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24th Expeditionary Unit Returns Home
Aired May 26, 2003 - 15:33 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: This holiday is homecoming day for several thousand Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. They're returning to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina today after a nine- month deployment that included combat in Iraq.
Gary Tuchman is at Camp Lejeune. He joins me now live. Gary, set the scene for us.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Kyra, there's a very happy scene here to set. A short time ago, 24 helicopters, the ones behind me, landed aboard 10 to 25 Marines, a total of 300 or more, and just about 5 minutes ago we want to show you the scene.
Here's what happened - the 300 Marines walked off their helicopters; they were greeted by their commanders. Their commanders then gave the official dismissal and at that dismissal came the Marines ran towards their families.
1,000 family members waiting, the families ran towards the Marines and there were some very tearful, joyous reunions because these Marines have been gone for nine months and they have now returned to their families here in North Carolina.
And with us right now one of those families, and one of those Marines, this is Corporal - tell me your name again Corporal.
Corporal, what's your first name again - corporal Jacob Jordan (ph) standing right here and with Corporal Jacob Jordan - we'll start over here his father and his sister - this I remember - and girlfriend and another sister. And a little nephew and the mother right over here.
Let me talk to the mother first. Because we're going to give her a chance because she was the most worried. How are you feeling that he's home?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My hero is home. He's - big relief - good guy - couldn't ask for a better son and we've been waiting; we've been counting the days, trying not to think about it because I get sick to my stomach but he's here now.
TUCHMAN: Well you saw him come off his helicopter and start running towards you what was going through your mind?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe it's finally time for him to be here. William is seeing his uncle, what a good role model.
TUCHMAN: Now I want to ask you, Corporal. When you saw your family waiting here for you. It was a big cheering section, because we saw them waiting and cheering before you got here. Tell me how it made you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Words can't describe it, sir. It's - it's just something else. It's just a humongous weight lifted off your chest after nine months and there's no words to describe it.
TUCHMAN: Now your girlfriend, we were just talking to her a second ago. How long were you going out with the Corporal before he left?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably about two weeks.
TUCHMAN: Two weeks. So do you consider now you've been going out for nine months and two weeks or is that how - or is there an asterisk? Or does it feel like it was longer or what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no asterisk, I deserve all of these nine months to be on the book, so - we're happy he's home.
TUCHMAN: I want to thank all of you; it's nice talking to all of you; congratulations, Corporal, on coming back. A total of 2300 Marines are coming back to North Carolina. They're coming back on ship, they're coming back on aircraft, and they're coming back here on these choppers.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: You can't get enough of those homecomings. Gary Tuchman, thank you.
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 - 15:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: This holiday is homecoming day for several thousand Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. They're returning to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina today after a nine- month deployment that included combat in Iraq.
Gary Tuchman is at Camp Lejeune. He joins me now live. Gary, set the scene for us.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Kyra, there's a very happy scene here to set. A short time ago, 24 helicopters, the ones behind me, landed aboard 10 to 25 Marines, a total of 300 or more, and just about 5 minutes ago we want to show you the scene.
Here's what happened - the 300 Marines walked off their helicopters; they were greeted by their commanders. Their commanders then gave the official dismissal and at that dismissal came the Marines ran towards their families.
1,000 family members waiting, the families ran towards the Marines and there were some very tearful, joyous reunions because these Marines have been gone for nine months and they have now returned to their families here in North Carolina.
And with us right now one of those families, and one of those Marines, this is Corporal - tell me your name again Corporal.
Corporal, what's your first name again - corporal Jacob Jordan (ph) standing right here and with Corporal Jacob Jordan - we'll start over here his father and his sister - this I remember - and girlfriend and another sister. And a little nephew and the mother right over here.
Let me talk to the mother first. Because we're going to give her a chance because she was the most worried. How are you feeling that he's home?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My hero is home. He's - big relief - good guy - couldn't ask for a better son and we've been waiting; we've been counting the days, trying not to think about it because I get sick to my stomach but he's here now.
TUCHMAN: Well you saw him come off his helicopter and start running towards you what was going through your mind?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe it's finally time for him to be here. William is seeing his uncle, what a good role model.
TUCHMAN: Now I want to ask you, Corporal. When you saw your family waiting here for you. It was a big cheering section, because we saw them waiting and cheering before you got here. Tell me how it made you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Words can't describe it, sir. It's - it's just something else. It's just a humongous weight lifted off your chest after nine months and there's no words to describe it.
TUCHMAN: Now your girlfriend, we were just talking to her a second ago. How long were you going out with the Corporal before he left?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably about two weeks.
TUCHMAN: Two weeks. So do you consider now you've been going out for nine months and two weeks or is that how - or is there an asterisk? Or does it feel like it was longer or what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no asterisk, I deserve all of these nine months to be on the book, so - we're happy he's home.
TUCHMAN: I want to thank all of you; it's nice talking to all of you; congratulations, Corporal, on coming back. A total of 2300 Marines are coming back to North Carolina. They're coming back on ship, they're coming back on aircraft, and they're coming back here on these choppers.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: You can't get enough of those homecomings. Gary Tuchman, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
