Crew Families Ready for Reunion

April 12 -- Anxiety has turned to joy and anticipation for the families of the 24 crew members now on their way home after being held in China for 12 days.

"I'm very relieved," said Cheryl Bensing, mother of Ensign Richard Bensing, who was on board the Navy EP-3E Aries II spy plane when it made an emergency landing on China's Hainan Island. "I was very much concerned about his well-being."

"He sounded wonderful," Bensing said today on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "I think there's not going to be any ill effects."

She said she'd already stocked her refrigerator with her son's favorite snack — Little Debbie coconut cream pies.

Proud Smiles

The past day has been a hectic but happy one for the parents of pilot Lt. Shane Osborn, who is being hailed by many as a hero for landing the crippled plane safely after it collided with a Chinese fighter jet.

"It's been a smile ever since I heard that they were going to be released yesterday," Diane Osborn said.

After the plane carrying his son departed Hainan Island, Doug Osborn drove from South Dakota to Nebraska with a yellow ribbon on the antenna of their car, honking and waving the American flag, so that he could be with Diane. The Osborns are divorced.

When she talked to her son Wednesday night after the crew landed in Guam, Diane Osborn said he sounded exhausted, but in good spirits.

"He was just relieved that they were back on American soil," she said.

"I am very, very proud of him and I'll try to give him all the latest on what's been happening around," she said. "Just to see him and hold him will be wonderful."

The Osborns are not the only ones who are especially looking forward to greeting their son.

Jeff Guidry, father of Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Scott Guidry, described what he planned to do when the crew arrives at Whidbey Naval Air Station in Washington state.

"After we embrace our son, I think we have to shake the hand of that pilot that put that plane down," he said this morning from his home in Denver.