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CNN Saturday Morning News
Story of Family Who's Son Died in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Aired May 24, 2003 - 09:06 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of friends and relatives were on hand for a homecoming in Virginia yesterday. The USS "Harry S Truman" and its 5,400 sailors and Marines returned to port after five months of deployment, and an extended stay in the Persian Gulf region. The "Truman" is the first East Coast carrier to return home. The "Theodore Roosevelt" is expected back next week.
While thousands are returning from their duties overseas, not all those who served their country were that fortunate. And it is left to their families to remember them this Memorial Day.
Jack Harper from CNN affiliate WCVB has one family's story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE SAMMIS: The yacht club had a special ceremony, and they gave us a flag, this flag that I sent them, this American flag, saw combat in Iraq.
JACK HARPER, REPORTER, WCVB (voice-over): Steve Sammis and his wife never planned a shrine to their son, Ben, but it's happened since he died a hero in Iraq.
SAMMIS: Amad al-Jabad (ph) Air Base in Kuwait, the flag was flown over the base on the 19th of April in honor of Ben.
HARPER: Ben Sammis grew up in Rehoboth, lived a squeaky-clean, all-American life until early April, when the Cobra helicopter the 29- year-old Marine flew crashed just minutes after saving the lives of other Marines under fire.
SAMMIS: It's not going to bring, you know, Ben home, but very easily could have been a lot more families that would have had to face a tragedy that night.
The things that are uppermost in our mind besides our son is that there are any number of troops that are still in harm's way. And when you honor my son, we need to think of them.
HARPER: On 9/11, Steve Sammis was a guest on his son's ship. The moment they announced the Trade Center attacks, he knew his son's world had changed forever. As we prepare to honor our newest heroes, he now knows by how much.
SAMMIS: Some kids sacrificed a little bit more, and their families are going to go through a little bit more.
HARPER: A lot more.
SAMMIS: I have the distinction of now being a Gold Star parent. Beth has the distinction of being a Gold Star mother. And...
HARPER: You never wanted it, but you'll (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
SAMMIS: It's not a club that you want to belong to, yes.
HARPER: Jack Harper, News Center 5, Rehoboth.
(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 May 24, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of friends and relatives were on hand for a homecoming in Virginia yesterday. The USS "Harry S Truman" and its 5,400 sailors and Marines returned to port after five months of deployment, and an extended stay in the Persian Gulf region. The "Truman" is the first East Coast carrier to return home. The "Theodore Roosevelt" is expected back next week.
While thousands are returning from their duties overseas, not all those who served their country were that fortunate. And it is left to their families to remember them this Memorial Day.
Jack Harper from CNN affiliate WCVB has one family's story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE SAMMIS: The yacht club had a special ceremony, and they gave us a flag, this flag that I sent them, this American flag, saw combat in Iraq.
JACK HARPER, REPORTER, WCVB (voice-over): Steve Sammis and his wife never planned a shrine to their son, Ben, but it's happened since he died a hero in Iraq.
SAMMIS: Amad al-Jabad (ph) Air Base in Kuwait, the flag was flown over the base on the 19th of April in honor of Ben.
HARPER: Ben Sammis grew up in Rehoboth, lived a squeaky-clean, all-American life until early April, when the Cobra helicopter the 29- year-old Marine flew crashed just minutes after saving the lives of other Marines under fire.
SAMMIS: It's not going to bring, you know, Ben home, but very easily could have been a lot more families that would have had to face a tragedy that night.
The things that are uppermost in our mind besides our son is that there are any number of troops that are still in harm's way. And when you honor my son, we need to think of them.
HARPER: On 9/11, Steve Sammis was a guest on his son's ship. The moment they announced the Trade Center attacks, he knew his son's world had changed forever. As we prepare to honor our newest heroes, he now knows by how much.
SAMMIS: Some kids sacrificed a little bit more, and their families are going to go through a little bit more.
HARPER: A lot more.
SAMMIS: I have the distinction of now being a Gold Star parent. Beth has the distinction of being a Gold Star mother. And...
HARPER: You never wanted it, but you'll (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
SAMMIS: It's not a club that you want to belong to, yes.
HARPER: Jack Harper, News Center 5, Rehoboth.
(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
