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Ceremonies Today Honor Nation's Veterans; Andrew Carroll Interview; Fisher House Foundation Helps Wounded Iraq Veterans; Veterans, Family And Friends Celebrate Veterans Day in Many Ways; Whale Shark DNA May Explain Growth
Aired November 11, 2006 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T. J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: With these spacious skies, and from sea to shining sea, Americans pause today to honor our veterans.
You're taking a live look at several events around the country we're going to be keeping our eye on for you for the next couple of hours and throughout the day, really.
So, from the CNN Center, you are now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
It is Saturday, November 11th, Veterans Day, 10:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 6:00 p.m. in Baghdad, and 8:00 at night in Kabul.
Good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN ANCHOR: I guess we should say both good morning and good night.
HOLMES: Good morning and good night.
ROESGEN: I'm Susan Roesgen, filling in for Betty Nguyen.
Thank you for starting your day with us. We will have much more on Veterans Day observances this hour, but first we've got a check of the day's top stories.
U.S. troops in Afghanistan are marking Veterans Day. Hundreds of soldiers took part in a memorial service at Bagram Airbase north of Kabul. The U.S. commander there told the troops their service will be just as historic as that of the veterans who have come before them.
HOLMES: Also, Big Ben tolls across Britain today. Somber ceremonies to remember that country's war dead. Londoners paused for two minutes of silence.
Queen Elizabeth helped unveil a memorial to New Zealand war dead at Hyde Park corner in London. The Armistice Day observance commemorates the end of World War I.
And this is a special Veterans Day weekend for the families of some U.S. troops.
In New Mexico, members of a National Guard company who have spent a year in Iraq arrived home yesterday. They were given a welcome home ceremony in the courthouse square in their hometown of Gallup. ROESGEN: The U.S. military is offering $50,000 for information that leads to the return of this U.S. Army translator of Iraqi descent. He was kidnapped in October while he was visiting his wife in Baghdad.
Two bombs exploded at a Baghdad marketplace just five minutes apart today. At least six people were killed and nearly three dozen wounded. Just two of several bombings all around Iraq today.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 10:15 Eastern.
HOLMES: Honoring veterans at a time of war. America pauses today to remember the service and sacrifice of the nation's veterans. The observances take place with more than $170,000 troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
About an hour from now, President Bush will pay tribute to the country's veterans during ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. The president will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
We'll bring you live coverage of that event.
Also, a museum honoring those killed or injured in combat is now open in New Windsor, New York. Governor George Pataki helped open the Purple Hearts Museum yesterday. There are 1.7 million Purple Heart recipients in the U.S.
ROESGEN: Some veterans are reluctant to wear the medals, even though they've earned them putting their own lives at risk. But the secretary of Veterans Affairs wants to change that. This morning here on CNN, Secretary Jim Nicholson wore his own medals as he talked about the effort to encourage other veterans to wear their medals and ribbons with pride.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM NICHOLSON, VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY: A lady came up to me here in Washington recently and said, "You know, I'm so glad you're doing this. My husband was awarded the Purple Heart but he would never wear it. He felt it was being boastful or showy." And she said, "Now you've legitimized it and he's going to wear that medal."
And that's what we want them to do, whether it's a Purple Heart or the Good Conduct Medal. It doesn't matter. They served. They took the oath of office, they went where asked, and we want everybody to know that about them, including other members of their family, their community, their church.
America has a great deal to be grateful for to its veterans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And the nation's commander in chief is preparing to lead the country in marking Veterans Day. Less than an hour from now, President Bush takes part in services at Arlington National Cemetery.
And CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now live from the White House with details of the president's day.
Good morning to you, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Well, obviously President Bush is the commander in chief, so he will follow the tradition of every president before him of going to Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. He'll then be making some remarks after that, honoring the nation's veterans.
In just a minute the president will be, of course, in his Saturday radio address this Veterans Day, honoring veterans as well, and looking back at this momentous week. And this obviously has been a week of dramatic change here in Washington.
