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CNN Live Sunday
Former POWs Williams, Young Meet With President Bush
Aired April 20, 2003 - 18:40 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.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we're going to check in at Fort Hood, Texas. That's where our Susan Candiotti has been following an eventful day for former POWs Ron Young and David Williams -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it started early this day, Sophia. President Bush flew to Fort Hood today from his home in Crawford, Texas to meet with, thank, and pose for pictures with the now two freed pilots hours after they were reunited with their families.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): After a few hours of rest, freed pilots David Williams and Ronald Young attended an Easter Sunday church service with the president.
BUSH: It's a glorious day.
CANDIOTTI: After the service, the pilots and their immediate families had a private meeting with the first family and President Bush's parents. Pilot young called it "awesome." The president said that it was the other way around.
BUSH: They were the encouraging people. They were the ones who offered encouragement. I was believe this or not somewhat taken aback when I was in their presence.
CANDIOTTI: Mr. Bush described the former POWs as uplifting and positive after three weeks in captivity. Putting his hand on Williams' shoulder, the president said the pilot now deserves some private time with his family, but then described the moment.
C.W.O. DAVID WILLIAMS, FORMER POW: It is an absolute honor, sir, absolute honor.
C.W.O. RONALD YOUNG, FORMER POW: We stand 100 percent behind whatever our president decides to do. We're honored to serve him and this is definitely one of the highlights of my life, absolutely.
CANDIOTTI: Saturday night at Fort Hood, an emotional reunion between pilot Williams and his wife, a Black Hawk pilot, and Ronald Young with his parents locked in a tearful embrace before the men were officially welcomed by troops.
WILLIAMS: It feels really good to be home and I'm just going to keep praying for those soldiers who are still fighting and God bless America. I love you.
YOUNG: This makes you almost as nervous as being shot at but 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 want everyone to remember them in their prayers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Barbecues and other family get-togethers the order of the day for the two pilots after that church service, and we do know that they are planning a little R&R for the rest of the week out of the limelight.
We also expect to be seeing some photographs taken of that private meeting with President Bush, don't know what we'll see yet, although we do know from one family member that it includes a bear hug that Mrs. Young gave to the president, back to you Sophia.
CHOI: OK, Susan, thank you.
And now we head west a few hundred miles to rejoin our Ed Lavandera who's been at Fort Bliss, Texas today in a celebration that's a lot more than just a family affair -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Sophia. Well, this has been a much more low-key day for the former prisoners of war of the 507th Maintenance Company. They've spent today with their families here on this base. They will return on Monday to continue medical checkups here in this area and then what happens to them after that is still up in the air at this point.
But last night, a joyous occasion, as the C-17 transport aircraft landed here at Fort Bliss and Joseph Hudson and Patrick Miller popped out of the top waving an American flag and waving to the crowd.
I spoke briefly with Patrick Miller this morning. We caught up with him at a restaurant where he was eating with his family and he said he had no idea that that many people would have turned out, more than 1,000 people welcoming the five soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company home last night.
And, as they took a victory lap around the tarmac in a golf cart, all five of them together, it was 23-year-old Joseph Hudson that popped out and sent a major salute out to everyone, not only here at Fort Bliss but around the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPC. JOSEPH HUDSON, FMR. POW: Ladies and gentlemen thank you for your outstanding support. This means the world to all of us. Remember our fallen soldiers. God bless America. This is why we live in a great country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: You know one of the officials here at Fort Bliss said that that was the most emotional thing that they'd ever seen happen here on this base but, of course, today a much more reflective day, a much more quiet day as people return to church services here, Easter services on this base for this day, enjoying the tranquility of being here on base secluded with their family members, talking and catching up.
Of course, this unit was deployed back in mid-February, so these families have a lot to catch up on as you might imagine given everything that these soldiers have been through in the last four weeks -- Sophia, back to you.
