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CNN Live Saturday

Did Friendly Fire Kill Football Star Turned Soldier Pat Tillman, World War II Memorial Dedication

Aired May 29, 2004 - 12:00   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.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: It is 12:00 noon in Washington and 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad.
Hello, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway at the CNN global headquarters here in Atlanta. Thanks for being with us.

Coming up this hour, a military admission on the death in Afghanistan of war hero Pat Tillman. What led to the friendly fire incident that killed him?

Also, honoring the sacrifice of World War II veterans, that memorial finally being dedicated.

And later:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES YODER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: I think the amazing thing is that I came out of it alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: Remembering as if it was yesterday, one soldier's story six decades later.

But, first, we have the headlines.

First to the Middle East where gunmen have attacked an oil company complex in Saudi Arabia with devastating results. Four gunmen killed at least 12 people in a shoot-out, including one American and one British citizen, and they also took several hostages. This information is coming from CNN sources in Saudi Arabia.

And Israel says that one of its army officers was shot and killed inside a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank. Earlier, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Israel forces killed a Palestinian militant on the border with Gaza. Sources say that two 80-pound bombs were found near the body.

And in Iran, 45 people are now reported dead after a strong earthquake. Many Iranians spent the night outside. They feared another quake, after the 6.3 trembler struck northern Iran about 45 miles north of Tehran. Dozens of aftershocks have been rattling that same region.

On this Memorial Day weekend, news from the U.S. Army today about the death of Corporal Pat Tillman, the Special Forces soldier who walked away from a football career to fight in Afghanistan.

Let's go now to Washington and talk with Barbara Starr about this information.

We're hearing now, Barbara, that he may have died from friendly fire.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Catherine. Very sad news this Memorial Day for the family of Corporal Pat Tillman. Word from the Army that he was a victim of friendly fire, killed April 22 during a fierce firefight in Afghanistan, accidentally shot by friendly forces.

The head of Army Special Forces took pains to say the manner of death does not diminish the bravery of the soldier. Tillman's team was trying to help another Special Forces team that had come enemy fire, mortars and small arms. It was close quarters and 7:30 at night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. PHILIP KENSINGER, U.S. ARMY: There is an inherent danger of confusion in any firefight, particularly when a unit is ambushed, and especially under difficult light and terrain conditions which produce an environment that increases the likelihood of fratricide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Now here's apparently what happened. During the battle, a Ranger squad leader mistakenly opened fire on an Afghan militia force soldier. The investigators' report found that, quote, "Other members of the platoon observing the direction of the fire by the squad leader oriented their fire in the same direction," and that was the fire that fatally wounded Tillman and an Afghan soldier -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Barbara. It is painful news, but he died a hero nonetheless. Thank you, Barbara.

Tillman, one of about 100 U.S. soldiers that have been killed in Afghanistan. For reaction among the soldiers that are serving now, let's go now to Ryan Chilcote. He's in Kabul -- Ryan.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Catherine.

Well, the U.S. military was completely caught off guard by this, I think it's worth -- fair to say. I spoke with them this morning, and they said that they were not aware of any investigation and -- nor were they aware, of course, of the findings of this investigation that Tillman was apparently killed by friendly fire in that attack.

Now there's really no surprise there, if you ask the soldiers here on the ground about that confusion. Tillman was part of the Rangers regiment, and the Rangers are known for their secrecy, secrecy that they even sometimes apply to other military units. So soldiers here on the ground, not particularly surprised that the U.S. military, the conventional forces that we were speaking with, were not aware of this investigation or its findings.

It's also worth remembering that Tillman died on April 22, was killed on April 22, and the U.S. military, when they made their first announcement about that death here in Kabul, said that he had been killed by hostile fire.

Now the military spokesperson here in Kabul said, really expressing some frustration with this situation, I hope people understand that this is still a combat zone in Afghanistan, that there is no reason to be surprised that in the end it was found that he was probably killed by friendly fire, the spokesperson saying that it is a very confusing environment out there in the best of times and that this battle took place in some very, very rugged terrain -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: OK, Ryan. Thank you.

That's Ryan Chilcote.

Amid new violence in the battle for control of Iraq's future, the name of a new leader has been emerged, but it comes with some criticism attached.

Harris Whitbeck is joining us now from Baghdad where is it Saturday evening -- Ryan.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Catherine.

We understand that Iyad Allawi, whose name has been mentioned as the Iraq's new interim prime minister, had several meetings today. He met with, among other people, Lakhdar Brahimi, who is the U.N. special envoy to Iraq. Originally, it was Dr. Brahimi who was to have announced the naming of the new Iraqi prime minister, but all this amid a certain degree of confusion. His name was announced yesterday.

We do understand that both the U.N. and the U.S. are happy with the decision to name Allawi as interim prime minister. That decision was taken by the Iraqi Governing Council. Now there have been meetings throughout the day. We understand that some names have begun to emerge of those officers, officials who will be part of the new interim government here. That interim government will be in power until January of 2005. One of its main tasks is to organize elections.

Now there have been some reactions today. Not all are quite sure of who Iyad Allawi is. They know that he is somebody who has been involved in politics in the past. He was exiled from Iraq for many, years, and, apparently during his exile, he developed close ties to the U.S. CIA and to British intelligence services, and that has raised some eyebrows among people here, particularly in the Iraqi capital.

Now one of the new government's main challenges and main tasks will, of course, deal with security in Iraq. is still a very, dangerous place, particularly in the holy city of Najaf where a day's old cease-fire -- there were questions as to whether it would hold after there were new skirmishes between U.S. troops there and militia men belonging to Muthana's al-Sadr's militia. They -- at one point, al-Sadr had promised to withdraw his militiamen if the troops did so as well -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: OK, Harris. Thank you.

That's Harris Whitbeck for us with the latest from Baghdad.

Coming up a little bit later on this newscast, we'll be talking to you a little bit more about Allawi.

And for war coverage day or night, you can visit our Web site at the CNN address, CNN.com.

CALLAWAY: Nearly two decades in the making, the National World War II Memorial in Washington is just hours from its official dedication. President Bush will address a crowd that's expected to top 200,000, many of them veterans who fought in that war.

And Elaine Quijano is there as well. She's on the National Mall -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Catherine.

This event marks the culmination of 17 years of work, and the mood here on the National Mall at this hour, certainly a time of mixed emotions. Many people here, though, obviously upbeat and very nostalgic.

If you take a look at the crowd behind me here, you will see people have already begun to secure their places here in the crowd. They have been gathering since this morning, veterans from all over the country, some still able to don their uniforms, showing their pride at having served during World War II.

As you said, quite a number of people expected by the end of the afternoon, and, to get here, though, these spectators have had to go through security. A perimeter has been set up. People are basically being funneled through various entrances on the Mall.

Security, as you can imagine, very tight. About 1,000 law- enforcement officers are on hand. At the same time, the U.S. Coast Guard is patrolling the nearby Potomac River. The Memorial itself pays tribute to the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, as well as the civilians who made their own sacrifices on the home front as part of the war effort.

Now some 60 years later, a poignant time for these aging veterans who have seen this memorial for themselves. They consider themselves lucky. The government estimates that each day some 1,100 World War II veterans pass away.

As you said, we're just hours away now, just under two hours, in fact, from this official dedication ceremony, a number of dignitaries set to be on hand, including President Bush, his father, and former President Clinton -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Elaine. We'll be checking back with you a little bit later. Thank you.

Well, today's Memorial dedication ceremonies will be carried on CNN in less than two hours. Our live coverage will begin at 2:00 Eastern Time right here on CNN.

The U.S. Army future's leaders got a pep talk this morning from their boss. The secretary of defense delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy's graduation ceremonies, and much of Donald Rumsfeld's focus was, of course, the war on terrorism.

Alina Cho at West Point, New York, with the latest from there -- hello, Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Catherine. Good afternoon.

Secretary Rumsfeld told the class of 2004 today that the war on terror is far from over and to always remember the academy's motto: duty, honor, country.

