Former United States Army POW Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young hugs his mother Kaye Young and his father Ron Young after arriving for welcome ceremonies at Fort Hood, Texas, April 19, 2003. The pilot was captured by Iraqi forces after his helicopter was forced down with mechanical problems. Young and fellow pilot Chief Warrant Officer David S. Williams were rescued unharmed after the fall of Baghdad earlier this month. - Reuters FORT BLISS, Texas, (Reuters):
SEVEN FORMER prisoners of war flew back home to the United States on Saturday, arriving at a military base in Texas to embrace loved ones and be cheered by crowds waving flags and yellow ribbons.
The seven, two Apache helicopter pilots and five soldiers from an Army maintenance unit, were freed by US forces north of Baghdad last Sunday after they were abandoned by their fleeing Iraqi captors. They had been taken prisoner in March.
Another member of the same maintenance unit, Private Jessica Lynch, was rescued separately by US special forces on April 1. She is recovering from injuries in a Washington military hospital.
The seven former POWs flown home on Saturday had been recuperating at a US Air Force base in Germany since Wednesday.
People in the crowd at Fort Bliss had tears in their eyes as they watched the POWs step from the military transport plane as the sun was setting in Texas.
Onlookers cheered as one of the seven, Specialist Shoshana Johnson, who was shot in both ankles, was helped to her feet and waved the flags of the United States and Panama, where she was born.
The former prisoners will spend the weekend with their families after receiving a medical evaluation.
IN GOOD SPIRITS
They seemed in good spirits as they waved flags and exchanged high-fives with people in the crowd as they drove past in an open, electric vehicle.
'THIS MEANS THE WORLD'
Spec. Joseph Hudson came to the microphone to thank the crowd. "This means the world to all of us. Remember our fallen soldiers. God Bless America," he said.
Several people in the crowd said they were overwhelmed with emotion.
"This is the happiest thing I've ever seen. I'm just so happy they're home. I'm so proud of them," said Yolanda Alvarez, who was among those welcoming the POWs home.
"We are just truly happy. They seem to have got back to us in just excellent shape," said a medical officer at Fort Bliss, which is near the west Texas city of El Paso.
