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POW Families Relieved by Pictures of Loved Ones
Aired April 14, 2003 - 12:02 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's now been a little bit more than 24 hours since those seven American POWs were freed. No word yet on when they will be coming home. We're told it will be relatively soon. But of course the relief for the family members is overwhelming. They're just relieved that their loved ones are coming home.
Yesterday, by the way, a CNN crew brought you some exclusive video of the rescued POWs boarding a C-130 transport plane at an airfield southeast of Baghdad. Earlier today, our Heidi Collins spoke with "Washington Post" reporter Peter Baker (ph), who went along for the ride.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COL. JONATHAN WOODSON, U.S. ARMY PHYSICIAN: We had an opportunity to converse with them and to talk with them. Their spirits were high. They actually uplifted our spirits to take care of these extremely brave young Americans who came in harm's way.
They appeared amazingly resilient and in good humor when we spoke. Some did have some wounds, which we cared for. But, as I say, in general, they were in very good shape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: That wasn't Peter Baker (ph) of "The Washington Post." That was the physician who reviewed, who examined the seven POWs, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, saying that they're in very good shape, which of course is great news for everyone.
Let's immediately get some more reaction to this dramatic development. Our Jamie Colby is standing by in Killeen, Texas. Jamie is with Michelle Williams. She's the wife of rescued Apache pilot, David Williams -- Jamie.
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And a very happy wife at that.
You know for three weeks, Wolf, Michelle Williams watched and waited after she had seen that first video of her husband after she was captured. And then yesterday, new pictures from CNN. During a phone conversation I had with her, she saw those pictures. And this morning on "American Morning" she told America what she thought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS, DAVID WILLIAMS WIFE: I was so happy. I never lost hope that he was alive. And just seeing him and be able to see his eyes and his reaction to his rescue just took a huge load off my shoulders.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: The couple met at Fort Rucker. They're both pilots. In fact, Michelle flies Black Hawk helicopters. That's why she, for the last three weeks, had not talked to the media.
She had been advised that if the Iraqis holding her husband had learned that she, herself, was a pilot, it might endanger the welfare of David. Now she has news that he will be coming home, though she doesn't know exactly when he will arrive or whether she will meet him.
She spent the last 24 hours making videos of their two children, 2-year-old Jason (ph) and 6-month-old Madison (ph). Yesterday she had a 10-minute conversation with her husband by phone, and Jason picked up the phone, she told me, and said, "Hi, daddy."
Those must have been words that filled David with joy. And certainly Michelle is very happy today. She had a message for her husband today. She spoke with the media after her interview with CNN saying, "Dave, if you can hear me, if you can see me, I love you and I can't wait for you to get home" -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jamie, are they suggesting at all that -- where the seven POWs are right now, when they'll be heading presumably to Ramstein, the base in Germany from which they'll probably head off to Washington? Any timetable whatsoever you're getting from these family members?
COLBY: Well, I think what the military is very happy about, particularly here at Fort Hood, is the condition of at least the two pilots that are based here. They said they looked well, they were glad their injuries were not substantial.
But there is a process, as you know, Wolf. They will have to be debriefed. They will have to be examined, maybe psychologically counseled.
And Michelle is very patient and understanding, wants her husband to go through that process, and is willing to wait as long as she has to. But she sure is hoping it will be today or tomorrow. She has not received word yet, according to what she's told us -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Jamie Colby with a very happy story on her end. Thanks, Jamie, very much.