The president, Wednesday, after Americans went to the polls on Tuesday, admitting, yes, Republicans took quite a thumping. The president responding then that very day, that very afternoon to Americans' calls for a new direction in Iraq by accepting finally the resignation of his defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, a man who he described as a patriot, a trusted adviser and friend, and a man who he stood by steadfastly as the calls grew over the last year before his resignation.
Finally, President Bush accepting it and naming Robert Gates as his choice to fill that slot. Robert Gates, a former CIA director and currently the president of Texas A&M University.
Now, much focus now on dealing with a new reality here in Washington. Democrats in control of Congress.
President Bush began grappling with that this week as he greeted here at the White House the new Democratic leadership, incoming Senate majority leader Harry Reid, also Nancy Pelosi, who will be speaker of the House. Both sides committing to working together. And we will be hearing more about that as the president begins his Saturday morning radio address.
Now to the president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president of the United States, George W. Bush.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.
This weekend we commemorate Veterans Day, a day when America honors every man and woman who has worn the uniform of our military. In Veterans Day celebrations across our nation, we remember those who have served in previous wars, those who were serving today, and those who did not live to become veterans.
Especially in a time of war, we see in our veterans an example of people who stepped forward to serve a cause larger than themselves. This weekend I ask you to take a moment to thank our veterans for their service and express your appreciation for the sacrifices they have made to preserve our freedom and way of life.
Once freedom that defines our way of life is the freedom to choose our leaders at the ballot box. We saw that freedom earlier this week when millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their votes for a new Congress.
Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war. Our democratic institutions are a source of strength, and our trust in these institutions has made America the most powerful, prosperous and stable nation in the world.
As a result of this week's elections, the Democrats now hold a majority in both houses of Congress. After the elections I called the Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate to congratulate them on the victory they achieved for their party.
On Thursday, I had lunch with Congresswoman Pelosi and Congressman Hoyer. And on Friday, I met with senators Reid and Durbin. We had good discussions.
I told them what I have told the men and women in my administration. We must put these elections behind us and work together on the great issues facing America.
The elections will bring changes to Washington. But one thing has not changed. America faces brutal enemies who have attacked us before and want to attack us again.
I have a message for these enemies. Do not confuse the workings of democracy with the lack of American will. Our nation is committed to bringing you to justice and we will prevail.
Iraq is a central front in this war on terror. I look forward to listening to ideas from the new leaders of Congress on the best way to support our troops on the front lines and win the war on terror. I also look forward to hearing recommendations on the way forward in Iraq from a bipartisan panel led by former secretary of state James Baker and former congressman Lee Hamilton.
In the meantime, I have made an important change to my national security team. On Wednesday, I accepted Don Rumsfeld's resignation as secretary of defense and announced my intent to nominate Bob Gates to replace him.
Bob is a proven leader who has served six presidents, four Republicans and two Democrats. As a former CIA director and the current president of Texas A&M University, he has experience leading large and complex organizations, and he has shown that he is an agent of change. As secretary of defense, he will provide a fresh outlook on our strategy in Iraq and what we need to do to prevail.
Bob replaces the longest serving member of my cabinet, Don Rumsfeld. History will record that on Secretary Rumsfeld's watch the men and women of our military overthrew two terrorist regimes, brought justice to scores of senior al Qaeda operatives, and helped stop new terrorist attacks on our people. America is safer and the world is more secure because of the leadership of Don Rumsfeld, and I am deeply grateful for his service.
The message of this week's elections is clear. The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges facing our nation. This is important work that will demand the hard effort and good faith of leaders from both sides of the aisle, and I pledge to do my part.
Thank you for listening.
KOCH: You heard in the radio address him mention the importance of this bipartisan panel, the Iraq Study Group, coming up with a new direction in Iraq. Looking ahead to next week, President Bush and his national security team will be meeting with the members of the Iraq Study Group on Monday to get a preview of their findings about the final report.
And again, do stay tuned to CNN for the president's presentation of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. That will be happening in the next hour.
