BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: This Memorial Day weekend, a massive U.S. Navy homecoming at Norfolk, Virginia, as sailors, ships, and planes that had been deployed to support the war in Iraq returned.

What was it like to fire Tomahawk missiles at distant Iraqi targets, and see television pictures of anti-war demonstrations back home? One of the ships returning was the guided missile destroyer U.S.S. Donald Cook, which opened the war with a missile attack on the bunker in which Saddam HU.S.S.ein was thought to be.

Correspondent Lucky Severson flew out to join the Cook as it approached its home port.

LUCKY SEVERSON: A mighty display of power, heading home from far away places, mostly in the vicinity of Iraq. The 22nd destroyer squadron. And in the middle of this powerful force, the chaplain reminds the sailors that there is an even greater power.

Chaplain Matthew Stevens ministers to the crew of the guided missile destroyer -- U.S.S. Donald Cook -- and because there is a shortage of chaplains, he also councils and ministers the young men and women aboard five other war ships.

Chaplain MATTHEW STEVENS: What's remarkable is that you'll have a young man or young woman who needed a hall pass only a few years ago to go to the bathroom. Here, after two or three weeks of training, we have them driving the ship.

SEVERSON: There are 340 sailors aboard the Donald Cook. Thirty are women. The average age ranges from 19 to 25, and yet they operate one of the most sophisticated warships ever built.

Commander J.J. Costello is captain of the Donald Cook and he is very proud of the performance of his crew, and so are they. Petty Officer Third Class Duane Anderson:

DUANE ANDERSON (Petty Officer, Third Class): You get a sense of pride because when that tomahawk leaves the tub and you see it going, you say to yourself, "I just changed history because I launched this tomahawk this day at this time." We are forever remembered that we were the first to do it.

History may not have actually been changed, but what the Cook's crew accomplished on March 20 was quite remarkable. It was the first night of the Iraq war, and it was one of the fastest organized cruise missile attacks in naval history. The missiles hit the target, but Saddam had apparently moved on.

Commander J. J. COSTELLO: We did it right this time, at least from the Donald Cook perspective.

SEVERSON: So now the Donald S. Cook is heading home after nearly six long, tension-filled months at sea. For the sailors aboard, the war is over. They're proud that they performed their duty, but they'd rather not have to do it again.