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Interview With Fred Wellman

Aired December 24, 2003 - 13:51   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: Now, there's no place like home for the holidays. We all know that. But for thousands of U.S. troops, their barracks in Iraq will have to do. Our friend Major Fred Wellman is stationed near Mosul in northern Iraq. We've asked him to tell us what Christmas will be like, not just for the troops, but for the Iraqi people.
The Major join us on the phone now. Happy holidays, Fred.

MAJOR FRED WELLMAN, U.S. ARMY: Thank you, Kyra. Merry Christmas to you, too.

PHILLIPS: We appreciate all the pictures you've sent us. You've been taking snaps here and there as the holidays have gotten under way. We'll start by showing some of the various decorations you guys have done. Tell me how you are sort of taking to heart what you're doing over there also trying to remember the holidays.

WELLMAN: Well, we've been real blessed, especially in my unit. We've had so many people from home send us a ton of decorations. One of the first pictures you see is a young lady working by her computer in the middle of the night by the light of her Christmas Tree.

That's Captain Jennifer Phelps (ph) my personnel officer. And the folks in her hometown in Murphysbrough (ph), Tennessee and the ares sent us a ton of decorations.

And it's kind of funny. I've been walking around taking pictures of the funny things I've seen, like ribbons on trucks, Christmas decorations on helicopters. Soldiers find a way to decorate.

(UNINTELLIGIBLE) what I think is kind of funny and humorous around Christmastime.

PHILLIPS: I'm seeing the wreath around the fan. I know the next shot is your Black Hawk. This was pretty creative. They're combat- ready, but I guess with a little bit of humor too.

WELLMAN: Yes, combat-ready but festive at the same time. I think that's an important thing you should have, every time you go to combat.

There's another picture of the stockings hung by the weapons with care, not something you see in most homes.

PHILLIPS: Quite a contrast. We see the stockings and the guns. You've got to be ready for Santa, and ready for any type of security threat.

WELLMAN: This is true, very true.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: No, go ahead, Fred. We're looking at your Christmas tree now.

WELLMAN: Yes that is from my parents, Joe and Lois Loman (ph), up in Kirkland (ph), Missouri, sent me this great little Christmas tree, predecorated. And the present from my brother. My present under the tree.

(CROSSTALK)

WELLMAN: No, no, I'm good, I don't peek. I'm good about that.

PHILLIPS: As you have decorated your aircraft, where you're living, we're now moving into what you guys are working on for the Iraqi people. Right now, we're looking at the shot of two of your soldiers dressed up for the delivery of a number of dolls and stuffed animals.

WELLMAN: This a great picture. Specialist Michael Ward (ph), from Hartford, Alabama; Specialist Johnny Flores from Chicago. Those two young soldiers helped us break down probably about 150 boxes of supplies we received from a young lady in the next picture, Captain Katrina Lewis (ph), and her friends in Hutchinson (ph) Kansas which adopted one of the villages in the Sister City Program.

And you can see the boxes that Katrina is sitting in. Tons of boxes of supplies for the local people. And these soldiers that found these hats, decorated those, so we've got that big project. We'll be delivering 200 boxes of stuff out Ahsaba (ph) tomorrow.

PHILLIPS: As you give gifts, you're also receiving gifts. I guess these are a bunch of presents from Tennessee, is that right?

WELLMAN: That's right. That's Jennifer Phelps, again, and Lieutenant Jamison Williams (ph), my signal officer, from Johnson (ph), Tennessee. Those are some of the presents we've received from Lewisburg (ph), Tennessee and Murphysbrough (ph).

The tree, you can see the decorations on our headquarters there. And they're sorting it out. We're going to have a big Christmas party tomorrow for the battalion. And there's enough presents for every soldier to receive a box from home, pretty cool thing to do.

PHILLIPS: Not only receiving, but you're giving. This next shot, precious little Iraqi baby with its mother. You've been handing out a lot of stuffed animals.

WELLMAN: Yes, isn't that a cute baby? That little baby is one of the few babies here that wasn't scared of me. She actually let me carry her around for. -- I carried that little baby around for about 5 or 10 minutes and she had the cutest little smile. She got that stuffed animal. She was pretty happy. It was real fun to carry a baby around in my arms again.

PHILLIPS: I know, because you have a number of kids.

Here you go, stuffing all the animals, it looks like, in one of your trucks. The girl with the -- it looks like her father and uncle, maybe?

