Aircraft Carrier's Planes Strike al Qaeda Convoy
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Now we move to the Arabian Sea, and that aircraft carrier whose planes reportedly struck an al Qaeda convoy in eastern Afghanistan today. CNN's Frank Buckley is aboard the USS John C. Stennis.</s>FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Attack aircraft from the USS John C. Stennis returned safely to the deck of the carrier after dropping bombs in eastern Afghanistan. It was the first time aircraft from this Nimitz-class carrier launched munitions in the conflict. Carrier Captain James McDonell, breaking the news to the crew over the ship's public address system.</s>CAPT. JAMES MCDONELL, COMMANDING OFC. USS STENNIS: We had an F- 14 aircraft drop laser-guided bombs, an F-18s drop. Joint Direct Attack Munitions or JDAM weapons, into eastern Afghanistan today.</s>BUCKLEY: The Stennis has been on station in the Arabian Sea since December 15th. The first bombs to be dropped from its aircraft coming on the fourth day of combat operations from the carrier. Members of the crew have been eager to engage.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After being deployed for about a month and a half, to hear somebody finally tell us that we did something positive. We're all excited about it, the crew, especially the people where I work. Everybody was fired up. We were really excited to hear we finally did part of the mission that we came out here to accomplish.</s>BUCKLEY: USS John C. Stennis deployed the region two months ahead of schedule, after the September 11th attacks on the U.S. -- attacks that affected many members of the ship's crew, including the carrier's battle group commander, personally.</s>REAR ADM. JAMES ZORTMAN, CMDR., CARRIER GROUP SEVEN: My last assignment before I came here was in the Pentagon, on the staff of the chief of Naval operations. Twenty-one of those people that were killed in the attack on the Pentagon worked directly for me.</s>BUCKLEY: The USS John C. Stennis is now engaged, the carrier it replaced, Carl Vinson, headed home. The crew of this U.S. Navy ship now in the fight. Frank Buckley, CNN, aboard the USS John C. Stennis in the Arabian Sea.