Back to you.
HOLMES: Yes. We'll have live coverage of that. Kathleen, so much -- thank you so much, from the White House today.
Meanwhile, DNC chairman Howard Dean also salutes the troops this Veterans Day. CNN will bring you the Democratic radio address. That's coming up in the next hour.
ROESGEN: And we would like to know how you plan to honor veterans today. Send us your thoughts. Our address is Weekends@CNN.com.
HOLMES: Well, across the capital, across the country, people are taking time out to say "thank you" to our servicemen and women. A live look here at one of several events that will be happening.
Actually, I believe we're looking at the Vietnam Memorial there in Washington, D.C. Observances there, observances across the country. We're going to take you to a lot of them, so stay with us.
Also this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Darling, whatever happens, be happy. That's my only request. Get everything we would have liked. Fill your life. Only, keep my little niche open so if I ever get home I'll know there's one place waiting for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: Love letters, battlefield portraits, sometimes a last goodbye. Now there is an online way to preserve and share those letters from the front.
CNN's salute to our troops continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: "Now in the News," you're looking at live video from Arlington National Cemetery as America marks Veterans Day. Memorials and parades are taking place all around the country today. In less than an hour from now, President Bush will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. We'll bring you that ceremony as it happens live.
And those serving now are honoring those who came before. American troops are marking this Veterans Day in Afghanistan. The U.S. commander there praised his troops for their efforts in the war on terror.
Florida governor Jeb Bush presented a medal to the only living World War I veteran in Florida. Here it is. Ernest Pucie (ph) is 111 years old, and he just got his medal yesterday. He is one of just 15 World War I American veterans still alive.
HOLMES: The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this incident caught on tape. The video surfaced on the post-it-yourself Web site YouTube. It shows an L.A. police officer punching a suspect in the face. The two officers involved have been assigned to desk duty.
A longtime Hollywood actor has passed away. Jack Palance died yesterday in his California home. He was 87 years old. Before making his screen reputation in a number of villainous roles, Palance was a professional boxer. He also fought in World War II.
ROESGEN: Now, what will the weather be like for parades today maybe on this Veterans Day? Let's check in with Bonnie Schneider for a look at the weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROESGEN: We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM, with in-depth coverage all morning long. So your next check of the headlines will be coming up at 10:30 Eastern.
HOLMES: Up next, we're going to tell you about letters from the frontlines. More than lifelines between soldiers and their loved ones, they're first-person testimonials from the battlefield. Now there's a way to share and preserve them. We'll tell you how.
ROESGEN: And later, CNN's John Roberts is live in Baghdad with a special "This Week at War." That's coming up at 7:00 Eastern.
CNN's salute to the troops continues after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We pay tribute to America's veterans today by honoring the memories they've left behind in letters sent home from the frontlines. At warletters.com, you can find out about the Legacy Project.
It got started in 1998. And since then, more than 75,000 war letters from the American Revolution to the war in Iraq have been uncovered.
This week I talked with the project's founder and author of books about war letters, Andrew Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Is it tough to get family members and get soldiers to give up these letters because they contain such intimate and personal thoughts?
ANDREW CARROLL, THE LEGACY PROJECT: And we actually ask people only to send us photocopies. We want them to keep the originals, pass them down to their families, show them to their children, their grandchildren. And people have been so generous.
And I think the point is that they know that we respect the troops, we respect our veterans. We want to show what they have gone through, what they have sacrificed, really give history from their perspective.
And I hope when people read these letters they will see that these are not just Marines, soldiers, airmen, and sailors. That these are someone's husband or wife, someone's child, someone's sibling, someone's friend. Really to humanize these men and women, to see them as individuals, their personalities, their backgrounds, who they are. And that's what makes their sacrifices so real, and I think it really helps us pay tribute to them in a very powerful way.
HOLMES: But even though you say that they do get to hold on to the originals, but still the thoughts contained in the letters themselves are of such a personal nature. Did you find any -- some people just kind of hesitant to give up those really intimate and personal feelings and thoughts?
