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Preparations Made for Ceremony at Arlington

Aired May 26, 2003 - 10:47   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: General Douglas MacArthur once said, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away." And all too often, the realities of their war fade with them.
With that in mind, the Library of Congress is compiling a collection representing the memories of the veterans.

CNN National Correspondent Brute Morton has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was the man that carried the maps, and my instructions were: Get to the designated point without getting lost or getting shot. And I fortunately made it.

MORTON (voice-over): William Loncarack (ph) remembering World War II. The Library of Congress is collecting veterans' memories. Photographs Frederick Stilson (ph) in his World War I gas mask.

Project director Ellen McCullough-Lovell likes Samuel Boylston's (ph) World War II letters home.

ELLEN MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL, VETS' HISTORY PROJECT: This is a little bit of war humor. Everything he sent he did a drawing on.

MORTON: Jean and Brian Markel (ph) were in Vietnam together. Here's how they look today.

Sometimes the library has just their voices. William Arnett (ph), World War II:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'd say after about a week in combat, you're old. I don't care if you're 19 years old or what.

MORTON: McCullough-Lovell says the memories have some common themes.

MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL: The horror of battle. You know, what I saw that I will never forget. Why did I live? Why did someone else die? But there is also a lot about loyalty and camaraderie. And there's a lot of longing, too.

MORTON: Rutherford Brice, a Korean vet, remembers a hill.

RUTHERFORD BRICE, KOREAN VETERAN: And they couldn't get to the center of the hill, because they were being held down by machine gunfire. So, it just evolved into quite a little battle. We finally settled it down.

BOB BABCOCK, VIETNAM VETERAN: I really believe that every veteran and every home-front worker owes it to their family, to their country and to future generations to save that history so that they can learn from it.

MORTON: Babcock, a Vietnam Vet, remembers friendly fire, something that's been in the news from Iraq and Afghanistan.

BABCOCK: We told them to cease fire, and they kept firing. And one fell in the middle of us, and it killed one and wounded 10.

MORTON: The memories do matter. They tell us who we were and are. Some of the stories are on a Web site: www.loc.gov/warstories. Strong memories.

MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL: I think if there is any lesson, it's a lesson about service, that there are times when we're required to serve and we're called to serve or we volunteer to serve. And service is a really important part of what we do as citizens in a democracy.

MORTON: Seven thousand vets have contributed so far. The library wants more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't too tough (ph). It was just -- we just didn't think we'd make it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORTON: At the Library of Congress, they are collecting memories. Here at Arlington National Cemetery, honor guards are gathering, ordinary Americans are gathering for the Memorial Day wreath-laying. That is a ceremony that is due to start in just ten minutes or so.

The wreaths, of course, speeches. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is speaking. Air Force General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the last, of course, will be the president. That speech expected about 11:30 Eastern time, roughly 40 minutes from now. Big day here at Arlington -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is for sure, and any moment, the president will come out and lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This year is special recognition of Vietnam veterans, right, Bruce?

MORTON: Yes, but this cemetery -- it's a funny place, Carol. You used to work here in Washington, I'm sure you've been here. It started in the Civil War as a gesture against Robert E. Lee, whose house is here. He was commanding the Confederate force. The Union said, We'll put a cemetery in his front yard and did, but it has now people from all of America's wars, including both sides of the Civil war.

COSTELLO: Yes, that is amazing. I know the tradition started in the Civil War. It actually started in South with Confederate widows decorating the graves of Confederate soldiers, and then it just sort of grew and grew to include Union soldiers as well. Is my history correct, Bruce?

MORTON: Well, a lot of different towns, including one in upper New York state, claim they were the first one. A general proclaimed -- a general named Logan (ph) in 1868, and it has had various official incarnations since. As I said, there are soldiers now here who were on both sides of the Civil War, black soldiers who fought with the Union.

The outstanding total, there are something like 260,000, more than a quarter of a million American veterans buried in this cemetery.

COSTELLO: Now, we see Senator John Warner coming down the steps to take part in the commemoration today.

Suzanne Malveaux...

MORTON: He's an institution.

COSTELLO: Oh, go ahead -- go ahead, Bruce. Carry on.

MORTON: He's a Washington institution. He's been here for years and years and years. He's been chairman, when the Republicans had the Senate, of Armed Services for years and years and years. He is one of the venerable Washington figures associated with the military.

COSTELLO: As is Senator Bob Dole, speaking to Senator Warner.

Suzanne Malveaux, as I said, live from the White House. Good morning, Suzanne. What is the president expected to talk about?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. White House officials are telling us that, of course, he is going to pay tribute to the soldiers who participated in the war on terror, those in Afghanistan as well as Iraq.

We've also been told by someone who is familiar with the president's speech that he is going to focus on the fact that, yes, this is a very emotional event for Americans across the country, typically, but even more so this year because of what Americans have gone through.

When you talk about the war with Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, how difficult times have been. The president also, earlier this morning, I should mention, Carol, he did meet with a group of veterans and their families here at the White House at the East Room. It was a private affair, it was a breakfast reception for those, and that is what the president typically does.

