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CNN Live Today

Honoring American Heroes

Aired May 26, 2003 - 10:17   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: An American soldier who survived a harrowing ordeal in Iraq is being honored this hour in his home state of Georgia. Former POW Ronald Young, Jr. is the grand marshal in a Memorial Day parade in Dacula, Georgia.
Our Jennifer Coggiola joins us live with the latest.

Good morning -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the excitement is definitely building here. Now, this town of Dacula only has about 1,000 people that live here -- or actually more like 3,000 I believe, but there are about 6,000 people already lining the streets, like you can see here, getting ready for the parade. And like you said, the grand marshal is POW Ron Young, and certainly that is a big attraction here.

I have with me the Cogdales (ph). Mr. Cogdale (ph) is actually a Vietnam vet. Correct one, did you, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct, '69-'70.

COGGIOLA: So, what does Memorial Day mean to you, especially having all of these younger generations out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's nice to see the younger people. It's a tremendous honor just to come and honor servicemen -- the fallen and the ones who came home. And I'm just proud to be here.

COGGIOLA: So, to have Ron Young here, that must mean a lot to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does indeed. He's one that made it back, had a harrowing journey, but he's home now.

COGGIOLA: This is Mrs. Cogdale (ph). Are you excited to be here, too?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am, because I'm very proud of my husband. And both of our fathers fought in World War II, and his father was wounded in World War II, but they came home.

COGGIOLA: I see you brought your daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, this is our daughter, Anna (ph), and her friend, Mackenzie (ph). COGGIOLA: Good morning. So, are you guys excited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

COGGIOLA: What's your favorite part of the parade? Not being in school or are you up for the festivities?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably both.

COGGIOLA: What about you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: School, don't have to have school.

COGGIOLA: As you can see, a lot of mixed reasons for being here, but definitely to celebrate all of the U.S. veterans and especially our man in honor today, Ron Young, who will be coming through here very shortly on a Humvee. He actually got a special leave of absence. He was supposed to be back in Fort Hood last Friday, but they gave him an extended leave just to be here today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, that was certainly nice of them. He's become quite a star, not just in Dacula, but everywhere.

COGGIOLA: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much, Jennifer.

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 - 10:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: An American soldier who survived a harrowing ordeal in Iraq is being honored this hour in his home state of Georgia. Former POW Ronald Young, Jr. is the grand marshal in a Memorial Day parade in Dacula, Georgia.
Our Jennifer Coggiola joins us live with the latest.

Good morning -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the excitement is definitely building here. Now, this town of Dacula only has about 1,000 people that live here -- or actually more like 3,000 I believe, but there are about 6,000 people already lining the streets, like you can see here, getting ready for the parade. And like you said, the grand marshal is POW Ron Young, and certainly that is a big attraction here.

I have with me the Cogdales (ph). Mr. Cogdale (ph) is actually a Vietnam vet. Correct one, did you, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct, '69-'70.

COGGIOLA: So, what does Memorial Day mean to you, especially having all of these younger generations out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's nice to see the younger people. It's a tremendous honor just to come and honor servicemen -- the fallen and the ones who came home. And I'm just proud to be here.

COGGIOLA: So, to have Ron Young here, that must mean a lot to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does indeed. He's one that made it back, had a harrowing journey, but he's home now.

COGGIOLA: This is Mrs. Cogdale (ph). Are you excited to be here, too?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am, because I'm very proud of my husband. And both of our fathers fought in World War II, and his father was wounded in World War II, but they came home.

COGGIOLA: I see you brought your daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, this is our daughter, Anna (ph), and her friend, Mackenzie (ph). COGGIOLA: Good morning. So, are you guys excited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

COGGIOLA: What's your favorite part of the parade? Not being in school or are you up for the festivities?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably both.

COGGIOLA: What about you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: School, don't have to have school.

COGGIOLA: As you can see, a lot of mixed reasons for being here, but definitely to celebrate all of the U.S. veterans and especially our man in honor today, Ron Young, who will be coming through here very shortly on a Humvee. He actually got a special leave of absence. He was supposed to be back in Fort Hood last Friday, but they gave him an extended leave just to be here today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, that was certainly nice of them. He's become quite a star, not just in Dacula, but everywhere.

COGGIOLA: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much, Jennifer.

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