Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Family Awaits Word from Rescued POW

Aired April 02, 2003 - 14:12   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: United States Army Private First Class Jessica Lynch is on her way to an American military hospital at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. U.S. special operations forces fought their way in and out of an Iraqi hospital in Nasiriyah, rescuing the 19-year-old early today.
Lynch was captured on March the 23rd after her convoy made a wrong turn and was ambushed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, CENTCOM: We were successful in that operation last night and did retrieve PFC Jessica Lynch, bringing her away from that location of danger, clearing the building of some of the military activity that was in there. There was not a fire fight inside of the building, I would tell you, but there were fire fights outside of the building, getting in and getting out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Jessica Lynch's family, as you can well imagine, is not only thrilled. They are anxious to talk to her. CNN's Patty Davis is waiting with them for that phone call in Palestine, West Virginia -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, lots of great big smiles, a lot of hugs and tears today, the day after Jessica Lynch was rescued from that Iraqi hospital.

The community here has basically held a vigil along with her family, waiting for news. Lots of yellow ribbons, hundreds, in fact, around trees, around mailboxes. On the house, Jessica Lynch's house around me, yellow ribbons all over that, as well.

Her father got word of the rescue last night and said at first he didn't believe it. It was April Fool's Day. He thought someone was playing a joke on him but he did finally believe it.

And it was a daring rescue mission by all accounts, Jessica snatched from that Iraqi hospital by U.S. troops. Her family says it is overwhelmingly grateful for what the U.S. military did getting her out of there.

As you said, Judy, March 23, her convoy, the 507th Maintenance Unit, took a wrong turn and was ambushed by Iraqi troops. No one here in the Lynch home has slept much over the past couple of days. What would really help, they say, is a call. They really want to talk to Jessica. Her father says that he expects that will come sometime tonight or tomorrow. But Jessica's brother saying that would desperately, that would help family morale here.

Now, meantime, lots of family and friends streaming through here today with food and flowers and just good wishes. This family extremely, extremely relieved -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Patty Davis. And as they said, she is now on her way to Ramstein Air Base. At the Pentagon, we noticed, they really had very little to say about plans for her to return. But we're sure that information is going to be coming.

The question is, how did the special operations unit manage such an heroic rescue in the heart of a Fedayeen stronghold? CNN's Jason Bellini is reporting that U.S. Marines staged a military offensive in Nasiriyah to create a diversion.

Alessio Vinci, also in the region, witnessed part of the operation. He says that Marine tanks and armored vehicles approached the hospital under cover of darkness and that they met with moderate resistance.

As we go back to Wolf, we also know from military officials, Wolf, that when the special operations forces went in, there were bodies found. And we are waiting for more information on what, or who those might be -- Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, ANCHOR: Still no word on who those people were. We'll wait and see. We'll get the official word. Thanks very much, Judy.

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 April 2, 2003 - 14:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: United States Army Private First Class Jessica Lynch is on her way to an American military hospital at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. U.S. special operations forces fought their way in and out of an Iraqi hospital in Nasiriyah, rescuing the 19-year-old early today.
Lynch was captured on March the 23rd after her convoy made a wrong turn and was ambushed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. VINCENT BROOKS, CENTCOM: We were successful in that operation last night and did retrieve PFC Jessica Lynch, bringing her away from that location of danger, clearing the building of some of the military activity that was in there. There was not a fire fight inside of the building, I would tell you, but there were fire fights outside of the building, getting in and getting out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Jessica Lynch's family, as you can well imagine, is not only thrilled. They are anxious to talk to her. CNN's Patty Davis is waiting with them for that phone call in Palestine, West Virginia -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, lots of great big smiles, a lot of hugs and tears today, the day after Jessica Lynch was rescued from that Iraqi hospital.

The community here has basically held a vigil along with her family, waiting for news. Lots of yellow ribbons, hundreds, in fact, around trees, around mailboxes. On the house, Jessica Lynch's house around me, yellow ribbons all over that, as well.

Her father got word of the rescue last night and said at first he didn't believe it. It was April Fool's Day. He thought someone was playing a joke on him but he did finally believe it.

And it was a daring rescue mission by all accounts, Jessica snatched from that Iraqi hospital by U.S. troops. Her family says it is overwhelmingly grateful for what the U.S. military did getting her out of there.

As you said, Judy, March 23, her convoy, the 507th Maintenance Unit, took a wrong turn and was ambushed by Iraqi troops. No one here in the Lynch home has slept much over the past couple of days. What would really help, they say, is a call. They really want to talk to Jessica. Her father says that he expects that will come sometime tonight or tomorrow. But Jessica's brother saying that would desperately, that would help family morale here.

Now, meantime, lots of family and friends streaming through here today with food and flowers and just good wishes. This family extremely, extremely relieved -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Patty Davis. And as they said, she is now on her way to Ramstein Air Base. At the Pentagon, we noticed, they really had very little to say about plans for her to return. But we're sure that information is going to be coming.

The question is, how did the special operations unit manage such an heroic rescue in the heart of a Fedayeen stronghold? CNN's Jason Bellini is reporting that U.S. Marines staged a military offensive in Nasiriyah to create a diversion.

Alessio Vinci, also in the region, witnessed part of the operation. He says that Marine tanks and armored vehicles approached the hospital under cover of darkness and that they met with moderate resistance.

As we go back to Wolf, we also know from military officials, Wolf, that when the special operations forces went in, there were bodies found. And we are waiting for more information on what, or who those might be -- Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, ANCHOR: Still no word on who those people were. We'll wait and see. We'll get the official word. Thanks very much, Judy.

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