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Marines Arrive at New River Air Station
Aired May 26, 2003 - 15:21 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: We want to go back to the place we showed you a moment ago: New River Marine Air Station in North Carolina, not too far from Camp Lejeune. That's where we find our Gary Tuchman -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Judy, you are looking right now at about 300 Marines who just got off 24 helicopters that landed here at the New River Air Station. They are getting some advice from their commanders. In a matter of seconds, the commanders will dismiss these men and they will run to their families, and here they go.
Watch this now. We're going to let you listen to it. More than 1,000 family members are here to greet the 300 Marines who came aboard the helicopters. Tears, yelling, and these are people who have waited nine months for their loved ones to come home.
This is the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. It's been a nine- month mission. Normally, they have six-month missions.
They were in Kosovo, they were in Kenya. They thought they were going home after six months. They were then told they were to head to Iraq to extend their mission. 2,300 of them total are coming home today, and they're coming home in every which way.
They're coming home on ship, they came home on harrier jets, and these 300 men came home on six Cobra helicopters, six Super Stallion helicopters, 10 Sea Knight helicopters and two Hueys. For the last hour and a half, the family members have been standing at this hangar at the New River Marine Corps Air Station waiting for their loved ones too come home.
You saw the pictures on CNN earlier. The helicopters flew over New River in formation. Their family members cheered. Then they landed, got their advice from their commander, and were then released, dismissed to see their loved ones.
You can see they're holding signs, Judy, they're holding balloons. And this is a wonderful moment for these people who have waited so long for their loved ones to come home -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Gary, you know, no matter how many of these homecomings we watch, we just -- you know, you can't take your eyes off the screen. It is so heartwarming to see these families reunited, particularly on a day like today, Memorial Day, when we remember those who lost their lives, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in wartime. We better understand what -- why these families are so grateful that their loved ones have come back safe and sound.
What a picture coming to us from North Carolina. New River Marine Air Station, not very far from Camp Lejeune.
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 26, 2003 - 15:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go back to the place we showed you a moment ago: New River Marine Air Station in North Carolina, not too far from Camp Lejeune. That's where we find our Gary Tuchman -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Judy, you are looking right now at about 300 Marines who just got off 24 helicopters that landed here at the New River Air Station. They are getting some advice from their commanders. In a matter of seconds, the commanders will dismiss these men and they will run to their families, and here they go.
Watch this now. We're going to let you listen to it. More than 1,000 family members are here to greet the 300 Marines who came aboard the helicopters. Tears, yelling, and these are people who have waited nine months for their loved ones to come home.
This is the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. It's been a nine- month mission. Normally, they have six-month missions.
They were in Kosovo, they were in Kenya. They thought they were going home after six months. They were then told they were to head to Iraq to extend their mission. 2,300 of them total are coming home today, and they're coming home in every which way.
They're coming home on ship, they came home on harrier jets, and these 300 men came home on six Cobra helicopters, six Super Stallion helicopters, 10 Sea Knight helicopters and two Hueys. For the last hour and a half, the family members have been standing at this hangar at the New River Marine Corps Air Station waiting for their loved ones too come home.
You saw the pictures on CNN earlier. The helicopters flew over New River in formation. Their family members cheered. Then they landed, got their advice from their commander, and were then released, dismissed to see their loved ones.
You can see they're holding signs, Judy, they're holding balloons. And this is a wonderful moment for these people who have waited so long for their loved ones to come home -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Gary, you know, no matter how many of these homecomings we watch, we just -- you know, you can't take your eyes off the screen. It is so heartwarming to see these families reunited, particularly on a day like today, Memorial Day, when we remember those who lost their lives, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in wartime. We better understand what -- why these families are so grateful that their loved ones have come back safe and sound.
What a picture coming to us from North Carolina. New River Marine Air Station, not very far from Camp Lejeune.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