CARROLL: Absolutely. And we tell people, "If you don't want to share letters with us, we completely understand that. But please at least save these letters."
The whole reason I started this project is because I was hearing so many stories from veterans and their families that people are throwing these away, or that their children would find them in an addict or a basement when their parents or grandparents passed away, and just decided, you know what, we don't have time to go through these, let's just give them to a flea market or we'll thrown them in the trash. And that's what we're trying to prevent.
And on our Web site, warletters.com, we have information on how you can preserve your letters, and that's really the mission of this project.
HOLMES: All right.
And finally here, I understand that you have collected letters as dating far back as the American Revolution. So tell me this: Do you find even a common theme, no matter what war it was, what era it was in, that some of these letters from soldiers who were out there at wartime as kind of still something that brings them all together and kind of connects them all?
CARROLL: You know what's so interesting? Is that over time the language has changed.
You know, obviously the troops who wrote in the Civil War or the Revolutionary War were much more formal in how they expressed themselves. But the emotions really haven't changed over time.
We have handwritten letters from the Revolution that are no different from e-mails from Falluja and Iraq when they were doing that hand-to-hand, street-to-street fighting and just the intensity of it. But if there's one theme that comes through, it is sacrifice. It's what these troops are giving up.
And they're very modest about what they do. But they really want to make sure that their brothers and sisters in arms are remembered and that people understand what they've given to this country. And so that's really what this whole project is about, is to make sure that this generation and those to come never forget what these troops and their families have done for all of us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And your war letters and e-mails can be part of The Legacy Project. Here's an address you can send them to. And please remember, do not send your originals. Just send them copies. The Legacy Project, that's at P.O. Box 53250, Washington, D.C., 20009.
ROESGEN: Well, so many have served, and today we salute them. All day today, CNN is honoring our troops.
Up next, we'll take you live to the Vietnam War Memorial, where people have been gathering all morning.
And then later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were five guys running around in generally dirty khaki flag (ph) suits, smoking and drinking and have a wonderful time because all we wanted to do was fly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Smoking and drinking and flying. And fly they certainly do. The Blue Angels still thrilling the crowds. Coming up in about 20 minutes, see how an aerial acrobatic team took off. ROESGEN: And just a look ahead to Monday night. An "AC 360" special report. Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta take a closer look at life after war for our veterans coming home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the News," live picture here from Arlington National Cemetery. Veterans Day services will be getting under way there at the top of the hour. President Bush lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and makes remarks afterwards. We'll bring you that ceremony live.
And pausing in their war to remember those who fought in other wars. U.S. troops at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, attended a Veterans Day service today. The U.S. commander praised the troops for their part in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban.
ROESGEN: Two bombs exploded at a Baghdad marketplace just five minutes apart today. At least six people were killed and nearly three dozen wounded. There were several bombings around Iraq today.
The U.S. military is offering $50,000 for information that leads to the return of this U.S. Army translator of Iraqi decent. He was kidnapped in October while he was visiting his wife in Baghdad.
HOLMES: And in some places, the weather will cooperate for Veterans Day ceremonies, in other places, not so much. Bonnie has been keeping an eye on that for us. Hello again, Bonnie.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: All right, thank you so much Bonnie. And we run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM, with in depth coverage for you all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 10:45 Eastern.
More than 20,000 soldiers have been injured in the fight for Iraq, some of them severely. Battling back from injury is hard enough, but doing it alone, far away from your family, that's harder still. One organization is looking to make things a bit easier.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): When an IED, an improvised explosive device, blew up under Sargent Brian Fountaine's humvee back in June, his injuries were devastating. He had to fight to stay alive.
SGT. BRIAN FOUNTAINE, WOUNDED IRAQ VETERAN: You can see my driver screaming, my gunner just, you know, freaking out. And you just see me laying there, pools of blood forming on the bottom side of my legs. You just kind of sit there and you're like, all right, I've got a choice. I can sit here, lay back and die or I can save myself.
