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American Morning
Some U.S. Soldiers in Iraq Coming Home
Aired May 26, 2003 - 07:10 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In Baghdad on this Memorial Day, our Matthew Chance is with some U.S. soldiers who are packing up to come home. He joins us now live from there.
Good morning to you -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you as well, Heidi.
Well, they may hope that they're going to get the order to pack up and come home. That order hasn't come through yet though, leading to a great deal of frustration among the people here from this, the 3rd Infantry Division. Many of these troops have been out in the region for more than eight months now, seeing sometimes very heavy combat situations.
One of those individuals is Specialist Sean Holland. He's with me now to discuss the kind of things he's been going through.
Specialist Holland, thanks very much for being with us on CNN.
SPECIALIST SEAN HOLLAND, TF-164 ARMOUR: Sure.
CHANCE: The combat operations you've seen, how has that changed the way you see the men and women you work next to?
HOLLAND: Combat, it kind of creates a family environment that you begin to build with training. Training, we start out, we're close. We know we work well together, and we're there for each other. In combat (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like that. My brothers and my mentors are there. I'm there for them; they're there for me. We'd do anything for each other. It creates a very strong bond.
CHANCE: Now, I know you saw some very difficult situations -- we talked about that a moment ago -- as you entered Baghdad. And I know you've been decorated for valor that you showed in one of those situations. Tell us a bit about that.
HOLLAND: On the first Baghdad run, we came into some really heavy fire, and one of our comrades-in-arms he got hit, Staff Sergeant Booker (ph). Staff Sergeant Booker (ph) was an excellent soldier. What actually happened is he was defending one of his fellow crewmen on his tank, making sure he was provided with proper security and safety, and unfortunately the thing we all pray that won't happen happened. And he's a brave man. I respect him. He showed a lot of courage, and he's done a lot of good things for us. He's done a lot. He's meant a lot. And I just wish it didn't happen. CHANCE: Well, our condolences, of course, go out to him. Thank you so much for being with us on this Memorial Day, Specialist Holland.
There you have it, Heidi, many men here with combat experiences. It really puts this Memorial Day in some perspective. It brings it really up close. Many of the troops here still on the ground in Iraq.
COLLINS: That it does. Matthew Chance coming to us live this morning from Baghdad. Thanks so much, Matthew.
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 - 07:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In Baghdad on this Memorial Day, our Matthew Chance is with some U.S. soldiers who are packing up to come home. He joins us now live from there.
Good morning to you -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you as well, Heidi.
Well, they may hope that they're going to get the order to pack up and come home. That order hasn't come through yet though, leading to a great deal of frustration among the people here from this, the 3rd Infantry Division. Many of these troops have been out in the region for more than eight months now, seeing sometimes very heavy combat situations.
One of those individuals is Specialist Sean Holland. He's with me now to discuss the kind of things he's been going through.
Specialist Holland, thanks very much for being with us on CNN.
SPECIALIST SEAN HOLLAND, TF-164 ARMOUR: Sure.
CHANCE: The combat operations you've seen, how has that changed the way you see the men and women you work next to?
HOLLAND: Combat, it kind of creates a family environment that you begin to build with training. Training, we start out, we're close. We know we work well together, and we're there for each other. In combat (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like that. My brothers and my mentors are there. I'm there for them; they're there for me. We'd do anything for each other. It creates a very strong bond.
CHANCE: Now, I know you saw some very difficult situations -- we talked about that a moment ago -- as you entered Baghdad. And I know you've been decorated for valor that you showed in one of those situations. Tell us a bit about that.
HOLLAND: On the first Baghdad run, we came into some really heavy fire, and one of our comrades-in-arms he got hit, Staff Sergeant Booker (ph). Staff Sergeant Booker (ph) was an excellent soldier. What actually happened is he was defending one of his fellow crewmen on his tank, making sure he was provided with proper security and safety, and unfortunately the thing we all pray that won't happen happened. And he's a brave man. I respect him. He showed a lot of courage, and he's done a lot of good things for us. He's done a lot. He's meant a lot. And I just wish it didn't happen. CHANCE: Well, our condolences, of course, go out to him. Thank you so much for being with us on this Memorial Day, Specialist Holland.
There you have it, Heidi, many men here with combat experiences. It really puts this Memorial Day in some perspective. It brings it really up close. Many of the troops here still on the ground in Iraq.
COLLINS: That it does. Matthew Chance coming to us live this morning from Baghdad. Thanks so much, Matthew.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