After a two-hour graduation ceremony this morning, it was hats off to the 935 graduating cadets. It was quite a site here. They are now second lieutenants in the Army, and, by this time next year, many of them already will be fighting in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and to those soldiers headed to the front lines, Rumsfeld had this advice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Take good care of them. Lead them and respect them. Your love for soldiers must be as unconditional as it is for your own families. Use the skills you've learned here to bring out the best in them, including respect for others. And always fall become on the moral clarity of the honor code that you've learned here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Rumsfeld did not make any mention of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal today, and the cadets I spoke to agreed that this probably was not the right forum for that. They were looking for some good advice on how to be better military leaders, and, certainly, Catherine, they got plenty of that from Rumsfeld today.

CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you, Alina.

Well, it's 32 days until the hand-over in Iraq, and we will examine the strategy ahead and focus on the man charged with uniting ethnic groups in the war-torn nation.

Also coming up, looking for the big one. The latest weapon to track major storms in the U.S.

And he is a diamond dog with a thing for baseball. An unusual bad boy coming up later on this Saturday.

Stay with us, everyone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(11:15)

CALLAWAY: Dr. Iyad Allawi, slated to become prime minister of Iraq on June 30. He will be the first Iraqi other than Saddam Hussein to run that country in more than a generation. He's a surprising choice, according to some, and Allawi's ties to the U.S. government leave him open to suggestions that Washington may still be pulling the strings. So does he have credibility at home, and can he unite Iraq's factions?

Let's go to Professor Fawaz Gerges. He's in New York, a Middle East scholar at Sarah Lawrence College.

Professor, thanks for being.

FAWAZ GERGES, SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE PROFESSOR: My pleasure.

CALLAWAY: If you believe all the press reports, Allawi is a surprise choice, but is he really?

GERGES: Well, I think the big question, Catherine, is how will Iraqis perceive Iyad Allawi. I think this is the big question. And I think there are many questions being asked by Iraqis and will be asked by more Iraqis in the next few days and next few weeks.

First, as you suggested, his connections and ties to the American intelligence community and to the British intelligence community. Iyad Allawi is also, as we need to point out, a member of the so- called exiles, the Iraqi exiles, who lived in Britain and the United States and Europe for almost 30 years.

Iyad Allawi lived in Britain between 1971 until last year, and many Iraqis are saying, listen, does he know the situation in Iraq, was he divorced from the political realities in the country, does he know the suffering that Iraqis went through in the last 30 years. So the...

CALLAWAY: Because he was exiled for so long.

GERGES: Absolutely.

CALLAWAY: But is he going to be able to unite all these factions.

GERGES: And this is the big question, the big question because I think we need to understand -- that Iraqi communities are deeply divided over the future direction of their country. This is question number one. And I think in the next 12 months or so -- in the next 12 months, that is between the transfer of power to Iraqis and the holding of national elections -- they're talking about holding national elections in a year or so. I think these 12 months or so are very crucial in determining Iraqi's political future.

They're crucial because -- for three reasons. First, I think we shall see in the next 12 months or so if the transfer of power to the Iraqis is limited or "full and complete" as President Bush put it yesterday. And secondly, I think we shall see in the next 12 months or so if Iraqi communities, which are deeply divided over the future of their country learn how to work together, trust each other and find mechanisms to share power.

And finally, I think in the next 12 months or so, we shall find if the United States is genuine about internationalizing the Iraqi project and about, of course, not interfering in Iraqis' internal affairs because, as you suggested, I think the selection of that Dr. Allawi raises more questions than answers because of his connections with the American intelligence services.

CALLAWAY: And at what point would the U.S. step in, is also a good question, if, say, indeed, Allawi doesn't work and there is complete chaos there? At what point would the U.S. step back in?

GERGES: Well, I think, as you well know, the United States is in full charge of the Iraqi situation, but even after the transfer of power to the Iraqis at the end of June, the United States will still have 135,000 soldiers in Iraq.

And regardless of what particular mechanism the United Nations accepts for running the security situation in Iraq, the United States will be in full charge, and, since the United States will have one of the largest -- one of its largest embassies in the world, we expect that the United States will be calling the shots in the country.

But I think this really represents more problems than solutions because I think the big question, as I suggested -- how will Iraqis perceive their leadership? How will Iraqis perceive the transfer of power to the Iraqi government? Will the Iraqis become convinced that their government is in charge.

And I think it's in America's interest and Iraqi's vital interest that the Iraqi project be internationalized, that the United Nations will be in charge and that the Iraqi leadership will be running the affairs of their own country.

CALLAWAY: All right, Professor. Thank you very much for being with us again.

GERGES: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We'll see how it works out with Allawi. Thank you very much.

Tis the season for hurricanes in the Atlantic, but forecasters have a new weapon this year. It may keep your family safe, and we have all the details coming up.

Also a warning for fathers to be: Smoking may be putting your child at risk. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(11:23)

CALLAWAY: The Atlantic hurricane season begins Tuesday. Forecasters predict it will be busier than usual: eight hurricanes, three of them major. Forecasters may soon have a new tool in their arsenal to spy on those big storms, and here's Brad Huffines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRAD HUFFINES, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Most pilots prefer to steer their aircraft away from weather like this. This little plane on the other hand heads right for thunderstorm. But then its pilot is miles away. This is Altus, a UAV, an unmanned aerial vehicle, flown by remote control, designed by NASA with capabilities similar to the Predator drone that proved so successful in Afghanistan and Iraq.

RICH BLAKESLEE, NASA: It could fly to very high altitude, 55,000 feet, and that would allow us to fly over the tops of thunderstorms. This airplane would fly at very slow flight speeds. In addition, this airplane could stay aloft for a very long period of time.

HUFFINES: Altus is outfitted with optical cameras, electromagnetic sensors, electric field detectors, and a conductivity probe to collect data in yet another first for weather surveillance.

BLAKESLEE: In the front of the aircraft, we have a boom with magnetic instruments on board that measures both the AC and DC magnetic electric fields from thunderstorms, and, actually, this is the first time that this type of measurement has ever been made by aircraft in the vicinity of a storm.

HUFFINES: Altus is based at the Naval Air Facility in Key West. Florida was chosen for the experiments because of its high rate of thunderstorms and lightning strikes. Altus gives investigators on the storm a cloud-top perspective. The UAV flies like a conventional aircraft, but pilot and co-pilot are on the ground. Altus can operate on instruments or can be controlled visually through an on-board camera. Armed with this promising new tool for weather research, NASA scientists see an exciting future for storm data collection.

BLAKESLEE: I think the future of weather research is continuing to improve the kinds of measurements that we make that would allow better forecasts, you know, forecasts that will enable us to save lives, protect property, and reduce just the impact of hazardous weather.

HUFFINES: Brad Huffines, CNN, Huntsville, Alabama.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Now hurricane trackers will also use traditional aircraft to fly into the eye of the storm when hurricane season begins. One of those on board the specially equipped planes will be Paul Flaherty. He is a government flight meteorologist joining us from Tampa today.

I know you've flown on a number of these. Paul, you probably don't like the idea of the Altus because they may be gathering some of that information. You want to fly into the storm, unlike the military. They like those Predators, they don't get shot at, but you guys love to fly into these storm, don't you?

PAUL FLAHERTY, FLIGHT METEOROLOGIST: Well, yes, we do. I mean, we love to do it because of the result of what we can get from it. But with advances today, it is something that will be inevitable in the future. I think it's also a little ways away. We're going to do ask a lot of testing with them flying with us and make sure that they can actually get the same data that we're looking for before we can really say that they're going to be able to do the job.

CALLAWAY: All right. Tell me what it's like? That's the big question for those of us who have never flown into a hurricane. What do you see? What do you feel?

FLAHERTY: Well, every hurricane's different. That's the first thing you learn as you're flying. Sometimes you'll go in expecting it to be a smooth ride, sometimes you expect it to be quite bumpy, and it might be the opposite. What I typically tell people is that it's not normally as bad as you might think, but, when does get bad, it's worse than you might think.

CALLAWAY: Let's talk about that. Any big drops that you've been on or any of your co-workers on where you dropped significantly unexpectedly?

FLAHERTY: Well, if we have very strong turbulence inside the storm, we have very strong updrafts on every time we enter the eye wall of a storm, but not really too bad since about 1989. We had a flight into Hurricane Hugo where some of the folks that are still around passed on the stories, and, during Hurricane Hugo, they were flying at 1,500 feet through the eye wall, and there was about an 800- drop or a 700-foot drop...

CALLAWAY: Oh, my gosh!

