8 Bodies Found in Raid Were U.S. Soldiers

AP | 4/05/03

[kattracks]

8 Bodies Found in Raid Were U.S. Soldiers

.c The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Eight of the bodies found during the rescue of an American POW in Iraq this week were members of her ambushed Army maintenance unit, the Pentagon announced Saturday.

The eight soldiers were with Pfc. Jessica Lynch when their unit, the 507th Maintenance Company, was ambushed near Nasiriyah on March 23.

The U.S. commandos who freed Lynch from a hospital in Nasiriyah this week also found 11 bodies, nine of which were believed to be those of Americans. The nine bodies had been returned to a forensics center at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for identification and investigation of how they died.

The Pentagon issued a statement early Saturday morning saying the status of the eight soldiers had been changed from missing to killed.

The soldiers were:

Sgt. George E. Buggs, 31, of Barnwell, S.C.

Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland.

Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso, Texas.

Spc. James M. Kiehl, 22, of Comfort, Texas.

Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of Amarillo, Texas.

Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba City, Ariz.

Pvt. Brandon U. Sloan, 19, of Cleveland.

Sgt. Donald R. Walters, 33, of Kansas City, Mo.

All were members of the 507th Maintenance, an army unit based at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Five members of the unit remain listed as prisoners of war. Shortly after the unit's ambush, the five were shown on Iraqi state-run television being questioned by their captors.

Iraqi television also showed footage of at least five bodies. After viewing that footage, Pentagon officials accused Iraq of executing prisoners of war.

There was no immediate word from the Pentagon Saturday on whether the soldiers were killed in the ambush or afterward.

04/05/03 01:00 EST

[LurkerNoMore!]

Damnit.

[seeker41]

God rest their souls, poor soldiers.

[Aerohawk]

So the 7 POW's are still unaccounted for. Let's hope they are soon rescued.

[Reagan Man]

God bless them all.

[abner]

Every time I hear of another KIA or tortured soldier, it destroys me. Then I get madder.

So sad.

[Tamzee]

So heartwrenching :-(

[faithincowboys]

Terrible news. It was inevitable though... I saw the pictures of the dead. At least, the families know and are not left in MIA limbo. Of course, it is a terrible thing to discover that the worst has happened.

God Rest their souls, and God Bless Their Families!

[LurkerNoMore!]

We still have a female POW...

[peeve23]

For this one "paybacks" will be hell.

[JohnHuang2]

Another painful reminder that freedom isn't free. Sincerest condolences to the families.

[knak]

God bless them and their families.

[TheDon]

"Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland. "

Wasn't the commander in the field, who was relieved of command, named Dowdy?

[MEG33]

Amen and comfort all who mourn.

[abner]

We still have a female POW...

Yes, and 4 more brave men. Since they were shown on film, I think their chances for survival are better.

[cyborg]

I wonder where everyone else is. Lynch's parents must be so overcome with thankfulness that their daughter is still alive.

[LurkerNoMore!]

I agree.

[Anamensis]

Well... at least now we know. I'd been wondering. Now I wonder if we'll ever know what actually happened.

[stlnative]

That Dowdy was from Ark

[Pegita]

Comfort the families of our youngest and bravest, dear Lord, and comfort our own grieving hearts ...