NBC's 'Today' show takes
time to visit troops at Ramstein
Story and photos by Sean E.
Cobb, Kaiserslautern bureau
Ann Curry, news anchor
for NBC’s "Today" Show, broadcasts live from Ramstein Air Base's flightline
Thursday. |
RAMSTEIN AB, Germany — NBC’s "Today" show came to town to talk with
the troops and tell the people back home what their sons and daughters are doing in the
war on terrorism, said Ann Curry, a news anchor for the show.
Curry hopes when people back in the United States see the broadcasts they realize the
commitment of the troops in Europe and how "they are giving this war their all,"
she said.
Curry and her production crew of 15 people arrived Wednesday from the aircraft carrier
USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Arabian Sea. The "Today" show carried live feeds
from Curry on Thursday and will again on Friday. The crew is also gathering material for
"NBC Nightly News" and "Dateline," according to a producer.
The show also taped about 30 spots Thursday of troops sending short messages to their
families back in the States that will air on NBC periodically, Curry said.
Having the show at the base is a real morale boost, said Maj. Scott Vadnais, a
spokesman for United States Air Forces in Europe.
"It highlights the effort and hard work the people of Ramstein are doing to
support Operation Enduring Freedom," Vadnais said.
Ann Curry greets Collin
Mayheu, 16 months old, and his mother, Heather Mayheu, at Ramstein. Collin was born on
Flag Day, 2000. |
Bringing the show to the base was the idea of a "Today" producer who covered
the base during the air campaign over Kosovo, said Darlene Cowsert, a base spokeswoman.
"They know Ramstein is the 9-1-1 of airlift in Europe," she said.
About 150 people showed up on the flight line to watch the broadcasts and to display
signs showing their patriotism.
Having the base featured on the show could improve the Air Force’s relations with
communities back home and give it a better idea of what the airmen are doing, said Airman
1st Class Eddie Sumpter, a 37th Airlift Squadron electronic warfare technician.
"Plus, I like the fact that my family might see me," he said as he unfurled a
sign that greeted his mom, dad, brother and sister, in Pascagoula, Miss.
The "sign lines" contained numerous messages to families and the country, and
spoke of a resolve to do a good job for America.
"Hello America!! We won’t let you down!" read one sign.
Curry interviewed some of the sign-holders, but a few quotes didn’t make the show,
she said.
"In the interviews they were using cuss words — but in a nice way," she
said.
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