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CNN Live At Daybreak

To Hell and Back: Green Berets Tour Capitol, Hear Address

Aired January 30, 2002 - 06:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Some of the nation's newest war heroes were also at the president's State of the Union Address.

Our Art Harris caught up with the men who have been to hell and back in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ART HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Washington, D.C., a beautiful day for any tourist, but these aren't your everyday tourists, they're Green Berets back from the front lines of terror in Afghanistan.

SGT. MICHAEL MCELHINEY, U.S. ARMY: I lost my right arm, part of it below the elbow. It's a small price to pay for what -- you know for what we were doing over there. The people in New York paid, you know, a heavy price.

HARRIS: Sergeant Michael McElhiney, part of an elite A Team (ph) fighting on the outskirts of Kandahar. Then it happened.

MCELHINEY: There was kind of I guess not a whistling sound but it was just a loud crack.

HARRIS: One second they were killing Taliban, then the sky fell on them. Friendly fire, still under investigation, an errant 2,000- pound U.S. bomb.

MCELHINEY: I turned around, faced the bomb and there was a red flash and then I immediately fell -- turned around and fell down and noticed that my right hand was severed and my left arm was broken.

HARRIS: Medevaced home, Purple Heart for the wounded, later pinned on at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and something extra for combat and courage under fire.

UNKNOWN MALE: For heroism from 14 November to 5 December 2001 as detachment commander.

HARRIS: That's Captain Jason Amerine, awarded a Bronze Star for Valor.

UNKNOWN MALE: In the face of overwhelming odds in direct hostile aggression in defeating Taliban forces at Kandahar, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

HARRIS: And Sergeant 1st Class Ronnie Rakes (ph), his maimed hand protected by a metal cage.

Now on a tourist stroll through the Senate, they bump into an ally, Senator Carl Levin, head of the House Armed Services Committee.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: I think you realize what a grateful nation you have....

HARRIS: Then face to face with another veteran who's gone to hell and back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing, sir?

SEN. MAX CLELAND (D), GEORGIA: God bless you man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to meet you.

CLELAND: Yes. Yes.

HARRIS: Senator Max Cleland of Georgia, Vietnam Vet, triple amputee, a grenade in '68.

CLELAND: You all got hit by friendly fire -- so-called friendly fire, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

CLELAND: Yes, didn't feel friendly at the time, huh?

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it didn't.

CLELAND: Now you're a single arm amputee?

MCELHINEY: Yes, sir.

CLELAND: Yes. Amputees have special provisions in life and the provision that I've learned is they can hug any woman at any time. This is your wife?

MCELHINEY: Yes, sir.

CLELAND: That means you can hug her more.

HARRIS (on camera): Under a full moon shining down on the nation's capital, the Green Berets still healing may be savoring a moment as sweet as any medal sitting in the box of president's wife and a heroes wife may be thinking she may be getting a few extra hugs.

Art Harris, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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