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Soldier Surprises Mom

Aired November 28, 2003 - 15:23   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It was a Thanksgiving appearance that was a masterpiece of complex planning and split-second timing. No, we're not talking about President Bush's surprise drop-in with soldiers in Baghdad. We're talking about one young soldier's surprise homecoming for his mother.
Here's Chuck Coppola of CNN affiliate WGN in Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHUCK COPPOLA, WGN REPORTER (voice-over): Army Private 1st Class Andre (ph) Walker of Bloomington returned from Iraq to his mother, who hasn't seen him in a year and a half.

(on camera): Does he look different?

SYLVIA COOPER, MOTHER: Yes. He's all grown up. He's not my baby anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been dreaming about this for like the last six months now, ever since I got over there, just thinking about coming back home, eating real food again.

COPPOLA (voice-over): Walker, who is 19, joined the Army to see the world. Since last spring, the 502nd Company of the 4th Infantry has been based near Tikrit.

(on camera): Any close calls?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, there's been plenty. They found like two bunkers right outside of our base, with a ton of missiles pointed right at our base. And, thanks to I guess a helicopter or somebody, spotted them, so they were able to get them

TIM WALKER, FATHER: It seems like I've been waiting forever. He's only been there a number of months, but it seems like forever. It seems a lot longer than what it's really been. And it going to be hard to let him go back.

COPPOLA (voice-over): Walker's mom wiped a tear from his face. She has him for just two weeks. It's not enough.

COOPER: I think we should just bring them all home.

COPPOLA: But for now, he's a celebrity, getting handshakes in the airport, looking forward to two weeks of mom's home cooking.

(on camera): What's mom's best dish?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shepherd's pie.

COOPER: Yes, and we have some in the oven. We have some -- we have some right now. Yes, my sister made -- we made shepherd's pie. We've got plenty. We've got plenty, yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: That was Chuck Coppola with WGN.

PFC Walker says he already has a to-do list for his precious 15 days at home: spend time with family, spend time with friends, and then go to the mall. It sounds like he has got his priorities straight.

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 November 28, 2003 - 15:23   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It was a Thanksgiving appearance that was a masterpiece of complex planning and split-second timing. No, we're not talking about President Bush's surprise drop-in with soldiers in Baghdad. We're talking about one young soldier's surprise homecoming for his mother.
Here's Chuck Coppola of CNN affiliate WGN in Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHUCK COPPOLA, WGN REPORTER (voice-over): Army Private 1st Class Andre (ph) Walker of Bloomington returned from Iraq to his mother, who hasn't seen him in a year and a half.

(on camera): Does he look different?

SYLVIA COOPER, MOTHER: Yes. He's all grown up. He's not my baby anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been dreaming about this for like the last six months now, ever since I got over there, just thinking about coming back home, eating real food again.

COPPOLA (voice-over): Walker, who is 19, joined the Army to see the world. Since last spring, the 502nd Company of the 4th Infantry has been based near Tikrit.

(on camera): Any close calls?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, there's been plenty. They found like two bunkers right outside of our base, with a ton of missiles pointed right at our base. And, thanks to I guess a helicopter or somebody, spotted them, so they were able to get them

TIM WALKER, FATHER: It seems like I've been waiting forever. He's only been there a number of months, but it seems like forever. It seems a lot longer than what it's really been. And it going to be hard to let him go back.

COPPOLA (voice-over): Walker's mom wiped a tear from his face. She has him for just two weeks. It's not enough.

COOPER: I think we should just bring them all home.

COPPOLA: But for now, he's a celebrity, getting handshakes in the airport, looking forward to two weeks of mom's home cooking.

(on camera): What's mom's best dish?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shepherd's pie.

COOPER: Yes, and we have some in the oven. We have some -- we have some right now. Yes, my sister made -- we made shepherd's pie. We've got plenty. We've got plenty, yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: That was Chuck Coppola with WGN.

PFC Walker says he already has a to-do list for his precious 15 days at home: spend time with family, spend time with friends, and then go to the mall. It sounds like he has got his priorities straight.

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