Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Families Prepare to Welcome USS Enterprise Crew

Aired November 10, 2001 - 08:31   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: It was the first U.S. aircraft carrier to report for combat duty in the war against terrorism. Now the USS Enterprise and its sailors are headed home.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve is in Norfolk, Virginia, where the Enterprise will be docking at just about any moment -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, look at this crowd. We're going to walk along here and show you some of the people. There are thousands of people here, here to meet their loved ones who are on broad the USS Enterprise.

Now, if we can swing over this way, you'll see there's a band here playing on the dock and behind that ship that you see is the Enterprise. It came into view about 15 minutes ago. When it appeared, this crowd started yelling. You hear them yelling, "USA, USA!" They are pumped up here. They've been doing cheers. They may be excited about being in live TV, but they're more excited about seeing their relatives.

I want to introduce you to one couple over here. Lois, Bill, come here.

BILL: Hi.

MESERVE: Lois and Bill Borges (ph). They're here from Michigan to meet son Justin, who's on board the Enterprise. What's he doing on there?

BILL: He is working with the VF-481 fighter squadron, black cases.

MESERVE: Now, you're a navy veteran yourself. You must be proud.

BILL: I am. I really am.

MESERVE: And Lois, did you have some moments of fear here? This started out, the crew told me, this is a love boat cruise and then next thing they know they were turned around, put in the Persian Gulf and took part in hostilities. As a mom, was this a terrifying thing for you?

LOIS: It was pretty scary. You cry a lot, worry a lot. MESERVE: Go ahead.

BILL: We're real talkers. Kind of choked up that he's coming back.

MESERVE: What are you going to do when he gets back?

BILL: A big hug.

MESERVE: Can you possibly explain to me what it's like for you? You're going to be seeing your son for the first time in almost seven months?

LOIS: I'll probably do the same thing, cry a lot. It's going to be exciting. We miss him.

MESERVE: I'm sure everybody here feels exactly the same way. There are going to be some very special hellos. I mentioned it to you last hour. We now have some videotape from that tent down at the end of the pier. In there are the newborn babies. Ninety babies have been born since the USS Enterprise took sail back in April. The moms are here with the babies. The dads are going to be amongst the first off the ship. There are going to be some real heartfelt hellos there. And there it is in greeting somebody you've known and loved, there is greeting someone brand new in your life. It's just going to be terrific.

So, back to you Martin.

SAVIDGE: Jeanne, what happens with the crew now? Will they get time off? And if so, how much time?

MESERVE: They are going to get some time. First they're going to come off here. We're going to see a first kiss. There was a lottery on board the ship to see who was going to get that honor. Then the officers come off, the enlisted men. There'll be these wonderful reunions. Some of them have some shipboard duties.

But this ship itself is going into dry dock. It may not go out again for another year and a half, although officials did caution me that because of the hostilities, it may be that that overhaul is shortened and it may be sent out a little bit more quickly than that. But they definitely are going to get a break.

And believe me, having talked to the men on board, they are really looking forward to that -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: And Jeanne, is it my understanding that the mission was extended because of the outbreak of hostilities in Afghanistan? In other words, the crew and families have had to wait longer?

MESERVE: That's absolutely right. They started home on September 9. On September 11, of course, the terrorists hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The ship was turned around, sent back to the Persian Gulf and the aircraft on board this carrier were the first ones involved, along with the aircraft on the USS Carl Vincent, in air strikes over Afghanistan.

So there was a real change. They not only had to adjust to the fact that their loved ones were going to be away for an additional month or so, but they had to adjust to the fact that what started out as a peacetime mission turned into something very, very different.

SAVIDGE: What about security there in the port and for the families that are gathered? Is it strong?

MESERVE: Let me show you something. Let me show you something. Right here there's a snow fence keeping the crowd back. I am told this is the first time they've ever done it. It's going to be something they do every time from now on out when there's a homecoming here at Norfolk. And the reason is crowd control and concern over security.

Also, I don't think we have any in view right now, but we have seen out in the bay some boats, smaller boats going around, clearly looking for the security situation. And Eddie, if you swing over here, I think we can see a helicopter off in the distance. I was told by the captain of the ship that although he couldn't give me specifics, this is the most serious force protection that they have ever had of a carrier coming into port -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Jeanne, you were on board the carrier yesterday. What is the reaction, the feeling of the crew members there? They have to be very excited, as well.

MESERVE: That is really an understatement. They are so ready to come home. And having spent 24 hours on an aircraft carrier, I began to understand why. It is very cramped. There is not much flexibility of schedule and the guys on board not only want to come home and give hugs to these thousands of people here, they want to do the simple stuff. One guy said I have a new truck, I just want to get home and drive it. Another guy said I want to be able to walk down to Wal- Mart. Another guy said I want to go to my kitchen and be able to eat what I want when I want to eat it.

So it's the very simple stuff in life that even they say they took for granted that they're really looking forward to -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: And of course all those new babies that are waiting to be held.

Jeanne Meserve, thank you very much, joining us live from Norfolk, Virginia, as the USS Enterprise gets ready to pull into port after being seven months at sea. Thank you -- Kyra.

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