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American Morning

USS Roosevelt Approaches Port

Aired March 27, 2002 - 08:41   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We go now live to Norfolk, Virginia, where friends and families of some 7,000 servicemen and women are waiting for their loved ones to set foot on shore. After more than six months in the Arabian Sea, the USS Roosevelt will be stateside, and Bob Franken joins us now from the naval station in Norfolk to bring us up to date on these expected reunions. Good morning, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Six months, one week, and one day, but who's counting? Right now, just about everybody here is counting the moments until they are going to be reunited with their loved ones. You see the Theodore Roosevelt, 1,040 feet long, 24 stories, from the top of the mast to the bottom, the keel of the boat. And 5,500 crew members, many of them lining the deck as you can see. And thousands -- 15,000 as a matter of fact, lining the area where we are, cheering now as their long wait is over. Cheering because of all the reunions that are going to be occurring.

Families like the Conray (ph) family, and we have Jason Conray (ph), who is the person who is on board the Theodore Roosevelt, and this is his brother, John.

JOHN CONRAY, BROTHER OF JASON CONRAY: Hi.

FRANKEN: His mother, Jane.

JANE CONRAY, MOTHER OF JASON CONRAY: Hi.

FRANKEN: And wife Nicole.

NICOLE CONRAY: Hi.

FRANKEN: Who has been married less than a year...

N. CONRAY: A year and a half.

FRANKEN: Year and a half. That's right. But their anniversary was spent while he was at sea, right?

N. CONRAY: Yes, it was.

FRANKEN: How was that?

N. CONRAY: It was very hard and very emotional.

FRANKEN: You cried a lot, didn't you?

N. CONRAY: Cried a lot, very upset. But we got through it, you know, like every other holiday.

FRANKEN: And now how are you feeling?

JANE CONRAY: Oh, feeling wonderful. Just can't wait. We're cold, cold, cold.

N. CONRAY: Just can't wait, we're excited!

FRANKEN: Now, multiply this by about 15,000, and you get some idea of what's going on here. It's a huge celebration. I'm sure everybody can understand that. The ship is just a few feet away, actually, from its dock. There is a fairly extended procedure, as you might imagine, before the people disembark, and that will probably be about the longest half hour to an hour that these people have had in the last six months, although it's been a pretty long morning.

You've been freezing to death here as I understand.

N. CONRAY: Since 4:00 this morning.

FRANKEN: There's a lot of love here.

JANE CONRAY: Yes.

JOHN CONRAY: Woke up at 2:30.

N. CONRAY: Lot of love.

FRANKEN: A lot of celebration, too, and we're going to be following it throughout the morning -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right. Thanks, Bob, so much. I can't think of a better place to be. They must be seeing something that I can't see on camera. Thanks so much, Bob.

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