He likes to meet one on one, he likes to have these type of private, face to face interactions. In a lot of these situations, the president does become rather emotional about all of this. We are told that he is going to talk about the tremendous sacrifices that soldiers have made over the past years, but particularly this past year when you talk about the war on terror.

COSTELLO: Oh, you are not kidding. Still active combat units in Afghanistan, also in Iraq. So, perhaps, this Memorial Day has very special significance for the president.

MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely, Carol. And as you know, of course, the administration focusing, saying this is not -- this has not ended, that this is something that will continue throughout the year, that just within the last couple of weeks, seeing those terrorist attacks in Morocco as well as in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that this is something that will require additional sacrifice from Americans, and we may see that happen over the course of this year.

COSTELLO: And such an odd contrast with troops still overseas, and of course, many troops coming home now, thousands and thousands of Marines coming home at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Just waiting to see who comes through the door right now. You are taking a live look at Arlington National Cemetery, and you can see the flags put by each grave there, and I mean each grave. And, of course, that is done every Memorial Day.

Bruce, tell us what will happen now, and what is going on right now.

I believe we've lost Bruce Morton. I can hear the cannon fire going off, Suzanne Malveaux.

MALVEAUX: Carol, I can tell you that about 11:00 or so, the president is going to call for a moment of national prayer for all of those soldiers who have made the sacrifices, both those who are active as well as those who have fallen in duty.

The president also, about 3:00 this afternoon is going to ask for a moment of remembrance across the country, so there are going to be a number of very poignant moments here, throughout the day, that the president is going to be recognizing the sacrifice that Americans have made.

COSTELLO: And you may have already mentioned this, Suzanne, but also President Bush will -- presenting colors to Colonel Harold Ray (ph), who is the command chaplain, USAF 11th Wing, and of course, then the National Anthem will be sung, and that is always quite moving.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely, and we also expect to hear from the chairman -- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, who is going to be making brief remarks, and very interestingly, we are going to hear from the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld. So we are going to get, clearly, an update on the situation as well as the president speaking.

We're told it is going to be about ten minutes long, that the president is going to point out and make tribute to those soldiers by using some of their anecdotes, very personal stories about their own experiences to illustrate just what it is that they have gone through in the last months and what their families have gone through during this time.

COSTELLO: Definitely so. We are going to pause and listen for just a moment, Suzanne, because the ceremony will begin at any moment now. Let's pause.

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 - 10:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: General Douglas MacArthur once said, "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away." And all too often, the realities of their war fade with them.
With that in mind, the Library of Congress is compiling a collection representing the memories of the veterans.

CNN National Correspondent Brute Morton has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was the man that carried the maps, and my instructions were: Get to the designated point without getting lost or getting shot. And I fortunately made it.

MORTON (voice-over): William Loncarack (ph) remembering World War II. The Library of Congress is collecting veterans' memories. Photographs Frederick Stilson (ph) in his World War I gas mask.

Project director Ellen McCullough-Lovell likes Samuel Boylston's (ph) World War II letters home.

ELLEN MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL, VETS' HISTORY PROJECT: This is a little bit of war humor. Everything he sent he did a drawing on.

MORTON: Jean and Brian Markel (ph) were in Vietnam together. Here's how they look today.

Sometimes the library has just their voices. William Arnett (ph), World War II:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'd say after about a week in combat, you're old. I don't care if you're 19 years old or what.

MORTON: McCullough-Lovell says the memories have some common themes.

MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL: The horror of battle. You know, what I saw that I will never forget. Why did I live? Why did someone else die? But there is also a lot about loyalty and camaraderie. And there's a lot of longing, too.

MORTON: Rutherford Brice, a Korean vet, remembers a hill.

RUTHERFORD BRICE, KOREAN VETERAN: And they couldn't get to the center of the hill, because they were being held down by machine gunfire. So, it just evolved into quite a little battle. We finally settled it down.

BOB BABCOCK, VIETNAM VETERAN: I really believe that every veteran and every home-front worker owes it to their family, to their country and to future generations to save that history so that they can learn from it.

MORTON: Babcock, a Vietnam Vet, remembers friendly fire, something that's been in the news from Iraq and Afghanistan.

BABCOCK: We told them to cease fire, and they kept firing. And one fell in the middle of us, and it killed one and wounded 10.

MORTON: The memories do matter. They tell us who we were and are. Some of the stories are on a Web site: www.loc.gov/warstories. Strong memories.

MCCULLOUGH-LOVELL: I think if there is any lesson, it's a lesson about service, that there are times when we're required to serve and we're called to serve or we volunteer to serve. And service is a really important part of what we do as citizens in a democracy.

MORTON: Seven thousand vets have contributed so far. The library wants more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't too tough (ph). It was just -- we just didn't think we'd make it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORTON: At the Library of Congress, they are collecting memories. Here at Arlington National Cemetery, honor guards are gathering, ordinary Americans are gathering for the Memorial Day wreath-laying. That is a ceremony that is due to start in just ten minutes or so.