Well, I chose the latter.
O'BRIEN: Today he is still fighting to recover. Just 24-years- old, Brian lost both legs. They've been amputated below the knee.
FOUNTAINE: They might have took from me, you know, a physical part of my body, but they'll never take from me the fighting spirit.
O'BRIEN: Now it is an excruciating battle to get better. It was made worse for Brian, who was separated from his family and girlfriend, while being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
FOUNTAINE: Everything hurts my back.
O'BRIEN: Now Fountaine is being helped by the Fisher House, a non-profit organization in D.C.
Ken Fisher is chairman of the foundation, which provides homes for families and loved ones of hospitalized military personnel and veterans.
KEN FISHER, CHMN., FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION: Our troops today don't make policy. They're out there to do a job and that is to defend this nation. And Fisher House Foundation is there to support them and their families, because, quite frankly, the need is there.
O'BRIEN: More than 21,000 American soldiers have been wounded in combat in Iraq. Ken Fisher says these homes away from home are crucial to a soldier's recovery.
FISHER: It's not just having a place to sleep, but it's also having people to help you. So it's the support network that forms in the houses, which is a byproduct of the foundation.
O'BRIEN: Brian lives free of charge at the Fisher House with his girlfriend, Mary Long.
MARY LONG, BRIAN FOUNTAINE'S GIRLFRIEND: Just not having to worry, being able just to be here and see for my own eyes that he's walking, see for my own eyes that he's getting better, that this problem is going away. I'm so grateful for it.
FOUNTAINE: When I first started walking, one of the first things that I did was I took her up and I held her hand. And for the first time since we started dating, I was able to just walk down the hall and hold her hand at the same time. You know, other people might take that for granted. That was huge. That was huge.
O'BRIEN: Soledad O'Brien, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And you can find out more about the Fisher House Project at their Web site. That's FisherHouse.org. Also, CNN is pitching in to support the efforts of the Fisher House Foundation. This is Warrior One, one of the vehicles CNN used to cover the war in Iraq and man it is decked out.
After a complete makeover, compliment of the TLC program called Overhaulin', Warrior One is now touring military bases and other sites across the country and today it is in Biloxi, Mississippi, participating in the Veteran's Day parade there. In January Warrior One will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to the Fisher House Foundation. You can get a lot more information on Warrior One at our Web site, CNN.com.
ROESGEN: And once again, this is Arlington National Cemetery. where we are waiting for President Bush in the next hour to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. We will show you that ceremony live.
HOLMES: All right, well as we keep an eye on that live picture, we're going to tell you about the Blue Angels. You know, they spent 60 years in the danger zone to entertain millions around the world. Well, still to come, we'll take you live to this weekend's air show in Pensacola, Florida.
ROESGEN: But first, quiz time. How well do you know the history of the Blue Angels? Do you know how they got their name? Take your pick. Was it a pilot's dog, was it a New York City nightclub, or was it a 1930's Marlene Dietrich movie?
HOLMES: I'll go with the nightclub.
ROESGEN: OK, I'll go with the dog. The answer when CNN NEWSROOM continues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPECIALIST LEP CHEN (ph), U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Specialist Lep Chen with Brown Company Two of the 135, out of Rochester, Minnesota, stationed here at Camp Anar (ph), Iraq. I just want to say thanks to all my family and friends back in Rochester. Thanks for all the support and say hi to my little nephew Anthony. Love you and miss you and can't wait to come home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: And this is a live look now at the dignitaries gathered at Arlington National Cemetery. There you see soon to be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Also in the crowd there, we saw a moment ago Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, and soon President Bush will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. That ceremony and his remarks are just ahead, live here on CNN.
Then tomorrow night, Lou Dobbs salutes the men and women in uniform who are protecting Americans right now, at home and abroad. CNN celebrates America's Heroes Sunday at 7:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: Well, I guess it's pretty safe to say a whale, sharks, probably the biggest fish around. Do you ever wonder why they grow so big? The answer may lie in their DNA and a medical checkup may unravel all sorts of mysteries.