WELLMAN: Her father and uncle. You can see how happy they are. She's got a pencil box there. Which was supposed to be for pencils. The soldiers that came with me that day brought so much candy the children needed to carry them so we gave them all the pencil boxes to carry the candy. It was pretty fun day for them.

The soldiers love going out there love interacting with the folks in our area, very friendly area. That was a great little pre- Christmas visit we did, giving out toys and gifts for children.

PHILLIPS: The final picture, the one that stole all our heart, the precious little boy with his brand-new soccer ball. Will you tell us about him?

WELLMAN: That little -- that guy is my boy. He is so fun. Every time we go to visit his father -- his father is a shaikh. Shaikh Naif (ph), a wonderful man, one of our local shaikhs. And that poor guy, I've woken him up three times coming to visit. I walk in, he's sleeping on the floor of the room. And I don't think he likes me.

So we packed soccer balls. Everywhere we go, pack soccer balls. My advice for any Army unit, along with ammunition, pack lots of soccer balls. That is the international tool of trade here in Iraq is soccer balls for the kids.

That guy is happy. He can move that soccer ball for a little guy.

PHILLIPS: Iraq has an amazing soccer team.

Major Fred Wellman, you continue to touch us and bring us some wonderful snapshots of just life in Iraq. We hope you have a wonderful holiday.

WELLMAN: I really appreciate it, Kyra. I tell you, you're away from your family. This is my third Christmas away from home, unfortunately.

Although It's painful to be away from your family, there's a family here. And there really truly is a brotherhood, sisterhood. And this is extended family. The 601st Aviation, my unit, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it's just a huge 300-person family.

We'll be spending tomorrow together, singing songs, passing gifts to each other, the way we can. Although, it's difficult to be away from loved ones but it's a different kind of family you have here, special one too.

PHILLIPS: You're a part of our family, too. Major Fred Wellman, thank you so much.

WELLMAN: I appreciate it, Kyra. And if you don't mind, I'd like to say happy anniversary to my wife, Crystal (ph) who's an amazing woman who has been very strong for a year. We just celebrated our anniversary. I've got two children who have birthdays this month, Morgan and Hunter (ph). Want to wish merry Christmas to all my family. I wish I could be with them. Hopefully I'll be there next year for Christmas.

But this year, I'm thinking of all of them. And I really appreciate you letting me come on and tell the little story about our unit over here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Fred.

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 December 24, 2003 - 13:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, there's no place like home for the holidays. We all know that. But for thousands of U.S. troops, their barracks in Iraq will have to do. Our friend Major Fred Wellman is stationed near Mosul in northern Iraq. We've asked him to tell us what Christmas will be like, not just for the troops, but for the Iraqi people.
The Major join us on the phone now. Happy holidays, Fred.

MAJOR FRED WELLMAN, U.S. ARMY: Thank you, Kyra. Merry Christmas to you, too.

PHILLIPS: We appreciate all the pictures you've sent us. You've been taking snaps here and there as the holidays have gotten under way. We'll start by showing some of the various decorations you guys have done. Tell me how you are sort of taking to heart what you're doing over there also trying to remember the holidays.

WELLMAN: Well, we've been real blessed, especially in my unit. We've had so many people from home send us a ton of decorations. One of the first pictures you see is a young lady working by her computer in the middle of the night by the light of her Christmas Tree.

That's Captain Jennifer Phelps (ph) my personnel officer. And the folks in her hometown in Murphysbrough (ph), Tennessee and the ares sent us a ton of decorations.

And it's kind of funny. I've been walking around taking pictures of the funny things I've seen, like ribbons on trucks, Christmas decorations on helicopters. Soldiers find a way to decorate.

(UNINTELLIGIBLE) what I think is kind of funny and humorous around Christmastime.

PHILLIPS: I'm seeing the wreath around the fan. I know the next shot is your Black Hawk. This was pretty creative. They're combat- ready, but I guess with a little bit of humor too.

WELLMAN: Yes, combat-ready but festive at the same time. I think that's an important thing you should have, every time you go to combat.

There's another picture of the stockings hung by the weapons with care, not something you see in most homes.

PHILLIPS: Quite a contrast. We see the stockings and the guns. You've got to be ready for Santa, and ready for any type of security threat.

WELLMAN: This is true, very true.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: No, go ahead, Fred. We're looking at your Christmas tree now.

WELLMAN: Yes that is from my parents, Joe and Lois Loman (ph), up in Kirkland (ph), Missouri, sent me this great little Christmas tree, predecorated. And the present from my brother. My present under the tree.