CHOI: You're right about that, Ed. Ed Lavandera thank you so much for bringing us their story, thanks.
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 - 18:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Right now we're going to check in at Fort Hood, Texas. That's where our Susan Candiotti has been following an eventful day for former POWs Ron Young and David Williams -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it started early this day, Sophia. President Bush flew to Fort Hood today from his home in Crawford, Texas to meet with, thank, and pose for pictures with the now two freed pilots hours after they were reunited with their families.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): After a few hours of rest, freed pilots David Williams and Ronald Young attended an Easter Sunday church service with the president.
BUSH: It's a glorious day.
CANDIOTTI: After the service, the pilots and their immediate families had a private meeting with the first family and President Bush's parents. Pilot young called it "awesome." The president said that it was the other way around.
BUSH: They were the encouraging people. They were the ones who offered encouragement. I was believe this or not somewhat taken aback when I was in their presence.
CANDIOTTI: Mr. Bush described the former POWs as uplifting and positive after three weeks in captivity. Putting his hand on Williams' shoulder, the president said the pilot now deserves some private time with his family, but then described the moment.
C.W.O. DAVID WILLIAMS, FORMER POW: It is an absolute honor, sir, absolute honor.
C.W.O. RONALD YOUNG, FORMER POW: We stand 100 percent behind whatever our president decides to do. We're honored to serve him and this is definitely one of the highlights of my life, absolutely.
CANDIOTTI: Saturday night at Fort Hood, an emotional reunion between pilot Williams and his wife, a Black Hawk pilot, and Ronald Young with his parents locked in a tearful embrace before the men were officially welcomed by troops.
WILLIAMS: It feels really good to be home and I'm just going to keep praying for those soldiers who are still fighting and God bless America. I love you.
YOUNG: This makes you almost as nervous as being shot at but 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 want everyone to remember them in their prayers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Barbecues and other family get-togethers the order of the day for the two pilots after that church service, and we do know that they are planning a little R&R for the rest of the week out of the limelight.
We also expect to be seeing some photographs taken of that private meeting with President Bush, don't know what we'll see yet, although we do know from one family member that it includes a bear hug that Mrs. Young gave to the president, back to you Sophia.
CHOI: OK, Susan, thank you.
And now we head west a few hundred miles to rejoin our Ed Lavandera who's been at Fort Bliss, Texas today in a celebration that's a lot more than just a family affair -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Sophia. Well, this has been a much more low-key day for the former prisoners of war of the 507th Maintenance Company. They've spent today with their families here on this base. They will return on Monday to continue medical checkups here in this area and then what happens to them after that is still up in the air at this point.
But last night, a joyous occasion, as the C-17 transport aircraft landed here at Fort Bliss and Joseph Hudson and Patrick Miller popped out of the top waving an American flag and waving to the crowd.
I spoke briefly with Patrick Miller this morning. We caught up with him at a restaurant where he was eating with his family and he said he had no idea that that many people would have turned out, more than 1,000 people welcoming the five soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company home last night.
And, as they took a victory lap around the tarmac in a golf cart, all five of them together, it was 23-year-old Joseph Hudson that popped out and sent a major salute out to everyone, not only here at Fort Bliss but around the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPC. JOSEPH HUDSON, FMR. POW: Ladies and gentlemen thank you for your outstanding support. This means the world to all of us. Remember our fallen soldiers. God bless America. This is why we live in a great country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: You know one of the officials here at Fort Bliss said that that was the most emotional thing that they'd ever seen happen here on this base but, of course, today a much more reflective day, a much more quiet day as people return to church services here, Easter services on this base for this day, enjoying the tranquility of being here on base secluded with their family members, talking and catching up.
Of course, this unit was deployed back in mid-February, so these families have a lot to catch up on as you might imagine given everything that these soldiers have been through in the last four weeks -- Sophia, back to you.
CHOI: You're right about that, Ed. Ed Lavandera thank you so much for bringing us their story, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