CNN's Reynolds Wolf explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is no ordinary physical exam. The patient is a Whale Shark. His name is Ralph and he's one of the stars of the Georgia Aquarium.
It's an intricate dance as a crew of 50 biologists, veterinarians, divers and engineers swim, sway and sedate the big guy in the stretcher.
RAY DAVIS, GEORGIA AQUARIUM: You're talking about the world's largest fish. Ralph and Norton are 22 feet long. They've grown seven feet in 16 months. That's an extraordinary thing.
WOLF: Ralph and his pals Norton, Trixie and Alice could be the best studied Whale Sharks ever. See, few are in captivity, because as adults, they can grow to the size of a school bus. So, how do you calm this big, anxious fish? Try 1,500 gallons of diluted anesthesia, appropriately called Mega Snooze, flowing into Ralph's mouth and over his gills.
DAVIS: You can see that our staff veterinarian Tanya is -- we're drawing blood and adding fluids.
WOLF: Blood studies could help researchers learn, not only about Ralph's growth, but also his sex life.
DAVIS: There's a whole slew of reproductive biology we don't know. There is a network worldwide of researchers taking DNA samples of the wild populations to compare to see how this link is between all of them.
WOLF: Just like humans coming out of anesthesia, Ralph is a little foggy brained as the drugs wear off. The team will closely monitor his respiration, his gills and his eye reflexes. And after he has been gently lowered back into his six million gallon home divers will stick with him until he wakes up fully. By the time Ralph is back to his old self, veterinary technician Michelle Moses is processing his blood.
MICHELE MOSES, VETERINARY TECHNICIAN: You're going to see both the red cells and the white cells, but what we're counting is the white cells.
WOLF: While they're the biggest sharks in the world, Whale Sharks don't necessarily fit the fierce profile. They are slow moving, sardine and plankton eating, and very, very mysterious.
DAVIS: Every time we answer a question, we end up with 25 more questions. That's what motivates our team.
WOLF: Reynolds Wolf, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: And the color guard is arriving now at Arlington National Cemetery. As we prepare for President Bush to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in the next hour. Let's listen in to the color guard.
The tomb here at Arlington National Cemetery contains the remains of unknown American soldiers from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. It is guarded 24 hours a day, 265 days a year by specially trained members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, the Old Guard, as they call it. You see all the dignitaries gathered and the color guard about to begin, T.J..
HOLMES: Well, the Iwo Jima statue at the Marine Corps War Memorial, just one of the places where Americans are taking time to honor the nation's veterans today. Events are also taking place at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial and that's where CNN's Gary Nuremberg is for us live this morning. Hello to you again, Gary.
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning T.J. You know, for the generation that fought the war, that fought over the war, the Vietnam Memorial is an emotional symbol, a name -- a place, rather, where the names of missing loved ones and friends are etched in stone, etched in history.
For those who remain behind, having those names on this wall is important, and early this morning they began arriving to pay tribute.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NURENBERG (voice-over): Shortly after 7:00 this morning, members of the Muslim Americans Veterans Association gathered here to remember the service of fallen colleagues. Moments earlier Dale Meachum (ph) visited the wall, as he does every Veterans Day, early when it's peaceful. He wants his brother's name, David Meachum, on that wall.
(on camera): And it's clear you still miss him very much.
DALE MEACHUM, VETERAN: Every day, every day of my life. I mean, this was my best friend, my hero, my idol. That's why I went into the Navy 2nd Airborne. That's why I jumped out of planes and did what I did, because of this man right here. And he lied about his age to get in the service. He went in a year before he was even allowed to go in.
I think his name should be on the wall because he gave his life. The Agent Orange killed him and he gave his life for his country.
NURENBERG: As a brother, this is important to you?
MEACHUM: Very, very, very important.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NURENBERG: David Meachum died ten years ago of Cancer. Dale is convinced that it was because of his exposure to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. Dale is waging a campaign to have David's name put on that wall and as you talk to the family and friends of those who's names are here, you can understand why this is so very important to him. He says he'll continue until he succeeds, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, so many stories for those family members out there. Gary, thank you so much.
