Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

USS Constellation Coming Home Today

Aired June 02, 2003 - 11:22   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.


LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: We're coming up on 23 after the hour on what is shaping up to be a very busy day here. But it's a joyous day for 5,000 sailors and Marines and their friends and family, as well, all in the San Diego, California area. Because the giant U.S. carrier Constellation is now returning home from the war in Iraq.
And our Frank Buckley is in San Diego and he joins us now with the latest scenes from there and the live pictures, as well.

Hi, frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Leon, yet another day of incredible day of homecoming, this time the USS constellation coming home. In fact, the Connie coming home for the last time to San Diego. It's scheduled for decommissioning in August.

Let me give you a sense right here of the excitement among the families. Look at these folks who haven't seen their family members for seven months as the Constellation was over in the Persian Gulf.

Let me take you up top to give you a bigger, larger view of how many folks are here at Lima Pier (ph). We are expecting some 15,000 people to greet the USS Constellation as it comes home.

Among the people that will be here to greet those folks, there are always the first-kissers, the people who win the first-kiss lottery and then you've got the new dads. And first we're going to talk to one of the winners of the first kiss contest.

This is Tammy Secure (ph), your husband is David. And we've got little Alisa (ph) here. Alisa (ph) is 4 years old today. Congratulations, Alisa.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say hi.

BUCKLEY: Now you were telling me you spent, what, some $40 or $40...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $30 or $40 just to be able to get here and off that boat first (ph).

BUCKLEY: And the question I asked you earlier, who gets the first kiss do you get the first kiss or does Alisa (ph) get the first kiss?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's agreed, I get to have it and she gets her daddy. BUCKLEY: Tell me what it feels like to finally have him almost home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel complete. I'm whole again. My better half is here.

BUCKLEY: That's a wonderful thing to say. When you that heard that they were chopping out of the gulf, and they were finally about to leave harm's way, can you give viewers a sense of what that was like for you personally to get that news?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Complete relief. They were headed home.

BUCKLEY: And what's it like knowing you get this first kiss, are you nervous? Do you remember how to do it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To a point I'm nervous but I just want him in my arms.

BUCKLEY: All right, well, congratulations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: Happy birthday, dear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: There are also 106 new dads, and among them is the dad of -- look at this beautiful boy who just woke up. This is -- this little boy is Trebian (ph). And Mom is Felicia Cochran (ph), and Tycus Cochran (ph)is the new dad.

And Felicia, you were telling me that this little beautiful boy was born just two days after deployment.

FELICIA COCHRAN, WIFE OF U.S. SOLDIER: After deployment, two days after deployment. He was born on November 4.

BUCKLEY: And they deployed on November 2. And you guys had tried or had hoped, prayed that it would -- that he would...

COCHRAN: We were praying that he would get here on time, but unfortunately he missed it. But through e-mails, pictures, he actually seen him grow, so it turned out to be OK. It was just like he was there.

BUCKLEY: This is your second one that he's missed.

COCHRAN: Yes, this is the second one he has missed. And the last.

BUCKLEY: Well we'll have a chat with David or not David with Tycus (ph). Thank you very much. We appreciate it. So you get a sense of the excitement here, the folks, as the homecomings are set to get under way here at Lima Pier in San Diego -- Leon.

HARRIS: I'm just amazed, Frank. I never have -- never ceases to amaze me how kids can sleep anywhere. That little kid is just sitting there going to sleep with all that racket going off around you.

BUCKLEY: Amazing, isn't it?

HARRIS: Any idea how many babies are out there, Frank?

BUCKLEY: How many babies?

HARRIS: Yes. Well, we know that -- I don't know how many babies are out here, but I can tell you there are 106 new babies that came since deployment. So, 106 new dads who -- imagine, they have not seen these little babies born since they have been at sea. They've seen the e-mails, as you heard, the pictures of the babies, but to not actually hold your child we're going to see that when these dads and moms come home.

HARRIS: All right. Can't wait to see that. Love seeing that as much as we can. Thanks, Frank. We'll let you go right now and talk to that crowd.