FLAHERTY: ... before the pilots were able to gain control of the aircraft, and there were several people who walked off that plane and said they wouldn't fly with us ever again.

CALLAWAY: Once was enough for them, right?

FLAHERTY: That's right.

CALLAWAY: Hugo was an unusual storm all the way around, though, wasn't it? I mean, would you normally fly into a storm that big?

FLAHERTY: Oh, sure, but one of the lessons we learned from Hugo is that we aren't going go into a storm that big at such a low level. They were flying at 1,500 feet this past year for Hurricanes Isabel and Fabian. We were flying in from anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 feet. CALLAWAY: Oh, that's interesting. All right. Well, we appreciate you coming in and sharing your stories with us, and, you know, we can all benefit from more information from those these storms because they can, indeed, be deadly. Thank you very much for being with us.

FLAHERTY: You're welcome.

CALLAWAY: Moving on now, presidential address honoring fallen heroes.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley at the White House where President Bush is preparing for his speech at the World War II Memorial dedication. We'll have more on that coming up.

CALLAWAY: And also, he fought alongside America's bravest during the second World War. Straight ahead, emotional memories from an Army vet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Here are the headlines at this half hour.

The shot that killed a football star turned U.S. soldier was probably fire from a comrade's weapon. An army investigation blames confusion during an April 22 ambush in Afghanistan for the death of Corporal Patrick Tillman. The report does not charge any specific unit member with killing Tillman.

In Saudi Arabia, security forces and four gunmen are locked in a standoff at an oil company's headquarters. The militants have killed at least 12 people including an American after storming the compound there. The attackers are holding several hostages and are believed to be linked with al Qaeda.

More violence in the Palestinian territories claims two lives. Israel says an army officer was shot while his unit was searching homes in a West Bank refugee camp near Nablus (ph). In Gaza, a Palestinian militant was shot and killed near a checkpoint fence. Israel says that he was carrying explosive devices.

Just before he speaks at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, President Bush drew comparisons between World War II and Iraq in his Saturday radio address. Frank Buckley joins us from the White House -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. President Bush spent most of his radio address paying tribute to that generation of World War II veterans that's come to be known as the greatest generation, but he also talked about the current generation of men and women who are serving in the armed forces, on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, freedom faces new enemies and a new generation of Americans has stepped forward to defeat them. Since the hour this nation was attacked on September 11, 2001, we have seen the character of the men and women who wear our country's uniform and in places like Kabul and Kandahar, Mosul and Baghdad, we have seen their decency and brave spirit. And because of their fierce courage, America is safer and two terror regimes are gone forever and more than 50 million souls now live in freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: President Bush's father, meanwhile, the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush also taking part in the dedication activities here in Washington. Former President Bush spoke at the National Cathedral this morning. The former president flew 58 combat missions during World War II. Senator John Kerry is also here in Washington for the Memorial dedication. His father, too, served in the military during World War II in the Army Air Corps. Like President Bush, Senator Kerry, in his radio address today, also paid tribute to the greatest generation and also talked about current conflicts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today, the new threat of terrorism demands these alliances on a global scale, to share intelligence, to get the terrorists before they get us, and to stop world's deadliest weapons from falling into the world's most dangerous hands. We must rebuild alliances that have been shredded because an America respected in the world will be an America stronger in the world and safer here at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry touching on themes that he talked about in a national security address earlier this week. The White House view, of course, that the U.S. has gone to war as part of a coalition of the willing as the Bush administration calls it with some 30 nations. Back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you very much.

The countdown is on in Washington for that dedication to the World War II Memorial. Ceremonies begin in about 90 minutes from now. Two veterans who will watch today's dedication are Ernest Waymon and Ron Young, both of them are former prisoners of war. Now Waymon served during World War II and Young during the war in Iraq. They're with us now from Washington. Gentlemen, it's an honor to have you both with us today. Mr. Waymon, let me start with you. What does this memorial mean to you?

ERNEST WAYMON, FMR. P.O.W., WORLD WAR II: Well, it's something that was finally realized after many, many years and to recognize these veterans, I think, is something that should be recognized by the rest of the nation. CALLAWAY: Can you tell me a little bit about where you were a P.O.W. and what that experience was like in World War II?

WAYMON: I had a mission over Munich and had two of my engines, I was a B-24 pilot, we managed to get back to Yugoslavia where we turned in and my crew bailed out. When I landed, I broke an ankle. The Germans got to me first. My crew managed to get away. It took them 48 days to get back. The partisans helped them get back. I was eventually taken through several prison camps and hospitals to Stalag Luft 1 (ph) which is up on the North Sea about 120 miles due north of Berlin. It was an Air Force officer's prison camp. There was English compound as well as four American compounds. We were eventually liberated by the Russians.

The only problem that we had was that at one time, we were starved for six weeks in which we only received soup from the Germans and black bread and various other odds and ends, but that was only once a day. We were supposed to get Red Cross parcels but did not. We eventually heard that Hitler had said that we should be systemically starved and cremated because we were all flyers and our ashes spread over the city of Dresden, which was blasted by the allies and did quite a bit of damage there.

CALLAWAY: But you survived and you're here with us today. We're so honored to have you here. And Mr. Young, I know, you know, you must be thrilled to be able to sit and talk with Mr. Waymon being a former P.O.W. yourself?

RON YOUNG, FMR. P.O.W., IRAQ WAR: Absolutely. We sat and talked a long time today. It's just great to be out here in front of all these veterans. This is truly a worthwhile experience. The reason I'm here is just to be able to share in part. This very emotional day. There's a lot of singing, dancing, people holding hands and I mean it's just truly just a special event and these guys deserve it more than anyone else.

CALLAWAY: Do you have anything you would like to say to Mr. Waymon?

YOUNG: I beg your pardon?

CALLAWAY: I said, Ron, do you have anything you would like to say to Mr. Waymon?

YOUNG: I would like to ask him a question. I'd like to say we appreciate your service to the nation and I know there's a lot of guys beside you and you hold them up just as much as do you yourself. I'd like to ask you, there's a new group of people called the next generation. They're fighting over in Iraq right now. What would you say to them to quell their fears and what they're going through?

WAYMON: I think right now, they're doing the best they can. It's a shame that the people do not know what good they are doing. I have heard from various military over there about the building of schools and roads and all of the utilities and facilities that they are building. And I think it's an excellent job they're doing. CALLAWAY: Right, so we remember the good work that they're doing. You know, I just want to say that it is an honor to have you both with us. Ron, maybe one day there will be a dedication there for your generation as well.

YOUNG: Well, we've got a long war to fight. So hopefully.

CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you very much. Ron Young and Ernest Waymon.

Well, thousands of proud but aging World War II veterans are in Washington right now, sharpening memories, swapping war stories at the new World War II Memorial. The official dedication comes later on today. Well, Brian Todd says that the memories, both good and bad, are already flooding back for a lot of vets.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Charles Yoder blends in here among more than 500 World War II armed forces veterans of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Yoder, by his own admission, is a loner. He blends in until he speaks.

CHARLES YODER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: I tell you, if you're ever hit or you're near a shell that explodes, it can be something because your ears start ringing, and there's a buzz in the air. Long after the shell has exploded, you've still got this ringing sensation. I don't like to be reminded of these things, I've forgotten all about them.

TODD: Late 1944, early 1945, a cold wet, ugly campaign into Germany.

YODER: The fighting was intense. We lived in mud.

TODD: Private Charles Yoder, a medic with the U.S. Third Army, General George S. Patton's Third Army as it swept in to rescue a surrounded American unit in Belgium, it became the Battle of the Bulge and it started in the middle of Yoder's R&R.

YODER: That was our R&R, the Battle of the Bulge.

TODD: Yoder endured that epic fight, but his reckoning was yet to come. Charles Yoder's story is compelling in so many different ways. His heroism and sacrifice clearly stand out. But what draws you closer is when you start to understand how relevant his story is right now. When you hear about a mortar attack in Iraq, imagine a day in Germany, March 1945, Yoder and his mates thought they were out of danger. At a farm, they lined up for a rare hot meal. They heard a whistling sound, then explosions. Some men took cover in a barn, others were hit. As Yoder moved to help them, a shell exploded right next to him. He was wounded, but kept moving.