ROESGEN: It was the movie "Top Gun" that sent their popularity into the stratosphere. But the Blue Angel pilots have been eating up those G-forces, streaking across the sky for 40 years before that 1986 hit movie.
In fact, the Navy Air Show is celebrating its 60th anniversary this weekend in Pensacola, Florida, and Bob Solarski, from CNN affiliate WEAR TV, takes a look back at the Blues.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB SOLARSKI, WEAR TV (voice-over): In 1946, the Blue Angels began flying from their home base in Jacksonville, Florida in the Grummond F-6F Hell Cat. They were supposed to be called the Navy Blue Lancers, but when a pilot used the term Blue Angels to the news media, the name stuck. While a powerful public relations tool, the team was as important in helping the Navy in its struggle with the other branches of the military for federal funding.
JOHN APPLEYARD, PENSACOLA HISTORIAN: So, when you're starting to struggle for congressional dollars, the people in the Naval situation said we have got to do something here to build our image back up. What better way to do it than to show what the aircraft can do. And this was when the Chief of Naval Operations decided they would create the Blue Angels.
SOLARSKI: Over the next decade the planes changed. The teams changed. And the home base changed. They moved permanently from Corpus Cristi to NAS Pensacola in the mid 1950s, with the new F-9F Cougars.
APPLEYARD: This is the Tiger, F-11. That's the A-4, that's the Cougar.
SOLARSKI: Captain Ken Wallace was on the team in 1955 and today is the only man to be a Blue Angel in three decades.
CAPT. KEN WALLACE, FORMER BLUE ANGEL: We were five guys running around in generally dirty khaki flight suits, smoking and drinking and having a wonderful time, because all we wanted to do was fly. So we were not shining examples, but that's the way fighter pilots were. You just did everything you could to prove to everybody that you were a lot better than they were, in every way.
SOLARSKI: Wallace returned to the team in the early 60s, again in the early 70s. WALLACE: Probably because the Navy couldn't find anything else I could do.
SOLARSKI: And he wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.
WALLACE: Oh, Certainly, front seat. I don't want to be in the back.
SOLARSKI: Over the years, the Blues estimate they've been seen by more than 260 million people. The finest pilots in the finest planes. From the Hell Cat, Bear Cat, the Panther, the Cougar, the Tiger, the Phantom, the A-4, to the F-A-18 Hornet that the Blues unveiled in 1986. So as the Blues celebrate 60 years this week, the plane is marking 20.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: Now the reporter there said that the name Blue Angels came from a pilot who misspoke, but there's a reason that that pilot had Blue Angels on the brain. According to the Blue Angel's Web site, the name originated during a trip by the first Blue Angels team to New York in 1946. And T.J. got it right. It was the not the pilot's dog and it wasn't a Marlene Dietrich movie. It was a member of the team who came across the name of the famous Blue Angel nightclub in a magazine and the name stuck. You got it.
HOLMES: When all else fails, take it to the club. It all goes back to the club in some kind of way. Well, we're going to continue with our week long salute to the troops. We'll take a look at your i- Reports. That's coming up next.
ROESGEN: But first, former prisoner of war Shoshona Johnson with her thoughts on this Veteran's Day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHOSHONA JOHNSON, FORMER PRISONER OF WAR: I think Americans can celebrate Veterans Day by showing respect to the veterans around them, just saying a thank you, acknowledging the sacrifices that were made by veterans, but also the family of veterans. We don't do this alone. We have a wonderful support system within our families and they make sacrifices also.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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HOLMES: And taking you once again to Arlington National Cemetery. We're keeping an eye on the ceremony where many have gathered, dignitaries, spectators, family, friends and a lot of military folks as well gathered there. President Bush expected any moment now to come out and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown, a tradition that happens every year on Veterans Day.