BUCKLEY: You bet.

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 June 2, 2003 - 11:22   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: We're coming up on 23 after the hour on what is shaping up to be a very busy day here. But it's a joyous day for 5,000 sailors and Marines and their friends and family, as well, all in the San Diego, California area. Because the giant U.S. carrier Constellation is now returning home from the war in Iraq.
And our Frank Buckley is in San Diego and he joins us now with the latest scenes from there and the live pictures, as well.

Hi, frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Leon, yet another day of incredible day of homecoming, this time the USS constellation coming home. In fact, the Connie coming home for the last time to San Diego. It's scheduled for decommissioning in August.

Let me give you a sense right here of the excitement among the families. Look at these folks who haven't seen their family members for seven months as the Constellation was over in the Persian Gulf.

Let me take you up top to give you a bigger, larger view of how many folks are here at Lima Pier (ph). We are expecting some 15,000 people to greet the USS Constellation as it comes home.

Among the people that will be here to greet those folks, there are always the first-kissers, the people who win the first-kiss lottery and then you've got the new dads. And first we're going to talk to one of the winners of the first kiss contest.

This is Tammy Secure (ph), your husband is David. And we've got little Alisa (ph) here. Alisa (ph) is 4 years old today. Congratulations, Alisa.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say hi.

BUCKLEY: Now you were telling me you spent, what, some $40 or $40...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $30 or $40 just to be able to get here and off that boat first (ph).

BUCKLEY: And the question I asked you earlier, who gets the first kiss do you get the first kiss or does Alisa (ph) get the first kiss?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's agreed, I get to have it and she gets her daddy. BUCKLEY: Tell me what it feels like to finally have him almost home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel complete. I'm whole again. My better half is here.

BUCKLEY: That's a wonderful thing to say. When you that heard that they were chopping out of the gulf, and they were finally about to leave harm's way, can you give viewers a sense of what that was like for you personally to get that news?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Complete relief. They were headed home.

BUCKLEY: And what's it like knowing you get this first kiss, are you nervous? Do you remember how to do it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To a point I'm nervous but I just want him in my arms.

BUCKLEY: All right, well, congratulations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: Happy birthday, dear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

BUCKLEY: There are also 106 new dads, and among them is the dad of -- look at this beautiful boy who just woke up. This is -- this little boy is Trebian (ph). And Mom is Felicia Cochran (ph), and Tycus Cochran (ph)is the new dad.

And Felicia, you were telling me that this little beautiful boy was born just two days after deployment.

FELICIA COCHRAN, WIFE OF U.S. SOLDIER: After deployment, two days after deployment. He was born on November 4.

BUCKLEY: And they deployed on November 2. And you guys had tried or had hoped, prayed that it would -- that he would...

COCHRAN: We were praying that he would get here on time, but unfortunately he missed it. But through e-mails, pictures, he actually seen him grow, so it turned out to be OK. It was just like he was there.

BUCKLEY: This is your second one that he's missed.

COCHRAN: Yes, this is the second one he has missed. And the last.

BUCKLEY: Well we'll have a chat with David or not David with Tycus (ph). Thank you very much. We appreciate it. So you get a sense of the excitement here, the folks, as the homecomings are set to get under way here at Lima Pier in San Diego -- Leon.

HARRIS: I'm just amazed, Frank. I never have -- never ceases to amaze me how kids can sleep anywhere. That little kid is just sitting there going to sleep with all that racket going off around you.

BUCKLEY: Amazing, isn't it?

HARRIS: Any idea how many babies are out there, Frank?

BUCKLEY: How many babies?

HARRIS: Yes. Well, we know that -- I don't know how many babies are out here, but I can tell you there are 106 new babies that came since deployment. So, 106 new dads who -- imagine, they have not seen these little babies born since they have been at sea. They've seen the e-mails, as you heard, the pictures of the babies, but to not actually hold your child we're going to see that when these dads and moms come home.

HARRIS: All right. Can't wait to see that. Love seeing that as much as we can. Thanks, Frank. We'll let you go right now and talk to that crowd.

BUCKLEY: You bet.

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