YODER: So I knew I had work to do and I went and got this guy out, and let him back. I didn't know it was the lieutenant. The lieutenant of our company. I led him back into the barn. And I had to go back and pick up the other guy. And he was badly hit. I carried him out of there, back to the barn. So I guess I got the Silver Star because I was wounded. And the two guys were wounded.

TODD: From that day, in the span of two weeks, Charles Yoder earned a Silver star, two Purple Hearts and a Bronze star. He doesn't consider himself highly decorated.

YODER: I don't know, a lot of the highly decorated guys and the guys that would be highly decorated are dead. I think the amazing thing is that I came out of it alive.

TODD: We changed the subject to happier times to finish the interview. Charles Yoder goes back to blending in. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: And today, the Memorial dedication ceremonies are coming up. Our live coverage beginning at 2:00 Eastern time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: This time every year, health experts issue a warning about the dangers of the sun, but rising cases of melanoma suggest that many people are just not listening. If you're inclined to forget the sunscreen, perhaps our special series on melanoma will make an impression. In this installment, Holly Firfer reports that early detection can mean the difference between life and death.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's cold.

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robin and Melissa (UNINTELLIGIBLE) had just moved to Florida when their lives suddenly changed.

Rob came up out of the water, his hair parted and I saw something that immediately something in my mind said that's not right, get him to the doctor.

FIRFER: That spot was melanoma. Even though Rob had seen dermatologists on a regular basis, they didn't catch this. Luckily Melissa saw that melanoma before it spread. After immediate surgery and months of treatment, Rob is cancer-free. Right now, skin cancer detection mainly relies on a patient's or doctor's visual exam using the ABCDs, looking for asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation and diameter to determine whether a mole might be a melanoma spot. That's why Dr. Halperin relies on new digital technology to compare a baseline photo to subsequent visits to help notice the subtlest of changes on the skin.

DR. ALLAN HALPERIN, MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING: What we're looking for is a spot that's changing relative to the rest of the patient's moles without waiting for it to look like an obvious cancer. FIRFER: When Danielle Shaw (ph) discovered a melanoma spot on her back it was too late. For three years she fought the disease but lost her life to cancer last March leaving behind a 10-month-old baby. Her father says he doesn't want another life wasted by this preventable disease. So he started a grassroots program called "You Can Make a Difference." He trains other hairdressers, manicurists and massage therapist to check the body closely for unusual spots in places most clients can't see like the scalp, behind the ears and in between the toes.

Although his daughter couldn't be saved.

DON SHAW: She couldn't believe she didn't win. Melanoma is tough. It's very tough.

FIRFER: She left him with the will to help others. In Atlanta, I'm Holly Firfer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Melanoma is just one of the summer safety topics tackled in tomorrow morning's "House Call" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. That's at 8:30 Eastern Time, 5:30, Pacific right here on CNN, coming up in the morning.

If your holiday weekend or summer vacation plans includes beach times, stick around, we have a list of the top ten beaches nationwide.

And he's more than a mascot, he's the dog turning heads at the ballpark.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Surf, sand and a drink in your hand, you know the song, Memorial Day weekend kicking off beach season. A noted beach expert has issued his list of top ten family beaches, Professor Stephen Leatherman with the National Healthy Beaches Campaign. He's with us from Miami. Look at that scene behind you. That is so unfair. Here we sit and there you are. You go by Dr. Beach.

PROF. STEPHEN LEATHERMAN, NATIONAL HEALTHY BEACHES CAMPAIGN: Yes, I do.

CALLAWAY: You just love the beaches. What is the top beach this year.

LEATHERMAN: Hanama Bay (ph) in Hawaii, this is near Honolulu. This is a fantastic area, it's a volcanic crater cone, white sand beach and of course coral reefs, tropical fish, palm trees, this is nature yet it's got all the amenities with snack bars and things. Tucked in the way, you don't even see it so it's an idyllic spot. Could you imagine swimming with all this tropical fish?

CALLAWAY: I was going to ask you, what defines the perfect beach for you? LEATHERMAN: Well, we use 50 criteria for every beach. Always people want to see white sand, soft sand, warm water, this is for swimming beaches. So you got to have that beach-type weather. No jellyfish. That's a negative. Mosquitoes, that's a negative. But wildlife, and here we have, of course, birds, life, tropical fish. Some amenities but not crowding out nature. As I mentioned, they've tucked away in the canyon walls, snack bars and changing rooms, so you don't even see it when you're on the beach.

CALLAWAY: You can't convince me that there's no jellyfish and mosquitoes in Florida and you've got several of those beaches there.

LEATHERMAN: Well, we do. We have Fort Desoto (ph) beach in St. Petersburg area and Caladesi Island (ph) near Clearwater but these are really wonderful beaches. If you're out on the beach itself, you won't get bit by mosquitoes with the wind blowing. But Florida does have lots of pretty great beaches, no questions about it.

CALLAWAY: What about California, there's only one.

LEATHER: We have Coronado beach (ph) in San Diego. This is for swimming. So California water is really a little nippy by East Coast standards. It's great for surfing, but those big waves are not always good for swimming.

CALLAWAY: And wear your sunscreen. We're all in here in the studio talking about how we just did a piece on melanoma. If you go to the beach, wear your sunscreen.

LEATHERMAN: Absolutely. I use 25 skin protection factor or above. You need to do that because you get not only the sun directly, but it shines off the sand, radiates back and off the water.

CALLAWAY: And we just want to say we know you're an expert. You even named your kids Beach and Sandy?

LEATHERMAN: That's right.

CALLAWAY: I just love that.

LEATHERMAN: That's correct.

CALLAWAY: All right, Professor Leatherman, Dr. Beach, thank you for being with us, and now we all wish we could head to the beach right now but there's ice-cream.

LEATHERMAN: My pleasure.

CALLAWAY: He is the dog keeping bats off the diamond. Up next, we'll meet the pooch who's gone batty over baseball.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Batman and the bat mobile, the bat cave and of course Robin. What? Jeannie Moos has the story about bat dog.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Down, bat boy, down. Here comes the bat dog. Batting averages aside, there's nothing average about having a dog pick up bats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty cool.

MOOS: This is the second full season that Chase...

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Chase, Chase, Chase!

MOOS: Has served as bat dog for the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees AA farm team.

Trying to impress George Steinbrenner, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, even Derek Jeter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good boy.

MOOS: Doesn't get his own pool at the stadium to cool off between innings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go get the bat. Go get it.

MOOS: You don't have to worry about bike marks on the bats?

RICK BRENNER, GEN. MANAGER, TRENTON THUNDER: Golden retrievers are a very soft-mouthed dog. As a breed, they're used for hunting and retrieving birds. You don't want puncture marks in the birds.

MOOS: Chase lives with general manager Rick Brenner, though a professional dog trainer trained him.

STUMP MERRILL, TRENTON THUNDER MANAGER: We enjoy him in the clubhouse. How he's almost one of us.

MOOS: Just like the bat boy, Chase brings water in a basket to the umpires. He only fetches bats in the first inning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pretty good at it.

MOOS: Is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MOOS: Better than you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. We'll see to that.

MOOS: Chase committed no errors though he sometimes moves his mouth to avoid the pine tar players use to grip the bat. He also catches frisbees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That a boy! MOOS: And even caters to the press, fetching microphones on cue. The club sells his image on bats and T-shirts. Chase is already a stuffed animal. And they're making a bobblehead of him. What dog wouldn't want to hear...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Play ball!

MOOS: And though he doesn't bite the bats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little slobber, maybe.

MOOS: In this game, slobber is a plus. Jeanne Moos, CNN, Trenton, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Well, there is much more ahead on CNN Saturday in just a few moments. "IN THE MONEY," how wild weather is playing big at the box office. At 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, special live coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication ceremony and an interview with former President George H.W. Bush. 4:00 Eastern, "CNN LIVE SATURDAY" and dollar signs, the impact interest rate increases may have on home buying and refinancing your mortgage but first, the headlines.

A group calling itself the Jerusalem Squadron is claiming responsibility for today's deadly attack in eastern Saudi Arabia. The claim appeared on a website that had published statements for al Qaeda. Gunmen killed at least 12 people including an American at an oil company compound in Kovar. Sources say they're holding several westerners hostage there.

