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American Morning

First Reported U.S. Combat Casualty

Aired March 21, 2003 - 07:12   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There have been casualties. First up, let's report what happened here in the middle of the night, northern Kuwaiti desert. A Marine helicopter known as a Sea Knight -- it's a CH-46 -- did crash in the northern Kuwaiti desert. On board, four U.S. Marines killed, crewmembers on board; in addition, eight other British troops as well. A total of 12 lives lost in that helicopter crash.
In the past few hours, we've heard of yet another casualty, this sort of a combat nature. And for more on that, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, now embedded with the U.S. Marines again at Camp Iwo Jima, the first to report this about two hours ago.

Sanjay -- what do you have now? Good afternoon.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Yes, it's exactly what you said. About two hours ago, we started to hear around the camp of the possibility that a Marine had been KIA -- killed in action. That was to be distinguished from the helicopter crash, Bill, that you mentioned earlier. This was actually a combat thing that occurred and that resulted in death. We had heard that. We subsequently were able to confirm that just a couple of hours ago.

Obviously one of the most sensitive things we've had to talk about, report, a lot of the Marines here -- we've been talking to them about this. A lot of them know of this gentleman and were able -- some of them worked with him, some of them have trained with him, some of them have even lived with him back stateside. But one of the more sensitive things.

There is going to be a release in a couple of hours, we're told, actually giving more details, not identifiable details, not inappropriate details, but some more details about exactly what happened. We'll certainly give that to you as well when we get that -- Bill.

HEMMER: Yes, Sanjay, you have been with these Marines for days now, talking to them about the eventuality of combat and something like this that may occur. How has the mood or attitude changed since then? Have you noted that at all?

GUPTA: Well, you know, the biggest thing I think, Bill, was really the fact that some of the Marines that I have spoken with knew this particular soldier -- this particular Marine, I should say. And I think that that obviously is a blow in any type of situation. But I will say this: That the Marines I've talked to remain confident. They clutch their side arms, everything, just as tightly as they had before. They remain ready to go. They're waiting for the call.

As you know, we're in the northern desert of Kuwait, but they're all anticipating a call, I should say, to go further north. Obviously we're going to go with them when they do that. But I think the mood has not changed in terms of confidence level overall -- Bill.

HEMMER: Sanjay Gupta embedded with the U.S. Marines again from Camp Iwo Jima.

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 March 21, 2003 - 07:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There have been casualties. First up, let's report what happened here in the middle of the night, northern Kuwaiti desert. A Marine helicopter known as a Sea Knight -- it's a CH-46 -- did crash in the northern Kuwaiti desert. On board, four U.S. Marines killed, crewmembers on board; in addition, eight other British troops as well. A total of 12 lives lost in that helicopter crash.
In the past few hours, we've heard of yet another casualty, this sort of a combat nature. And for more on that, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, now embedded with the U.S. Marines again at Camp Iwo Jima, the first to report this about two hours ago.

Sanjay -- what do you have now? Good afternoon.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Yes, it's exactly what you said. About two hours ago, we started to hear around the camp of the possibility that a Marine had been KIA -- killed in action. That was to be distinguished from the helicopter crash, Bill, that you mentioned earlier. This was actually a combat thing that occurred and that resulted in death. We had heard that. We subsequently were able to confirm that just a couple of hours ago.

Obviously one of the most sensitive things we've had to talk about, report, a lot of the Marines here -- we've been talking to them about this. A lot of them know of this gentleman and were able -- some of them worked with him, some of them have trained with him, some of them have even lived with him back stateside. But one of the more sensitive things.

There is going to be a release in a couple of hours, we're told, actually giving more details, not identifiable details, not inappropriate details, but some more details about exactly what happened. We'll certainly give that to you as well when we get that -- Bill.

HEMMER: Yes, Sanjay, you have been with these Marines for days now, talking to them about the eventuality of combat and something like this that may occur. How has the mood or attitude changed since then? Have you noted that at all?

GUPTA: Well, you know, the biggest thing I think, Bill, was really the fact that some of the Marines that I have spoken with knew this particular soldier -- this particular Marine, I should say. And I think that that obviously is a blow in any type of situation. But I will say this: That the Marines I've talked to remain confident. They clutch their side arms, everything, just as tightly as they had before. They remain ready to go. They're waiting for the call.

As you know, we're in the northern desert of Kuwait, but they're all anticipating a call, I should say, to go further north. Obviously we're going to go with them when they do that. But I think the mood has not changed in terms of confidence level overall -- Bill.

HEMMER: Sanjay Gupta embedded with the U.S. Marines again from Camp Iwo Jima.

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