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Freed American hostage leaves Iraq en route to Germany and the U.S.
AP
| 5/03/04
| JIM KRANE
Posted on 05/03/2004 2:16:04 AM PDT by kattracks
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Former American hostage Thomas Hamill, who escaped from his Iraqi captors over the weekend, has left the country en route to Germany and the United States, a senior U.S. official said Monday. Hamill 43, of Macon, Miss., pried open the doors of the house where he was being held late Sunday morning and ran a half-mile to a military convoy that was passing by near the town of Balad north of Baghdad.
The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hamill would go first to a U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl, Germany for a checkup before proceeding back to the United States.
A hospital spokeswoman said Hamill was to be reunited with his wife Kellie Hamill on Monday in Germany.
The military has said Hamill is in overall good health, but a gunshot wound to his left arm might be infected. "We have doctors and nurses prepared to give him a medical evaluation as soon as he arrives," said spokeswoman Marie Shaw.
Hamill, a truck driver for a Halliburton Corp. subsidiary, was captured April 9 by gunmen who blasted the convoy he was driving on the outskirts of Baghdad.
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: germany; landstuhl; thomashamill
1
posted on
05/03/2004 2:16:04 AM PDT
by
kattracks
To: kattracks
Thomas Hamill apparently has all the right stuff. In this battle for the soul of the Middle East, he was out on the front, subject to all the dangers, and coming under the control of the enemy combatants. Yet he showed gumption and a determination to escape that would be beyond the imagination of many others.
He behaved in a manner that would be highly exemplary in a uniformed member of the US contingent. We should recognize and applaud his pluck and courage.
To: alloysteel
You said it all.
Welcome 'home', Tom.
3
posted on
05/03/2004 3:05:33 AM PDT
by
Eagle Eye
(Coming to you live from HESCO city...)
To: alloysteel
Plus a strong connection with the Man upstairs! Ask any member of his church about the power of prayer.
4
posted on
05/03/2004 6:34:50 AM PDT
by
hoosiermama
(Of course they were Kerry's medals.....they were on both sides of the fence !)
To: kattracks
The captors had to be very inept to just let him walk out of the house. Also, staying in the house after your former captive just walked out of wasn't very smart either.
Thank God he's safe.
5
posted on
05/03/2004 8:11:47 AM PDT
by
ryanjb2
To: kattracks
The captors had to be very inept to just let him walk out of the house. Also, staying in the house after your former captive just walked out of wasn't very smart either.
Thank God he's safe.
6
posted on
05/03/2004 8:11:50 AM PDT
by
ryanjb2
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