And in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf...

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 29, 2004 - 12:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: It is 12:00 noon in Washington and 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad.
Hello, everyone. I'm Catherine Callaway at the CNN global headquarters here in Atlanta. Thanks for being with us.

Coming up this hour, a military admission on the death in Afghanistan of war hero Pat Tillman. What led to the friendly fire incident that killed him?

Also, honoring the sacrifice of World War II veterans, that memorial finally being dedicated.

And later:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES YODER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: I think the amazing thing is that I came out of it alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLAWAY: Remembering as if it was yesterday, one soldier's story six decades later.

But, first, we have the headlines.

First to the Middle East where gunmen have attacked an oil company complex in Saudi Arabia with devastating results. Four gunmen killed at least 12 people in a shoot-out, including one American and one British citizen, and they also took several hostages. This information is coming from CNN sources in Saudi Arabia.

And Israel says that one of its army officers was shot and killed inside a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank. Earlier, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Israel forces killed a Palestinian militant on the border with Gaza. Sources say that two 80-pound bombs were found near the body.

And in Iran, 45 people are now reported dead after a strong earthquake. Many Iranians spent the night outside. They feared another quake, after the 6.3 trembler struck northern Iran about 45 miles north of Tehran. Dozens of aftershocks have been rattling that same region.

On this Memorial Day weekend, news from the U.S. Army today about the death of Corporal Pat Tillman, the Special Forces soldier who walked away from a football career to fight in Afghanistan.

Let's go now to Washington and talk with Barbara Starr about this information.

We're hearing now, Barbara, that he may have died from friendly fire.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Catherine. Very sad news this Memorial Day for the family of Corporal Pat Tillman. Word from the Army that he was a victim of friendly fire, killed April 22 during a fierce firefight in Afghanistan, accidentally shot by friendly forces.

The head of Army Special Forces took pains to say the manner of death does not diminish the bravery of the soldier. Tillman's team was trying to help another Special Forces team that had come enemy fire, mortars and small arms. It was close quarters and 7:30 at night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. PHILIP KENSINGER, U.S. ARMY: There is an inherent danger of confusion in any firefight, particularly when a unit is ambushed, and especially under difficult light and terrain conditions which produce an environment that increases the likelihood of fratricide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Now here's apparently what happened. During the battle, a Ranger squad leader mistakenly opened fire on an Afghan militia force soldier. The investigators' report found that, quote, "Other members of the platoon observing the direction of the fire by the squad leader oriented their fire in the same direction," and that was the fire that fatally wounded Tillman and an Afghan soldier -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Barbara. It is painful news, but he died a hero nonetheless. Thank you, Barbara.

Tillman, one of about 100 U.S. soldiers that have been killed in Afghanistan. For reaction among the soldiers that are serving now, let's go now to Ryan Chilcote. He's in Kabul -- Ryan.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Catherine.

Well, the U.S. military was completely caught off guard by this, I think it's worth -- fair to say. I spoke with them this morning, and they said that they were not aware of any investigation and -- nor were they aware, of course, of the findings of this investigation that Tillman was apparently killed by friendly fire in that attack.

Now there's really no surprise there, if you ask the soldiers here on the ground about that confusion. Tillman was part of the Rangers regiment, and the Rangers are known for their secrecy, secrecy that they even sometimes apply to other military units. So soldiers here on the ground, not particularly surprised that the U.S. military, the conventional forces that we were speaking with, were not aware of this investigation or its findings.

It's also worth remembering that Tillman died on April 22, was killed on April 22, and the U.S. military, when they made their first announcement about that death here in Kabul, said that he had been killed by hostile fire.

Now the military spokesperson here in Kabul said, really expressing some frustration with this situation, I hope people understand that this is still a combat zone in Afghanistan, that there is no reason to be surprised that in the end it was found that he was probably killed by friendly fire, the spokesperson saying that it is a very confusing environment out there in the best of times and that this battle took place in some very, very rugged terrain -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: OK, Ryan. Thank you.

That's Ryan Chilcote.

Amid new violence in the battle for control of Iraq's future, the name of a new leader has been emerged, but it comes with some criticism attached.

Harris Whitbeck is joining us now from Baghdad where is it Saturday evening -- Ryan.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Catherine.

We understand that Iyad Allawi, whose name has been mentioned as the Iraq's new interim prime minister, had several meetings today. He met with, among other people, Lakhdar Brahimi, who is the U.N. special envoy to Iraq. Originally, it was Dr. Brahimi who was to have announced the naming of the new Iraqi prime minister, but all this amid a certain degree of confusion. His name was announced yesterday.

We do understand that both the U.N. and the U.S. are happy with the decision to name Allawi as interim prime minister. That decision was taken by the Iraqi Governing Council. Now there have been meetings throughout the day. We understand that some names have begun to emerge of those officers, officials who will be part of the new interim government here. That interim government will be in power until January of 2005. One of its main tasks is to organize elections.

Now there have been some reactions today. Not all are quite sure of who Iyad Allawi is. They know that he is somebody who has been involved in politics in the past. He was exiled from Iraq for many, years, and, apparently during his exile, he developed close ties to the U.S. CIA and to British intelligence services, and that has raised some eyebrows among people here, particularly in the Iraqi capital.

Now one of the new government's main challenges and main tasks will, of course, deal with security in Iraq. is still a very, dangerous place, particularly in the holy city of Najaf where a day's old cease-fire -- there were questions as to whether it would hold after there were new skirmishes between U.S. troops there and militia men belonging to Muthana's al-Sadr's militia. They -- at one point, al-Sadr had promised to withdraw his militiamen if the troops did so as well -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: OK, Harris. Thank you.

That's Harris Whitbeck for us with the latest from Baghdad.

Coming up a little bit later on this newscast, we'll be talking to you a little bit more about Allawi.

And for war coverage day or night, you can visit our Web site at the CNN address, CNN.com.

CALLAWAY: Nearly two decades in the making, the National World War II Memorial in Washington is just hours from its official dedication. President Bush will address a crowd that's expected to top 200,000, many of them veterans who fought in that war.

And Elaine Quijano is there as well. She's on the National Mall -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Catherine.

This event marks the culmination of 17 years of work, and the mood here on the National Mall at this hour, certainly a time of mixed emotions. Many people here, though, obviously upbeat and very nostalgic.

If you take a look at the crowd behind me here, you will see people have already begun to secure their places here in the crowd. They have been gathering since this morning, veterans from all over the country, some still able to don their uniforms, showing their pride at having served during World War II.

As you said, quite a number of people expected by the end of the afternoon, and, to get here, though, these spectators have had to go through security. A perimeter has been set up. People are basically being funneled through various entrances on the Mall.

Security, as you can imagine, very tight. About 1,000 law- enforcement officers are on hand. At the same time, the U.S. Coast Guard is patrolling the nearby Potomac River. The Memorial itself pays tribute to the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, as well as the civilians who made their own sacrifices on the home front as part of the war effort.

Now some 60 years later, a poignant time for these aging veterans who have seen this memorial for themselves. They consider themselves lucky. The government estimates that each day some 1,100 World War II veterans pass away.

As you said, we're just hours away now, just under two hours, in fact, from this official dedication ceremony, a number of dignitaries set to be on hand, including President Bush, his father, and former President Clinton -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Elaine. We'll be checking back with you a little bit later. Thank you.

Well, today's Memorial dedication ceremonies will be carried on CNN in less than two hours. Our live coverage will begin at 2:00 Eastern Time right here on CNN.

The U.S. Army future's leaders got a pep talk this morning from their boss. The secretary of defense delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy's graduation ceremonies, and much of Donald Rumsfeld's focus was, of course, the war on terrorism.

Alina Cho at West Point, New York, with the latest from there -- hello, Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Catherine. Good afternoon.

Secretary Rumsfeld told the class of 2004 today that the war on terror is far from over and to always remember the academy's motto: duty, honor, country.

After a two-hour graduation ceremony this morning, it was hats off to the 935 graduating cadets. It was quite a site here. They are now second lieutenants in the Army, and, by this time next year, many of them already will be fighting in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and to those soldiers headed to the front lines, Rumsfeld had this advice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Take good care of them. Lead them and respect them. Your love for soldiers must be as unconditional as it is for your own families. Use the skills you've learned here to bring out the best in them, including respect for others. And always fall become on the moral clarity of the honor code that you've learned here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Rumsfeld did not make any mention of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal today, and the cadets I spoke to agreed that this probably was not the right forum for that. They were looking for some good advice on how to be better military leaders, and, certainly, Catherine, they got plenty of that from Rumsfeld today.

CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you, Alina.

Well, it's 32 days until the hand-over in Iraq, and we will examine the strategy ahead and focus on the man charged with uniting ethnic groups in the war-torn nation.

Also coming up, looking for the big one. The latest weapon to track major storms in the U.S.

And he is a diamond dog with a thing for baseball. An unusual bad boy coming up later on this Saturday.

Stay with us, everyone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(11:15)

CALLAWAY: Dr. Iyad Allawi, slated to become prime minister of Iraq on June 30. He will be the first Iraqi other than Saddam Hussein to run that country in more than a generation. He's a surprising choice, according to some, and Allawi's ties to the U.S. government leave him open to suggestions that Washington may still be pulling the strings. So does he have credibility at home, and can he unite Iraq's factions?

Let's go to Professor Fawaz Gerges. He's in New York, a Middle East scholar at Sarah Lawrence College.

Professor, thanks for being.

FAWAZ GERGES, SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE PROFESSOR: My pleasure.

CALLAWAY: If you believe all the press reports, Allawi is a surprise choice, but is he really?

GERGES: Well, I think the big question, Catherine, is how will Iraqis perceive Iyad Allawi. I think this is the big question. And I think there are many questions being asked by Iraqis and will be asked by more Iraqis in the next few days and next few weeks.

First, as you suggested, his connections and ties to the American intelligence community and to the British intelligence community. Iyad Allawi is also, as we need to point out, a member of the so- called exiles, the Iraqi exiles, who lived in Britain and the United States and Europe for almost 30 years.

Iyad Allawi lived in Britain between 1971 until last year, and many Iraqis are saying, listen, does he know the situation in Iraq, was he divorced from the political realities in the country, does he know the suffering that Iraqis went through in the last 30 years. So the...

CALLAWAY: Because he was exiled for so long.

GERGES: Absolutely.

CALLAWAY: But is he going to be able to unite all these factions.

GERGES: And this is the big question, the big question because I think we need to understand -- that Iraqi communities are deeply divided over the future direction of their country. This is question number one. And I think in the next 12 months or so -- in the next 12 months, that is between the transfer of power to Iraqis and the holding of national elections -- they're talking about holding national elections in a year or so. I think these 12 months or so are very crucial in determining Iraqi's political future.

They're crucial because -- for three reasons. First, I think we shall see in the next 12 months or so if the transfer of power to the Iraqis is limited or "full and complete" as President Bush put it yesterday. And secondly, I think we shall see in the next 12 months or so if Iraqi communities, which are deeply divided over the future of their country learn how to work together, trust each other and find mechanisms to share power.

And finally, I think in the next 12 months or so, we shall find if the United States is genuine about internationalizing the Iraqi project and about, of course, not interfering in Iraqis' internal affairs because, as you suggested, I think the selection of that Dr. Allawi raises more questions than answers because of his connections with the American intelligence services.

CALLAWAY: And at what point would the U.S. step in, is also a good question, if, say, indeed, Allawi doesn't work and there is complete chaos there? At what point would the U.S. step back in?

GERGES: Well, I think, as you well know, the United States is in full charge of the Iraqi situation, but even after the transfer of power to the Iraqis at the end of June, the United States will still have 135,000 soldiers in Iraq.

And regardless of what particular mechanism the United Nations accepts for running the security situation in Iraq, the United States will be in full charge, and, since the United States will have one of the largest -- one of its largest embassies in the world, we expect that the United States will be calling the shots in the country.

But I think this really represents more problems than solutions because I think the big question, as I suggested -- how will Iraqis perceive their leadership? How will Iraqis perceive the transfer of power to the Iraqi government? Will the Iraqis become convinced that their government is in charge.

And I think it's in America's interest and Iraqi's vital interest that the Iraqi project be internationalized, that the United Nations will be in charge and that the Iraqi leadership will be running the affairs of their own country.

CALLAWAY: All right, Professor. Thank you very much for being with us again.

GERGES: Thank you.

CALLAWAY: We'll see how it works out with Allawi. Thank you very much.

Tis the season for hurricanes in the Atlantic, but forecasters have a new weapon this year. It may keep your family safe, and we have all the details coming up.

Also a warning for fathers to be: Smoking may be putting your child at risk. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(11:23)

CALLAWAY: The Atlantic hurricane season begins Tuesday. Forecasters predict it will be busier than usual: eight hurricanes, three of them major. Forecasters may soon have a new tool in their arsenal to spy on those big storms, and here's Brad Huffines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRAD HUFFINES, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Most pilots prefer to steer their aircraft away from weather like this. This little plane on the other hand heads right for thunderstorm. But then its pilot is miles away. This is Altus, a UAV, an unmanned aerial vehicle, flown by remote control, designed by NASA with capabilities similar to the Predator drone that proved so successful in Afghanistan and Iraq.

RICH BLAKESLEE, NASA: It could fly to very high altitude, 55,000 feet, and that would allow us to fly over the tops of thunderstorms. This airplane would fly at very slow flight speeds. In addition, this airplane could stay aloft for a very long period of time.

HUFFINES: Altus is outfitted with optical cameras, electromagnetic sensors, electric field detectors, and a conductivity probe to collect data in yet another first for weather surveillance.

BLAKESLEE: In the front of the aircraft, we have a boom with magnetic instruments on board that measures both the AC and DC magnetic electric fields from thunderstorms, and, actually, this is the first time that this type of measurement has ever been made by aircraft in the vicinity of a storm.

HUFFINES: Altus is based at the Naval Air Facility in Key West. Florida was chosen for the experiments because of its high rate of thunderstorms and lightning strikes. Altus gives investigators on the storm a cloud-top perspective. The UAV flies like a conventional aircraft, but pilot and co-pilot are on the ground. Altus can operate on instruments or can be controlled visually through an on-board camera. Armed with this promising new tool for weather research, NASA scientists see an exciting future for storm data collection.

BLAKESLEE: I think the future of weather research is continuing to improve the kinds of measurements that we make that would allow better forecasts, you know, forecasts that will enable us to save lives, protect property, and reduce just the impact of hazardous weather.

HUFFINES: Brad Huffines, CNN, Huntsville, Alabama.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Now hurricane trackers will also use traditional aircraft to fly into the eye of the storm when hurricane season begins. One of those on board the specially equipped planes will be Paul Flaherty. He is a government flight meteorologist joining us from Tampa today.

I know you've flown on a number of these. Paul, you probably don't like the idea of the Altus because they may be gathering some of that information. You want to fly into the storm, unlike the military. They like those Predators, they don't get shot at, but you guys love to fly into these storm, don't you?

PAUL FLAHERTY, FLIGHT METEOROLOGIST: Well, yes, we do. I mean, we love to do it because of the result of what we can get from it. But with advances today, it is something that will be inevitable in the future. I think it's also a little ways away. We're going to do ask a lot of testing with them flying with us and make sure that they can actually get the same data that we're looking for before we can really say that they're going to be able to do the job.

CALLAWAY: All right. Tell me what it's like? That's the big question for those of us who have never flown into a hurricane. What do you see? What do you feel?

FLAHERTY: Well, every hurricane's different. That's the first thing you learn as you're flying. Sometimes you'll go in expecting it to be a smooth ride, sometimes you expect it to be quite bumpy, and it might be the opposite. What I typically tell people is that it's not normally as bad as you might think, but, when does get bad, it's worse than you might think.

CALLAWAY: Let's talk about that. Any big drops that you've been on or any of your co-workers on where you dropped significantly unexpectedly?

FLAHERTY: Well, if we have very strong turbulence inside the storm, we have very strong updrafts on every time we enter the eye wall of a storm, but not really too bad since about 1989. We had a flight into Hurricane Hugo where some of the folks that are still around passed on the stories, and, during Hurricane Hugo, they were flying at 1,500 feet through the eye wall, and there was about an 800- drop or a 700-foot drop...

CALLAWAY: Oh, my gosh!