After that he is going to make some remarks as well there. We'll bring those to you live as well, but again, just one of several events we're keeping an eye on around the country. And this is certainly one of them. Again, expecting to see the president at any moment, and when we do see the president, we will take you back to Arlington National Cemetery, live, of course. This Veterans day, a lot of events honoring the men and women who serve this country in uniform.
We're going to continue still with the theme of Veterans Day when we talk about our i-Reports a little bit as well. Veronica is off this week, but we still got our pick for the best i-Report of the week. This is the part where she usually says drum roll. There it is.
ROESGEN: There you go.
HOLMES: Here it is. Where is it? There it is. There we go, a bomber making a drop over this week's big brush fire in Southern California. This one happens to be the winner, didn't have anything to do with Veterans Day. We have got others that have to do with Veterans Day, but this is great video. It comes to us from Gerd Eichelle (ph). And Gerd says the fire came right up to his neighborhood, but he says fire crews did a great job stopping those flames. And fortunately nobody in his neighborhood lost their homes.
So, good job to Gerd for getting the video, but a good job as well to the fire fighters for saving a lot of folks, and, as it goes, we send the big i-Report -- yes -- i-Report shirt is going to be going to Gerd Eichelle. We had a tough time with your name, but we got it.
ROESGEN: Well we'll get you the shirt. We know where you live.
HOLMES: We got you the shirt. We assume he's a big boy. We got you an extra large.
ROESGEN: You can wash it about five times if it doesn't fit.
HOLMES: So, it will fit somebody and we're going to be picking another winner next weekend. So, thanks to everybody who did contribute to our coverage, all you i-Reporters out there.
ROESGEN: And also CNN is asking for your i-Reports to help us honor American service men and women on this Veterans Day. We want to highlight just a few for you right now. We have got this one, a picture of red skies over the Iraqi city of Falluja. Retired Marine Corps Colonel Jesse Barker took this photograph back in 2004, but he wanted to send it to us today, because he tells us he wants to take a moment today to pray for the young men and women who stand in harm's way.
And then Deborah Gonzalez sent us this 1945 photo of her father, his two brothers and their dad. Deborah's father and her uncle John served in the Army in World War II. Her other uncle George served in the Navy. Her grandfather was a Denver police officer.
HOLMES: And also another here, a cub scout. Eddie Depinter, that little guy there, saluting his great grandfather's grave at the Pine Lawn Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York. Little Eddie there is seven years old and actually Ed Depinter V. His great grandfather Ed Depinter II was an Army medic in World War II.
ROESGEN: And you can see more i-Reports honoring veterans on our Web site, or you can send in your own photos and video. Join the world's most powerful news team. Just log on to CNN.com/iReport and who knows, you might get an extra large T-shirt or something like that.
HOLMES: Yes, because we've got plenty. Well, of course, all morning long we've been asking you this question. Our e-mail question, wanted your thoughts on how you plan to honor veterans today?
And our first one here says, "I plan on visiting my father and uncle who are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I am proud of their contribution to our nation." That comes to us from Paul Goewey.
ROESGEN: And them we got this e-mail from husband and wife in Satellite Beach, Florida. Listen to this, they write, "we are sitting in the kitchen, excitedly awaiting a telephone call from our son, Major B.C. Barker, who is scheduled to arrive home at Fort Carson, Colorado this Veterans Day morning, after a year-long tour of duty with the 4th Infantry Division near Baqubah, Iraq." Happy Veterans Day indeed.
HOLMES: Also another one here, some good advice maybe. This one says, my husband Rob and I have picked a soldiers name from www.AnySoldier.com and will be sending a care package to his platoon. I urge all Americans to go to this Web site, pick a soldier's name and drop them a letter. And we here at home are thinking and praying for their safe return home. " Again, that's from Rob and Eileen Lamm, coming to us from New York.
So, some good advice and -- or everybody else, give us something to do. And it's a good idea there. So, again, we're keeping an eye on Arlington National Cemetery, waiting on President Bush to come out and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown. Stay with us.
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