WORLD NEWS

  April 14, 2003

Soldiers Rescued

The families of seven rescued American soldiers are celebrating

United States Marines have rescued seven American soldiers who had been held as prisoners by the Iraqis for more than three weeks. The seven soldiers were flown to safety in Kuwait on Sunday. The rescue took place almost two weeks to the day since the dramatic rescue of Jessica Lynch, a 19-year-old soldier who had also been taken prisoner by the Iraqis. Lynch is now recovering in the U.S.

A Joyous Rescue

The rescue mission occurred as U.S. Marines moved closer to the city of Tikrit in northern Iraq. Tikrit is the birthplace of Saddam Hussein and home to his most loyal followers. Iraqi guards there led the Marines to the captured soldiers, called prisoners of war. The soldiers were held in the town of Samarra, about 110 miles north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

The families of the seven soldiers (six men and one woman) were overjoyed when they heard the news that their loved ones were safe. Some of the soldiers' families actually found out that their relatives were free while watching the news on television.

"When I saw him, it was like somebody had won the World Series. Everybody was jumping around and hollering," Ron Young Sr. of Lithia Springs, Georgia, said about his son, Ronald Young Jr. Young's helicopter was forced down on March 24.

In addition to Young, the rescued soldiers are: Edgar Hernandez, 21, of Mission, Texas; Joseph Hudson, 23, of Alamogordo, New Mexico; Shoshana Johnson, 30, of Fort Bliss, Texas; Patrick Miller, 23, of Park City, Kansas; James Riley, 31, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, and David S. Williams, 30, of Orlando, Florida.

Most Dangerous Fighting is Over

Meanwhile, Pentagon officials said that the most dangerous fighting in Iraq is mostly over and military leaders are sending warplanes and other forces home. Still, officials said the remaining American troops face dangers. In Baghdad, soldiers and Iraqi policemen are both working to maintain order.

After the fall of Baghdad and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein last week, much of the city fell into a state of lawlessness. Many Iraqis stole furniture, computers and just about anything they could get their hands on. Although the lawlessness continued in parts of the city Monday, most reports showed that the situation had calmed down.

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