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CNN Sunday Morning

POWs Home Again

Aired April 20, 2003 - 06:02   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: What a whirlwind the last few days and hours for those seven former prisoners of war. I don't know if you caught the images late last night. It was quite something. One week ago today -- imagine that, just one week ago today the five members of the 507th Maintenance Company and the two Apache helicopter pilots were found by U.S. Marines 75 miles north of Baghdad. What a whirlwind week.
This is Fort Hood, Texas just hours ago. In front, David Williams with his wife followed by Ronald Young, his mother gripping him closely as she said she would. She told our Susan Candiotti that before he returned. She was just going to hold him for about 30 minutes. And she did that last night.

We report from there and from Fort Bliss. Ed Lavandera is at Fort Bliss. Susan Candiotti at Fort Hood. We begin with Ed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It was four weeks ago that the 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed in the town of Nasiriya in southern Iraq. Nine soldiers were killed in that battle. Five of those soldiers became prisoners of war and they returned home as heroes here, along with two Apache helicopter pilots who went down in a separate incident behind Iraqi lines. Those soldiers coming home here to Fort Bliss to a hero's welcome. About 1,000 people turned out to welcome those soldiers home from the 507th Maintenance Company.

This is a maintenance company that was deployed here from Fort Bliss in mid-February and many of the family members I've spoken with over the last couple of weeks they never could have imagined that these soldiers would have become such a major news story over the last couple of weeks. Those soldiers appear to be in excellent condition. That's Specialist Joseph Hudson, 23 years old of Alamogordo, New Mexico and his comrade, Private First Class Patrick Miller, also 23 years old, from Walter, Kansas popped out of the top of C-17 transport plane that approached here and brought them on the tarmac, and they waved the American flag and saluted the crowd.

And then, a little while later, the soldiers were also paraded around on the tarmac here on a golf cart for all of the spectators here to come out and watch. The crowd was filled not only with relatives and friends of these soldiers, but also with relatives and friends of other soldiers in the 507th Maintenance Company, about 80 of which are still stationed overseas finishing up the work that that unit has to do in the Middle East as well. But, of course, here the major news is that all of these soldiers now spending time with their families; talking, sharing the experience of what they have gone through over the last couple of weeks and they say that this is a moment that this base has never quite seen anything like this and a moment that they will cherish forever.

But also in the back of their minds, they realize this is a bittersweet moment because nine soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company did not come home alive, and though the thoughts and memories of those soldiers still very much on the minds of many of the people that were here.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Fort Bliss, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the final stop of a long journey for both rescued pilots. First, David Williams into the arms of his wife, also a helicopter pilot, and Ronald Young getting a long-anticipated hug from his mother -- both pilots captured by Iraqis March 23 after their copter took fire, rescued by Marines last Sunday.

Young and his parents locked in a tearful embrace that lasted for several minutes. Then on to a waiting crowd of hundreds from Fort Hood's 4th Brigade, the pilots stepping onto a red carpet; Williams with his wife, Young escorting his mother and father and then finally reuniting with his sisters and brothers. Following a warm welcome from the base general, Williams took the podium.

CWO DAVID WILLIAMS, RESCUED POW: I'm speechless. Let's keep praying for those soldiers who are still fighting and God bless America. I love you.

CANDIOTTI: Then it was Young's turn, also appearing overwhelmed by the reception.

CWO RONALD YOUNG, RESCUED POW: This makes you almost as nervous as being shot at. I say a special prayer each night for our fallen comrades, for the soldiers that didn't make it home, and the ones that are still over there. I love you all very much. I love the American people. God bless America.

CANDIOTTI: Both families then stepping out of the limelight for now to hear first-hand details of the pilots' capture and rescue, details to be shared at their own pace.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Fort Hood, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 April 20, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: What a whirlwind the last few days and hours for those seven former prisoners of war. I don't know if you caught the images late last night. It was quite something. One week ago today -- imagine that, just one week ago today the five members of the 507th Maintenance Company and the two Apache helicopter pilots were found by U.S. Marines 75 miles north of Baghdad. What a whirlwind week.
This is Fort Hood, Texas just hours ago. In front, David Williams with his wife followed by Ronald Young, his mother gripping him closely as she said she would. She told our Susan Candiotti that before he returned. She was just going to hold him for about 30 minutes. And she did that last night.

We report from there and from Fort Bliss. Ed Lavandera is at Fort Bliss. Susan Candiotti at Fort Hood. We begin with Ed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It was four weeks ago that the 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed in the town of Nasiriya in southern Iraq. Nine soldiers were killed in that battle. Five of those soldiers became prisoners of war and they returned home as heroes here, along with two Apache helicopter pilots who went down in a separate incident behind Iraqi lines. Those soldiers coming home here to Fort Bliss to a hero's welcome. About 1,000 people turned out to welcome those soldiers home from the 507th Maintenance Company.

This is a maintenance company that was deployed here from Fort Bliss in mid-February and many of the family members I've spoken with over the last couple of weeks they never could have imagined that these soldiers would have become such a major news story over the last couple of weeks. Those soldiers appear to be in excellent condition. That's Specialist Joseph Hudson, 23 years old of Alamogordo, New Mexico and his comrade, Private First Class Patrick Miller, also 23 years old, from Walter, Kansas popped out of the top of C-17 transport plane that approached here and brought them on the tarmac, and they waved the American flag and saluted the crowd.

And then, a little while later, the soldiers were also paraded around on the tarmac here on a golf cart for all of the spectators here to come out and watch. The crowd was filled not only with relatives and friends of these soldiers, but also with relatives and friends of other soldiers in the 507th Maintenance Company, about 80 of which are still stationed overseas finishing up the work that that unit has to do in the Middle East as well. But, of course, here the major news is that all of these soldiers now spending time with their families; talking, sharing the experience of what they have gone through over the last couple of weeks and they say that this is a moment that this base has never quite seen anything like this and a moment that they will cherish forever.

But also in the back of their minds, they realize this is a bittersweet moment because nine soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company did not come home alive, and though the thoughts and memories of those soldiers still very much on the minds of many of the people that were here.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Fort Bliss, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the final stop of a long journey for both rescued pilots. First, David Williams into the arms of his wife, also a helicopter pilot, and Ronald Young getting a long-anticipated hug from his mother -- both pilots captured by Iraqis March 23 after their copter took fire, rescued by Marines last Sunday.

Young and his parents locked in a tearful embrace that lasted for several minutes. Then on to a waiting crowd of hundreds from Fort Hood's 4th Brigade, the pilots stepping onto a red carpet; Williams with his wife, Young escorting his mother and father and then finally reuniting with his sisters and brothers. Following a warm welcome from the base general, Williams took the podium.

CWO DAVID WILLIAMS, RESCUED POW: I'm speechless. Let's keep praying for those soldiers who are still fighting and God bless America. I love you.

CANDIOTTI: Then it was Young's turn, also appearing overwhelmed by the reception.

CWO RONALD YOUNG, RESCUED POW: This makes you almost as nervous as being shot at. I say a special prayer each night for our fallen comrades, for the soldiers that didn't make it home, and the ones that are still over there. I love you all very much. I love the American people. God bless America.

CANDIOTTI: Both families then stepping out of the limelight for now to hear first-hand details of the pilots' capture and rescue, details to be shared at their own pace.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Fort Hood, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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