FLAHERTY: ... before the pilots were able to gain control of the aircraft, and there were several people who walked off that plane and said they wouldn't fly with us ever again.

CALLAWAY: Once was enough for them, right?

FLAHERTY: That's right.

CALLAWAY: Hugo was an unusual storm all the way around, though, wasn't it? I mean, would you normally fly into a storm that big?

FLAHERTY: Oh, sure, but one of the lessons we learned from Hugo is that we aren't going go into a storm that big at such a low level. They were flying at 1,500 feet this past year for Hurricanes Isabel and Fabian. We were flying in from anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 feet. CALLAWAY: Oh, that's interesting. All right. Well, we appreciate you coming in and sharing your stories with us, and, you know, we can all benefit from more information from those these storms because they can, indeed, be deadly. Thank you very much for being with us.

FLAHERTY: You're welcome.

CALLAWAY: Moving on now, presidential address honoring fallen heroes.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley at the White House where President Bush is preparing for his speech at the World War II Memorial dedication. We'll have more on that coming up.

CALLAWAY: And also, he fought alongside America's bravest during the second World War. Straight ahead, emotional memories from an Army vet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Here are the headlines at this half hour.

The shot that killed a football star turned U.S. soldier was probably fire from a comrade's weapon. An army investigation blames confusion during an April 22 ambush in Afghanistan for the death of Corporal Patrick Tillman. The report does not charge any specific unit member with killing Tillman.

In Saudi Arabia, security forces and four gunmen are locked in a standoff at an oil company's headquarters. The militants have killed at least 12 people including an American after storming the compound there. The attackers are holding several hostages and are believed to be linked with al Qaeda.

More violence in the Palestinian territories claims two lives. Israel says an army officer was shot while his unit was searching homes in a West Bank refugee camp near Nablus (ph). In Gaza, a Palestinian militant was shot and killed near a checkpoint fence. Israel says that he was carrying explosive devices.

Just before he speaks at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, President Bush drew comparisons between World War II and Iraq in his Saturday radio address. Frank Buckley joins us from the White House -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. President Bush spent most of his radio address paying tribute to that generation of World War II veterans that's come to be known as the greatest generation, but he also talked about the current generation of men and women who are serving in the armed forces, on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, freedom faces new enemies and a new generation of Americans has stepped forward to defeat them. Since the hour this nation was attacked on September 11, 2001, we have seen the character of the men and women who wear our country's uniform and in places like Kabul and Kandahar, Mosul and Baghdad, we have seen their decency and brave spirit. And because of their fierce courage, America is safer and two terror regimes are gone forever and more than 50 million souls now live in freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: President Bush's father, meanwhile, the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush also taking part in the dedication activities here in Washington. Former President Bush spoke at the National Cathedral this morning. The former president flew 58 combat missions during World War II. Senator John Kerry is also here in Washington for the Memorial dedication. His father, too, served in the military during World War II in the Army Air Corps. Like President Bush, Senator Kerry, in his radio address today, also paid tribute to the greatest generation and also talked about current conflicts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today, the new threat of terrorism demands these alliances on a global scale, to share intelligence, to get the terrorists before they get us, and to stop world's deadliest weapons from falling into the world's most dangerous hands. We must rebuild alliances that have been shredded because an America respected in the world will be an America stronger in the world and safer here at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry touching on themes that he talked about in a national security address earlier this week. The White House view, of course, that the U.S. has gone to war as part of a coalition of the willing as the Bush administration calls it with some 30 nations. Back to you.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you very much.

The countdown is on in Washington for that dedication to the World War II Memorial. Ceremonies begin in about 90 minutes from now. Two veterans who will watch today's dedication are Ernest Waymon and Ron Young, both of them are former prisoners of war. Now Waymon served during World War II and Young during the war in Iraq. They're with us now from Washington. Gentlemen, it's an honor to have you both with us today. Mr. Waymon, let me start with you. What does this memorial mean to you?

ERNEST WAYMON, FMR. P.O.W., WORLD WAR II: Well, it's something that was finally realized after many, many years and to recognize these veterans, I think, is something that should be recognized by the rest of the nation. CALLAWAY: Can you tell me a little bit about where you were a P.O.W. and what that experience was like in World War II?

WAYMON: I had a mission over Munich and had two of my engines, I was a B-24 pilot, we managed to get back to Yugoslavia where we turned in and my crew bailed out. When I landed, I broke an ankle. The Germans got to me first. My crew managed to get away. It took them 48 days to get back. The partisans helped them get back. I was eventually taken through several prison camps and hospitals to Stalag Luft 1 (ph) which is up on the North Sea about 120 miles due north of Berlin. It was an Air Force officer's prison camp. There was English compound as well as four American compounds. We were eventually liberated by the Russians.

The only problem that we had was that at one time, we were starved for six weeks in which we only received soup from the Germans and black bread and various other odds and ends, but that was only once a day. We were supposed to get Red Cross parcels but did not. We eventually heard that Hitler had said that we should be systemically starved and cremated because we were all flyers and our ashes spread over the city of Dresden, which was blasted by the allies and did quite a bit of damage there.

CALLAWAY: But you survived and you're here with us today. We're so honored to have you here. And Mr. Young, I know, you know, you must be thrilled to be able to sit and talk with Mr. Waymon being a former P.O.W. yourself?

RON YOUNG, FMR. P.O.W., IRAQ WAR: Absolutely. We sat and talked a long time today. It's just great to be out here in front of all these veterans. This is truly a worthwhile experience. The reason I'm here is just to be able to share in part. This very emotional day. There's a lot of singing, dancing, people holding hands and I mean it's just truly just a special event and these guys deserve it more than anyone else.

CALLAWAY: Do you have anything you would like to say to Mr. Waymon?

YOUNG: I beg your pardon?

CALLAWAY: I said, Ron, do you have anything you would like to say to Mr. Waymon?

YOUNG: I would like to ask him a question. I'd like to say we appreciate your service to the nation and I know there's a lot of guys beside you and you hold them up just as much as do you yourself. I'd like to ask you, there's a new group of people called the next generation. They're fighting over in Iraq right now. What would you say to them to quell their fears and what they're going through?

WAYMON: I think right now, they're doing the best they can. It's a shame that the people do not know what good they are doing. I have heard from various military over there about the building of schools and roads and all of the utilities and facilities that they are building. And I think it's an excellent job they're doing. CALLAWAY: Right, so we remember the good work that they're doing. You know, I just want to say that it is an honor to have you both with us. Ron, maybe one day there will be a dedication there for your generation as well.

YOUNG: Well, we've got a long war to fight. So hopefully.

CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you very much. Ron Young and Ernest Waymon.

Well, thousands of proud but aging World War II veterans are in Washington right now, sharpening memories, swapping war stories at the new World War II Memorial. The official dedication comes later on today. Well, Brian Todd says that the memories, both good and bad, are already flooding back for a lot of vets.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Charles Yoder blends in here among more than 500 World War II armed forces veterans of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Yoder, by his own admission, is a loner. He blends in until he speaks.

CHARLES YODER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: I tell you, if you're ever hit or you're near a shell that explodes, it can be something because your ears start ringing, and there's a buzz in the air. Long after the shell has exploded, you've still got this ringing sensation. I don't like to be reminded of these things, I've forgotten all about them.

TODD: Late 1944, early 1945, a cold wet, ugly campaign into Germany.

YODER: The fighting was intense. We lived in mud.

TODD: Private Charles Yoder, a medic with the U.S. Third Army, General George S. Patton's Third Army as it swept in to rescue a surrounded American unit in Belgium, it became the Battle of the Bulge and it started in the middle of Yoder's R&R.

YODER: That was our R&R, the Battle of the Bulge.

TODD: Yoder endured that epic fight, but his reckoning was yet to come. Charles Yoder's story is compelling in so many different ways. His heroism and sacrifice clearly stand out. But what draws you closer is when you start to understand how relevant his story is right now. When you hear about a mortar attack in Iraq, imagine a day in Germany, March 1945, Yoder and his mates thought they were out of danger. At a farm, they lined up for a rare hot meal. They heard a whistling sound, then explosions. Some men took cover in a barn, others were hit. As Yoder moved to help them, a shell exploded right next to him. He was wounded, but kept moving.