There's another happy story that Susan Candiotti is following. She's in Lithia Springs, Georgia. That's the hometown of another one of those now freed POWs, another Apache pilot, Ron Young -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. After his rescue, now former POW Ronald Young said, "I felt like we won the lottery of life." That's what he told a "Washington Post" reporter who was able to accompany him as he flew to Kuwait. Well the family, as you could well understand, could not agree more with that assessment. They've been feeling a surge of adrenaline ever since their son was released on Sunday, yesterday. During the past three weeks they have gone through a lot of highs and lows, but now that their son is coming home, they've had a little bit of time to reflect. And the family was asked how the experience has changed their lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE YOUNG, RON YOUNG'S MOTHER: It humbles you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of the things you take for granted. I mean you really take for granted on a day-to-day basis. You see what the price is that has to be paid for. And you feel it from the heart how it can devastate you to pay that price, even though it's necessary. And I think it's come to a greater realization for me than it ever has before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Now from "The Washington Post," the family has learned more details of the capture. For example, pilots Young and fellow pilot David Williams were first blindfolded, they said, put in a pickup truck and driven around town, sort of displayed as trophies. The family knows more details will be revealed in time. But for now, it is time to celebrate, including a surprise birthday cake for pilot Young's mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to also wish my mother a happy birthday. It's her birthday today. I guess we don't have any candles.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This has been the best birthday, I know, for her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has. I'm telling you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Best day ever. The best one ever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The best day of my life, yesterday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: That, of course, is when the day her son was rescued. Now of course they plan on flying to Washington soon, eventually to be able to meet up with their son. They hope that will be any day now. And they said that, eventually, when he does have an opportunity to get some time off, he'd probably like to do one of his favorite things: go fishing. You can imagine, Wolf. Back to you.
BLITZER: I can only imagine. I'd like to go fishing myself at some point. But Susan, let me ask you, are they getting any indication when that reunion might be in Washington, D.C.?
CANDIOTTI: They don't know for sure, but they will be getting more information, they suspect, by sometime tomorrow, when the Army, they hope, will inform them about what the plans are. But they will be ready and willing at any moment to step on a plane to fly to Washington to meet up with their son at Walter Reed Hospital. They're looking forward to it.
BLITZER: Susan Candiotti, I think that's an understatement. Thanks very much for your good reporting.
Of the seven POWs, two were those Apache helicopter pilots. Five were members of the 507th Maintenance Company based in Texas.
Jeff Flock is now Park City, Kansas. That's the home of 507th Patrick Miller. Jeff, talk to us a little bit about what's going on there.
JEFF FLOCK, CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. You know I just talked to Pat Miller's brother, Shane (ph). He was just here a moment ago, and we'll have some sound from that interview in just a bit.
To say that they are thrilled and happy is certainly an understatement. And they do also indicate that they think they'll be getting together fairly soon. Pat Miller's wife talked to Pat Miller himself on the phone last night. He told her that he expects that they will be there overseas either in Kuwait or Germany for the next day or so and then come back somewhere on the East Coast to have a reunion out there before they come all the way back to the home town.
So that's the vision here at the moment. The family and friends of Shane Miller (ph) said they thought if anyone survived it -- and of course they knew the story of Jessica Lynch -- they thought if any of those POWs would survive it would be him. They said he was a tough one, a wrestler at the high school just up the street from where we stand. And his father has been walking around with a picture, a button on his chest, on his heart, of his son. And yesterday he updated that button.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MILLER, PATRICK MILLER'S FATHER: It did have just his capture date. Now it has his release date.
Yesterday was my birthday. My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told her I wanted my son home. I got it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always hope for the best, prepare for the worst, but I knew I'd see him again. You always hope for that. And it came true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: Hearing from a number of his friends here in town that grew up with him and wrestled with him at the local high school, shared some pictures of him with us, it's neat to sort of see into these people's lives a bit, after having seen the dramatic pictures yesterday, and see the joy of these people, to learn more about them.
You know a lot of the people say, well, these folks aren't necessarily heroes; they were simply doing their duty. But I guess in some ways that makes them true heroes. They were just doing what it is they do, and extraordinary things happen to them, and extraordinarily good things happened to them in the last 24, 48 hours. But they're just part of the big effort, the effort that continues.
And, Wolf, they add, don't take the yellow ribbons down. They're all over this town. Because they say they weren't just for Pat Miller here in Valley Center, Kansas, but they're for everyone who has yet to be accounted for in Iraq. Back to you.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Jeff. I suspect the joyous celebration is only about to begin and that these seven POWs really don't have a clue what kind of reception they're about to get. We'll continue to get some more reaction.
