yes, it is.

Of course, we'll bring that to you live.

Gary Tuchman reporting there.

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 May 26, 2003 - 06:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In just a few hours on this Memorial Day, more than 2,000 Marines will return to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina after duty in the war in Iraq. The disappearance of two sailors aboard the USS Nassau has delayed the voyage by a few hours. Some pilots have already returned from the ship, but as you can imagine, the Marines' families are eager to be reunited.
CNN's Gary Tuchman has more on that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This will be the first major contingent of Marine ground troops to return home, 2,300 of them.

MAJ. JOE PASCHALL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I'm feeling like I'm ready to get home. It's been a long nine months and it's been fairly eventful. It's been a pretty good adventure for the whole nine months. But, you know, now it's about time to get home.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Joe, we just want to introduce everyone to you, reintroduce everyone. Do you remember Sue? You left her nine months ago. And your three kids. They're right here. They're looking at you right now.

SUE PASCHALL, WIFE OF MAJ. JOE PASCHALL: We are very excited to get you home tomorrow. It's been a long year, but we're very proud of you and we can't wait to have you back. The kids are excited. We have a lot of things to show you and things to catch you up on.

TUCHMAN: What do you want to do with him when he gets home?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Go to the beach and the pool.

TUCHMAN: And, Chrissie (ph), what would you like to say to your dad right now?

CHRISSIE: I love you and I hope you come home soon.

JOE PASCHALL: Hey, love you guys and I think the pool is opening up this weekend.

TUCHMAN: Your dad just said he loves you and he knows the pool is opening. When he left nine months ago it was open and he's going to take you to the pool the second he gets home. How do you feel about that?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Oh, cool!

TUCHMAN: There you go.

And you've been married for 18 months. He has been gone for almost half your marriage. How does it feel to see him on TV? I know he's coming home here tomorrow to North Carolina.

ELIZABETH SISTO, WIFE OF CPL. JEFF SISTO: It's wonderful to see him. It's been a long road and we're just really looking forward to having a normal marriage, trying to spend some time together, get to know each other again.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The reunions are happening as we speak.

CAPT. JEFF BONNER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: A lot of emotions go through your mind, you know? It's been a long time. Nine months is a long time. And we've done some great work. We're real proud of the Marines, what they've done. And all that kind of comes back here. Seeing the family, it's really what it's all about.

MRS. BONNER: I'm just so happy he's home.

TUCHMAN: What's the...

MRS. BONNER: I'm very proud of him.

BONNER: It's great to be back. Nine months is a long time. It's great to be back. We've got 2,300 more Marines coming in tomorrow. It's going to be a great Memorial Day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Yes, it is.

Of course, we'll bring that to you live.

Gary Tuchman reporting there.

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