Seven Americans recovered alive near Samarra
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service / Published April 13, 2003
WASHINGTON --
Seven U.S. service members listed as missing or prisoners have been returned to American control, U.S. Central Command chief Army Gen. Tommy Franks said today.
Franks, speaking on CNN and Fox news networks, said Marines found the seven Americans walking along a road near the city of Samarra.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, speaking to reporters outside the NBC studio here today, added that two of the Americans are suffering from gunshot wounds, but all could walk.
Rumsfeld said DoD has the names of the Americans and will release the names after their families are notified.
DoD lists seven service members as POWs and six as "duty status whereabouts unknown".
Franks said an Iraqi tipped Marines advancing on Saddam's last stronghold of Tikrit with information that the Americans were on the road.
CNN showed videophone footage of the Americans walking from an ambulance to a C-130 transport plane.
Franks said he cannot predict if the United States will recover all the POWs and MIAs. "Even though we can't count (on finding all the Americans), we can work it damn hard," he said. "And we have been and we will."