(CROSSTALK)

WELLMAN: No, no, I'm good, I don't peek. I'm good about that.

PHILLIPS: As you have decorated your aircraft, where you're living, we're now moving into what you guys are working on for the Iraqi people. Right now, we're looking at the shot of two of your soldiers dressed up for the delivery of a number of dolls and stuffed animals.

WELLMAN: This a great picture. Specialist Michael Ward (ph), from Hartford, Alabama; Specialist Johnny Flores from Chicago. Those two young soldiers helped us break down probably about 150 boxes of supplies we received from a young lady in the next picture, Captain Katrina Lewis (ph), and her friends in Hutchinson (ph) Kansas which adopted one of the villages in the Sister City Program.

And you can see the boxes that Katrina is sitting in. Tons of boxes of supplies for the local people. And these soldiers that found these hats, decorated those, so we've got that big project. We'll be delivering 200 boxes of stuff out Ahsaba (ph) tomorrow.

PHILLIPS: As you give gifts, you're also receiving gifts. I guess these are a bunch of presents from Tennessee, is that right?

WELLMAN: That's right. That's Jennifer Phelps, again, and Lieutenant Jamison Williams (ph), my signal officer, from Johnson (ph), Tennessee. Those are some of the presents we've received from Lewisburg (ph), Tennessee and Murphysbrough (ph).

The tree, you can see the decorations on our headquarters there. And they're sorting it out. We're going to have a big Christmas party tomorrow for the battalion. And there's enough presents for every soldier to receive a box from home, pretty cool thing to do.

PHILLIPS: Not only receiving, but you're giving. This next shot, precious little Iraqi baby with its mother. You've been handing out a lot of stuffed animals.

WELLMAN: Yes, isn't that a cute baby? That little baby is one of the few babies here that wasn't scared of me. She actually let me carry her around for. -- I carried that little baby around for about 5 or 10 minutes and she had the cutest little smile. She got that stuffed animal. She was pretty happy. It was real fun to carry a baby around in my arms again.

PHILLIPS: I know, because you have a number of kids.

Here you go, stuffing all the animals, it looks like, in one of your trucks. The girl with the -- it looks like her father and uncle, maybe?

WELLMAN: Her father and uncle. You can see how happy they are. She's got a pencil box there. Which was supposed to be for pencils. The soldiers that came with me that day brought so much candy the children needed to carry them so we gave them all the pencil boxes to carry the candy. It was pretty fun day for them.

The soldiers love going out there love interacting with the folks in our area, very friendly area. That was a great little pre- Christmas visit we did, giving out toys and gifts for children.

PHILLIPS: The final picture, the one that stole all our heart, the precious little boy with his brand-new soccer ball. Will you tell us about him?

WELLMAN: That little -- that guy is my boy. He is so fun. Every time we go to visit his father -- his father is a shaikh. Shaikh Naif (ph), a wonderful man, one of our local shaikhs. And that poor guy, I've woken him up three times coming to visit. I walk in, he's sleeping on the floor of the room. And I don't think he likes me.

So we packed soccer balls. Everywhere we go, pack soccer balls. My advice for any Army unit, along with ammunition, pack lots of soccer balls. That is the international tool of trade here in Iraq is soccer balls for the kids.

That guy is happy. He can move that soccer ball for a little guy.

PHILLIPS: Iraq has an amazing soccer team.

Major Fred Wellman, you continue to touch us and bring us some wonderful snapshots of just life in Iraq. We hope you have a wonderful holiday.

WELLMAN: I really appreciate it, Kyra. I tell you, you're away from your family. This is my third Christmas away from home, unfortunately.

Although It's painful to be away from your family, there's a family here. And there really truly is a brotherhood, sisterhood. And this is extended family. The 601st Aviation, my unit, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it's just a huge 300-person family.

We'll be spending tomorrow together, singing songs, passing gifts to each other, the way we can. Although, it's difficult to be away from loved ones but it's a different kind of family you have here, special one too.

PHILLIPS: You're a part of our family, too. Major Fred Wellman, thank you so much.

WELLMAN: I appreciate it, Kyra. And if you don't mind, I'd like to say happy anniversary to my wife, Crystal (ph) who's an amazing woman who has been very strong for a year. We just celebrated our anniversary. I've got two children who have birthdays this month, Morgan and Hunter (ph). Want to wish merry Christmas to all my family. I wish I could be with them. Hopefully I'll be there next year for Christmas.

But this year, I'm thinking of all of them. And I really appreciate you letting me come on and tell the little story about our unit over here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Fred.

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