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CNN Live Saturday

Homecoming Celebration Is Under Way for U.S. Navy Spy Plane Crew

Aired April 28, 2001 - 15:03   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: A homecoming celebration is under way for the 24 Navy spy plane crew members who were detained earlier this month by China. The festivities are being held on Whidbey Island, in Washington state, that's where the crew is based. And CNN's James Hattori joins us now with more. Hi, James.

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Donna. After some early showers this morning, it's cleared up into a perfect day for a parade. I feel a little bit like Al Roker on Thanksgiving day. There's the Whidbey Island marching band behind me. More than 100 floats and marching bands, even the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, marched through downtown Oak Harbor for the 32nd annual Holland happening community festival.

Now, the stars of the show, of course, were eight crew members from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station who last mission, of course, ended abruptly with an emergency landing in China. Back home today, they were riding in style in classic convertibles.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are heroes. They are. This was pretty amazing. If anybody flies, they know how difficult it is to get a crippled plane down.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Makes them feel good. Make them feel like the country is behind them.

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HATTORI: Just two weeks ago, of course, all 24 of the crew members returned home for a hero's welcome at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, just adjacent to Oak Harbor. After 11 tense days in detention by the Chinese, they are in the middle of a 30-day leave to be with their families, get back to normal.

Part of that getting back to normal will mean eventually getting back up in an airplane and flying missions. Donna, it's not clear when that is going to happen, but today, they are happy to be basking in the warmth of a very happy community -- Donna.

KELLEY: James Hattori, thanks very much. Looks like a real festive celebration.

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