YODER: So I knew I had work to do and I went and got this guy out, and let him back. I didn't know it was the lieutenant. The lieutenant of our company. I led him back into the barn. And I had to go back and pick up the other guy. And he was badly hit. I carried him out of there, back to the barn. So I guess I got the Silver Star because I was wounded. And the two guys were wounded.

TODD: From that day, in the span of two weeks, Charles Yoder earned a Silver star, two Purple Hearts and a Bronze star. He doesn't consider himself highly decorated.

YODER: I don't know, a lot of the highly decorated guys and the guys that would be highly decorated are dead. I think the amazing thing is that I came out of it alive.

TODD: We changed the subject to happier times to finish the interview. Charles Yoder goes back to blending in. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: And today, the Memorial dedication ceremonies are coming up. Our live coverage beginning at 2:00 Eastern time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: This time every year, health experts issue a warning about the dangers of the sun, but rising cases of melanoma suggest that many people are just not listening. If you're inclined to forget the sunscreen, perhaps our special series on melanoma will make an impression. In this installment, Holly Firfer reports that early detection can mean the difference between life and death.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's cold.

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robin and Melissa (UNINTELLIGIBLE) had just moved to Florida when their lives suddenly changed.

Rob came up out of the water, his hair parted and I saw something that immediately something in my mind said that's not right, get him to the doctor.

FIRFER: That spot was melanoma. Even though Rob had seen dermatologists on a regular basis, they didn't catch this. Luckily Melissa saw that melanoma before it spread. After immediate surgery and months of treatment, Rob is cancer-free. Right now, skin cancer detection mainly relies on a patient's or doctor's visual exam using the ABCDs, looking for asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation and diameter to determine whether a mole might be a melanoma spot. That's why Dr. Halperin relies on new digital technology to compare a baseline photo to subsequent visits to help notice the subtlest of changes on the skin.

DR. ALLAN HALPERIN, MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING: What we're looking for is a spot that's changing relative to the rest of the patient's moles without waiting for it to look like an obvious cancer. FIRFER: When Danielle Shaw (ph) discovered a melanoma spot on her back it was too late. For three years she fought the disease but lost her life to cancer last March leaving behind a 10-month-old baby. Her father says he doesn't want another life wasted by this preventable disease. So he started a grassroots program called "You Can Make a Difference." He trains other hairdressers, manicurists and massage therapist to check the body closely for unusual spots in places most clients can't see like the scalp, behind the ears and in between the toes.

Although his daughter couldn't be saved.

DON SHAW: She couldn't believe she didn't win. Melanoma is tough. It's very tough.

FIRFER: She left him with the will to help others. In Atlanta, I'm Holly Firfer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Melanoma is just one of the summer safety topics tackled in tomorrow morning's "House Call" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. That's at 8:30 Eastern Time, 5:30, Pacific right here on CNN, coming up in the morning.

If your holiday weekend or summer vacation plans includes beach times, stick around, we have a list of the top ten beaches nationwide.

And he's more than a mascot, he's the dog turning heads at the ballpark.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Surf, sand and a drink in your hand, you know the song, Memorial Day weekend kicking off beach season. A noted beach expert has issued his list of top ten family beaches, Professor Stephen Leatherman with the National Healthy Beaches Campaign. He's with us from Miami. Look at that scene behind you. That is so unfair. Here we sit and there you are. You go by Dr. Beach.

PROF. STEPHEN LEATHERMAN, NATIONAL HEALTHY BEACHES CAMPAIGN: Yes, I do.

CALLAWAY: You just love the beaches. What is the top beach this year.

LEATHERMAN: Hanama Bay (ph) in Hawaii, this is near Honolulu. This is a fantastic area, it's a volcanic crater cone, white sand beach and of course coral reefs, tropical fish, palm trees, this is nature yet it's got all the amenities with snack bars and things. Tucked in the way, you don't even see it so it's an idyllic spot. Could you imagine swimming with all this tropical fish?

CALLAWAY: I was going to ask you, what defines the perfect beach for you? LEATHERMAN: Well, we use 50 criteria for every beach. Always people want to see white sand, soft sand, warm water, this is for swimming beaches. So you got to have that beach-type weather. No jellyfish. That's a negative. Mosquitoes, that's a negative. But wildlife, and here we have, of course, birds, life, tropical fish. Some amenities but not crowding out nature. As I mentioned, they've tucked away in the canyon walls, snack bars and changing rooms, so you don't even see it when you're on the beach.

CALLAWAY: You can't convince me that there's no jellyfish and mosquitoes in Florida and you've got several of those beaches there.

LEATHERMAN: Well, we do. We have Fort Desoto (ph) beach in St. Petersburg area and Caladesi Island (ph) near Clearwater but these are really wonderful beaches. If you're out on the beach itself, you won't get bit by mosquitoes with the wind blowing. But Florida does have lots of pretty great beaches, no questions about it.

CALLAWAY: What about California, there's only one.

LEATHER: We have Coronado beach (ph) in San Diego. This is for swimming. So California water is really a little nippy by East Coast standards. It's great for surfing, but those big waves are not always good for swimming.

CALLAWAY: And wear your sunscreen. We're all in here in the studio talking about how we just did a piece on melanoma. If you go to the beach, wear your sunscreen.

LEATHERMAN: Absolutely. I use 25 skin protection factor or above. You need to do that because you get not only the sun directly, but it shines off the sand, radiates back and off the water.

CALLAWAY: And we just want to say we know you're an expert. You even named your kids Beach and Sandy?

LEATHERMAN: That's right.

CALLAWAY: I just love that.

LEATHERMAN: That's correct.

CALLAWAY: All right, Professor Leatherman, Dr. Beach, thank you for being with us, and now we all wish we could head to the beach right now but there's ice-cream.

LEATHERMAN: My pleasure.

CALLAWAY: He is the dog keeping bats off the diamond. Up next, we'll meet the pooch who's gone batty over baseball.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLAWAY: Batman and the bat mobile, the bat cave and of course Robin. What? Jeannie Moos has the story about bat dog.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Down, bat boy, down. Here comes the bat dog. Batting averages aside, there's nothing average about having a dog pick up bats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty cool.

MOOS: This is the second full season that Chase...

UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: Chase, Chase, Chase!

MOOS: Has served as bat dog for the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees AA farm team.

Trying to impress George Steinbrenner, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, even Derek Jeter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good boy.

MOOS: Doesn't get his own pool at the stadium to cool off between innings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go get the bat. Go get it.

MOOS: You don't have to worry about bike marks on the bats?

RICK BRENNER, GEN. MANAGER, TRENTON THUNDER: Golden retrievers are a very soft-mouthed dog. As a breed, they're used for hunting and retrieving birds. You don't want puncture marks in the birds.

MOOS: Chase lives with general manager Rick Brenner, though a professional dog trainer trained him.

STUMP MERRILL, TRENTON THUNDER MANAGER: We enjoy him in the clubhouse. How he's almost one of us.

MOOS: Just like the bat boy, Chase brings water in a basket to the umpires. He only fetches bats in the first inning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pretty good at it.

MOOS: Is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MOOS: Better than you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. We'll see to that.

MOOS: Chase committed no errors though he sometimes moves his mouth to avoid the pine tar players use to grip the bat. He also catches frisbees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That a boy! MOOS: And even caters to the press, fetching microphones on cue. The club sells his image on bats and T-shirts. Chase is already a stuffed animal. And they're making a bobblehead of him. What dog wouldn't want to hear...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Play ball!

MOOS: And though he doesn't bite the bats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little slobber, maybe.

MOOS: In this game, slobber is a plus. Jeanne Moos, CNN, Trenton, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: Well, there is much more ahead on CNN Saturday in just a few moments. "IN THE MONEY," how wild weather is playing big at the box office. At 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, special live coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication ceremony and an interview with former President George H.W. Bush. 4:00 Eastern, "CNN LIVE SATURDAY" and dollar signs, the impact interest rate increases may have on home buying and refinancing your mortgage but first, the headlines.

A group calling itself the Jerusalem Squadron is claiming responsibility for today's deadly attack in eastern Saudi Arabia. The claim appeared on a website that had published statements for al Qaeda. Gunmen killed at least 12 people including an American at an oil company compound in Kovar. Sources say they're holding several westerners hostage there.

And in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf...

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