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 14, 2003 - 12:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's now been a little bit more than 24 hours since those seven American POWs were freed. No word yet on when they will be coming home. We're told it will be relatively soon. But of course the relief for the family members is overwhelming. They're just relieved that their loved ones are coming home.
Yesterday, by the way, a CNN crew brought you some exclusive video of the rescued POWs boarding a C-130 transport plane at an airfield southeast of Baghdad. Earlier today, our Heidi Collins spoke with "Washington Post" reporter Peter Baker (ph), who went along for the ride.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COL. JONATHAN WOODSON, U.S. ARMY PHYSICIAN: We had an opportunity to converse with them and to talk with them. Their spirits were high. They actually uplifted our spirits to take care of these extremely brave young Americans who came in harm's way.
They appeared amazingly resilient and in good humor when we spoke. Some did have some wounds, which we cared for. But, as I say, in general, they were in very good shape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: That wasn't Peter Baker (ph) of "The Washington Post." That was the physician who reviewed, who examined the seven POWs, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, saying that they're in very good shape, which of course is great news for everyone.
Let's immediately get some more reaction to this dramatic development. Our Jamie Colby is standing by in Killeen, Texas. Jamie is with Michelle Williams. She's the wife of rescued Apache pilot, David Williams -- Jamie.
JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And a very happy wife at that.
You know for three weeks, Wolf, Michelle Williams watched and waited after she had seen that first video of her husband after she was captured. And then yesterday, new pictures from CNN. During a phone conversation I had with her, she saw those pictures. And this morning on "American Morning" she told America what she thought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS, DAVID WILLIAMS WIFE: I was so happy. I never lost hope that he was alive. And just seeing him and be able to see his eyes and his reaction to his rescue just took a huge load off my shoulders.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLBY: The couple met at Fort Rucker. They're both pilots. In fact, Michelle flies Black Hawk helicopters. That's why she, for the last three weeks, had not talked to the media.
She had been advised that if the Iraqis holding her husband had learned that she, herself, was a pilot, it might endanger the welfare of David. Now she has news that he will be coming home, though she doesn't know exactly when he will arrive or whether she will meet him.
She spent the last 24 hours making videos of their two children, 2-year-old Jason (ph) and 6-month-old Madison (ph). Yesterday she had a 10-minute conversation with her husband by phone, and Jason picked up the phone, she told me, and said, "Hi, daddy."
Those must have been words that filled David with joy. And certainly Michelle is very happy today. She had a message for her husband today. She spoke with the media after her interview with CNN saying, "Dave, if you can hear me, if you can see me, I love you and I can't wait for you to get home" -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jamie, are they suggesting at all that -- where the seven POWs are right now, when they'll be heading presumably to Ramstein, the base in Germany from which they'll probably head off to Washington? Any timetable whatsoever you're getting from these family members?
COLBY: Well, I think what the military is very happy about, particularly here at Fort Hood, is the condition of at least the two pilots that are based here. They said they looked well, they were glad their injuries were not substantial.
But there is a process, as you know, Wolf. They will have to be debriefed. They will have to be examined, maybe psychologically counseled.
And Michelle is very patient and understanding, wants her husband to go through that process, and is willing to wait as long as she has to. But she sure is hoping it will be today or tomorrow. She has not received word yet, according to what she's told us -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Jamie Colby with a very happy story on her end. Thanks, Jamie, very much.