The wreaths, of course, speeches. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is speaking. Air Force General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the last, of course, will be the president. That speech expected about 11:30 Eastern time, roughly 40 minutes from now. Big day here at Arlington -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is for sure, and any moment, the president will come out and lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This year is special recognition of Vietnam veterans, right, Bruce?

MORTON: Yes, but this cemetery -- it's a funny place, Carol. You used to work here in Washington, I'm sure you've been here. It started in the Civil War as a gesture against Robert E. Lee, whose house is here. He was commanding the Confederate force. The Union said, We'll put a cemetery in his front yard and did, but it has now people from all of America's wars, including both sides of the Civil war.

COSTELLO: Yes, that is amazing. I know the tradition started in the Civil War. It actually started in South with Confederate widows decorating the graves of Confederate soldiers, and then it just sort of grew and grew to include Union soldiers as well. Is my history correct, Bruce?

MORTON: Well, a lot of different towns, including one in upper New York state, claim they were the first one. A general proclaimed -- a general named Logan (ph) in 1868, and it has had various official incarnations since. As I said, there are soldiers now here who were on both sides of the Civil War, black soldiers who fought with the Union.

The outstanding total, there are something like 260,000, more than a quarter of a million American veterans buried in this cemetery.

COSTELLO: Now, we see Senator John Warner coming down the steps to take part in the commemoration today.

Suzanne Malveaux...

MORTON: He's an institution.

COSTELLO: Oh, go ahead -- go ahead, Bruce. Carry on.

MORTON: He's a Washington institution. He's been here for years and years and years. He's been chairman, when the Republicans had the Senate, of Armed Services for years and years and years. He is one of the venerable Washington figures associated with the military.

COSTELLO: As is Senator Bob Dole, speaking to Senator Warner.

Suzanne Malveaux, as I said, live from the White House. Good morning, Suzanne. What is the president expected to talk about?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. White House officials are telling us that, of course, he is going to pay tribute to the soldiers who participated in the war on terror, those in Afghanistan as well as Iraq.

We've also been told by someone who is familiar with the president's speech that he is going to focus on the fact that, yes, this is a very emotional event for Americans across the country, typically, but even more so this year because of what Americans have gone through.

When you talk about the war with Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, how difficult times have been. The president also, earlier this morning, I should mention, Carol, he did meet with a group of veterans and their families here at the White House at the East Room. It was a private affair, it was a breakfast reception for those, and that is what the president typically does.

He likes to meet one on one, he likes to have these type of private, face to face interactions. In a lot of these situations, the president does become rather emotional about all of this. We are told that he is going to talk about the tremendous sacrifices that soldiers have made over the past years, but particularly this past year when you talk about the war on terror.

COSTELLO: Oh, you are not kidding. Still active combat units in Afghanistan, also in Iraq. So, perhaps, this Memorial Day has very special significance for the president.

MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely, Carol. And as you know, of course, the administration focusing, saying this is not -- this has not ended, that this is something that will continue throughout the year, that just within the last couple of weeks, seeing those terrorist attacks in Morocco as well as in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that this is something that will require additional sacrifice from Americans, and we may see that happen over the course of this year.

COSTELLO: And such an odd contrast with troops still overseas, and of course, many troops coming home now, thousands and thousands of Marines coming home at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Just waiting to see who comes through the door right now. You are taking a live look at Arlington National Cemetery, and you can see the flags put by each grave there, and I mean each grave. And, of course, that is done every Memorial Day.

Bruce, tell us what will happen now, and what is going on right now.

I believe we've lost Bruce Morton. I can hear the cannon fire going off, Suzanne Malveaux.

MALVEAUX: Carol, I can tell you that about 11:00 or so, the president is going to call for a moment of national prayer for all of those soldiers who have made the sacrifices, both those who are active as well as those who have fallen in duty.

The president also, about 3:00 this afternoon is going to ask for a moment of remembrance across the country, so there are going to be a number of very poignant moments here, throughout the day, that the president is going to be recognizing the sacrifice that Americans have made.

COSTELLO: And you may have already mentioned this, Suzanne, but also President Bush will -- presenting colors to Colonel Harold Ray (ph), who is the command chaplain, USAF 11th Wing, and of course, then the National Anthem will be sung, and that is always quite moving.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely, and we also expect to hear from the chairman -- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, who is going to be making brief remarks, and very interestingly, we are going to hear from the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld. So we are going to get, clearly, an update on the situation as well as the president speaking.

We're told it is going to be about ten minutes long, that the president is going to point out and make tribute to those soldiers by using some of their anecdotes, very personal stories about their own experiences to illustrate just what it is that they have gone through in the last months and what their families have gone through during this time.

COSTELLO: Definitely so. We are going to pause and listen for just a moment, Suzanne, because the ceremony will begin at any moment now. Let's pause.

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