US base in Germany becomes hub for dead, wounded in war

RAMSTEIN, Germany (AFP) Mar 28, 2003
Eighteen US soldiers killed in the war on Iraq have been flown via the US military base at Ramstein, western Germany, back to the United States, a US spokesman said Friday.

Giving numbers for the first time, Lieutenant Commander Rick Haupt said two bodies had been flown to the base Monday and a further 16 Wednesday.

"Ramstein is the only stop, and from there they are all going back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware," Haupt said.

A further 22 US casualties from the Gulf region -- including 10 with battle-related wounds -- were expected to arrive Saturday morning at Ramstein for treatment at the nearby Landstuhl medical facility.

The centre, the US army's biggest Europe-based hospital, currently has some 64 patients, of whom 25 are classed as having war injuries, spokeswoman Marie Shaw said.

She said the figure did not include soldiers who have already left the centre after treatment there.

Wounded US soldiers have also been arriving at Rota, an air and naval base in southern Spain used jointly by US and Spanish forces.

WAR.WIRE