There's another happy story that Susan Candiotti is following. She's in Lithia Springs, Georgia. That's the hometown of another one of those now freed POWs, another Apache pilot, Ron Young -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. After his rescue, now former POW Ronald Young said, "I felt like we won the lottery of life." That's what he told a "Washington Post" reporter who was able to accompany him as he flew to Kuwait. Well the family, as you could well understand, could not agree more with that assessment. They've been feeling a surge of adrenaline ever since their son was released on Sunday, yesterday. During the past three weeks they have gone through a lot of highs and lows, but now that their son is coming home, they've had a little bit of time to reflect. And the family was asked how the experience has changed their lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE YOUNG, RON YOUNG'S MOTHER: It humbles you.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of the things you take for granted. I mean you really take for granted on a day-to-day basis. You see what the price is that has to be paid for. And you feel it from the heart how it can devastate you to pay that price, even though it's necessary. And I think it's come to a greater realization for me than it ever has before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Now from "The Washington Post," the family has learned more details of the capture. For example, pilots Young and fellow pilot David Williams were first blindfolded, they said, put in a pickup truck and driven around town, sort of displayed as trophies. The family knows more details will be revealed in time. But for now, it is time to celebrate, including a surprise birthday cake for pilot Young's mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to also wish my mother a happy birthday. It's her birthday today. I guess we don't have any candles.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This has been the best birthday, I know, for her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has. I'm telling you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Best day ever. The best one ever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The best day of my life, yesterday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: That, of course, is when the day her son was rescued. Now of course they plan on flying to Washington soon, eventually to be able to meet up with their son. They hope that will be any day now. And they said that, eventually, when he does have an opportunity to get some time off, he'd probably like to do one of his favorite things: go fishing. You can imagine, Wolf. Back to you.
BLITZER: I can only imagine. I'd like to go fishing myself at some point. But Susan, let me ask you, are they getting any indication when that reunion might be in Washington, D.C.?
CANDIOTTI: They don't know for sure, but they will be getting more information, they suspect, by sometime tomorrow, when the Army, they hope, will inform them about what the plans are. But they will be ready and willing at any moment to step on a plane to fly to Washington to meet up with their son at Walter Reed Hospital. They're looking forward to it.
BLITZER: Susan Candiotti, I think that's an understatement. Thanks very much for your good reporting.
Of the seven POWs, two were those Apache helicopter pilots. Five were members of the 507th Maintenance Company based in Texas.
Jeff Flock is now Park City, Kansas. That's the home of 507th Patrick Miller. Jeff, talk to us a little bit about what's going on there.
JEFF FLOCK, CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. You know I just talked to Pat Miller's brother, Shane (ph). He was just here a moment ago, and we'll have some sound from that interview in just a bit.
To say that they are thrilled and happy is certainly an understatement. And they do also indicate that they think they'll be getting together fairly soon. Pat Miller's wife talked to Pat Miller himself on the phone last night. He told her that he expects that they will be there overseas either in Kuwait or Germany for the next day or so and then come back somewhere on the East Coast to have a reunion out there before they come all the way back to the home town.
So that's the vision here at the moment. The family and friends of Shane Miller (ph) said they thought if anyone survived it -- and of course they knew the story of Jessica Lynch -- they thought if any of those POWs would survive it would be him. They said he was a tough one, a wrestler at the high school just up the street from where we stand. And his father has been walking around with a picture, a button on his chest, on his heart, of his son. And yesterday he updated that button.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MILLER, PATRICK MILLER'S FATHER: It did have just his capture date. Now it has his release date.
Yesterday was my birthday. My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told her I wanted my son home. I got it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always hope for the best, prepare for the worst, but I knew I'd see him again. You always hope for that. And it came true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: Hearing from a number of his friends here in town that grew up with him and wrestled with him at the local high school, shared some pictures of him with us, it's neat to sort of see into these people's lives a bit, after having seen the dramatic pictures yesterday, and see the joy of these people, to learn more about them.
You know a lot of the people say, well, these folks aren't necessarily heroes; they were simply doing their duty. But I guess in some ways that makes them true heroes. They were just doing what it is they do, and extraordinary things happen to them, and extraordinarily good things happened to them in the last 24, 48 hours. But they're just part of the big effort, the effort that continues.
And, Wolf, they add, don't take the yellow ribbons down. They're all over this town. Because they say they weren't just for Pat Miller here in Valley Center, Kansas, but they're for everyone who has yet to be accounted for in Iraq. Back to you.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Jeff. I suspect the joyous celebration is only about to begin and that these seven POWs really don't have a clue what kind of reception they're about to get. We'll continue to get some more reaction.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
