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CNN Live Today

Fleet Week

Aired May 26, 2003 - 10:28   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: On this Memorial Day, an annual celebration in New York City, too. It is Fleet Week, and tens of thousands of visitors are getting a first-hand look at American warships berthed in the New York Harbor.
Jason Carroll live aboard the USS Intrepid. And just how hard is it raining there -- Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's coming down pretty hard actually, but I have to tell you, New York Harbor has actually never looked better. Seventeen ships from I think five different countries are now docked here at New York Harbor for Fleet Week. Two of them right behind me here.

And joining me to discuss more about this is Bill White. He is the president of the Intrepid Museum. Let's start out by explaining the ships that we see right back over our shoulder here.

BILL WHITE, PRES., INTREPID MUSEUM: We have our Majesty's Canadian ship, the Charlottetown (ph), and we have an Indian ship from the country of India, the Terojeni (ph). That's their tall ship training vessel, similar to the Naval Academy. And we have a World War II destroyer, which is the Intrepid's very own.

CARROLL: A lot of different types of ships here. Tell me about what we should expect for the ceremonies later on today.

WHITE: Well, we're very pleased to take the time and stop and thank our veterans. We have about 2,500 veterans coming to the Intrepid today. We're going to be unfurling one of the country's largest American flags. We'll have a 21-gun rifle salute. We'll be laying wreaths in honor of those that were killed. And we actually have widows of the KIAs, the killed in action, from Operation Iraqi Freedom joining us today, so we're very honored and privileged to host the ceremony in Intrepid today.

CARROLL: And what time will that get under way?

WHITE: It commences at 11:00, the same time the president will be at Arlington, here on the Intrepid.

CARROLL: Give me a brief history about the Intrepid. It's got a bit of a history as well, does it not?

WHITE: Yes. You're actually standing on the fan tail here. Right above you is where pilots like John McCain and pilots like George Bush flew on aircraft carriers in World War II. Over five kamikaze attacks struck the Intrepid, unfortunately killing over 270 sailors. So, again, you're standing on a national battlefield and a national gravesite for those we honor today.

CARROLL: All right, Bill White, president of the Intrepid Museum.

WHITE: Thank you, Jason.

CARROLL: Thank you very much.

Again, the ceremony will get under way at just about 11:00 today.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much, Jason Carroll live from New York.

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 - 10:28   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On this Memorial Day, an annual celebration in New York City, too. It is Fleet Week, and tens of thousands of visitors are getting a first-hand look at American warships berthed in the New York Harbor.
Jason Carroll live aboard the USS Intrepid. And just how hard is it raining there -- Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's coming down pretty hard actually, but I have to tell you, New York Harbor has actually never looked better. Seventeen ships from I think five different countries are now docked here at New York Harbor for Fleet Week. Two of them right behind me here.

And joining me to discuss more about this is Bill White. He is the president of the Intrepid Museum. Let's start out by explaining the ships that we see right back over our shoulder here.

BILL WHITE, PRES., INTREPID MUSEUM: We have our Majesty's Canadian ship, the Charlottetown (ph), and we have an Indian ship from the country of India, the Terojeni (ph). That's their tall ship training vessel, similar to the Naval Academy. And we have a World War II destroyer, which is the Intrepid's very own.

CARROLL: A lot of different types of ships here. Tell me about what we should expect for the ceremonies later on today.

WHITE: Well, we're very pleased to take the time and stop and thank our veterans. We have about 2,500 veterans coming to the Intrepid today. We're going to be unfurling one of the country's largest American flags. We'll have a 21-gun rifle salute. We'll be laying wreaths in honor of those that were killed. And we actually have widows of the KIAs, the killed in action, from Operation Iraqi Freedom joining us today, so we're very honored and privileged to host the ceremony in Intrepid today.

CARROLL: And what time will that get under way?

WHITE: It commences at 11:00, the same time the president will be at Arlington, here on the Intrepid.

CARROLL: Give me a brief history about the Intrepid. It's got a bit of a history as well, does it not?

WHITE: Yes. You're actually standing on the fan tail here. Right above you is where pilots like John McCain and pilots like George Bush flew on aircraft carriers in World War II. Over five kamikaze attacks struck the Intrepid, unfortunately killing over 270 sailors. So, again, you're standing on a national battlefield and a national gravesite for those we honor today.

CARROLL: All right, Bill White, president of the Intrepid Museum.

WHITE: Thank you, Jason.

CARROLL: Thank you very much.

Again, the ceremony will get under way at just about 11:00 today.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much, Jason Carroll live from New York.

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