USA/GERMANY: U.S TROOPS PREPARE FOR DEPLOYMENT IN BOSNIA, HOLDING EARLY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

Record ID: 639831

  • Title: USA/GERMANY: U.S TROOPS PREPARE FOR DEPLOYMENT IN BOSNIA, HOLDING EARLY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
  • Date: 7th December 1995
  • Summary: FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES AND BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY (DECEMBER 7, 1995)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES 1. SV BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER HOVERING 0.08 2. SV UNITED STATES (U.S.) TROOPS LINKING EQUIPMENT TO BASE OF HELICOPTER FOR TRANSPORTATION 0.10 3. SLV/SV WIDE OF U.S. TROOPS (2 SHOTS) 0.16 4. GV HELICOPTER LIFTING GUN 0.21 5. MCU SPECIALIST VICTOR MOLINA SAYING IN MY OPINION WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO GO, WE ARE JUST WAITING ON THE PEACE AGREEMENT (ENGLISH) 0.37 6. GV ARTILLERY RANGE/SV U.S. TROOPS AT TARGET PRACTICE (4 SHOTS) 0.49 NIGHT 7. GV U.S. TROOPS AND FAMILIES LIGHTING THE CHRISTMAS TREE 0.58 8. SV U.S. TROOPS WITH THEIR FAMILIES (3 SHOTS) 1.10 9. SV/MCU CHILDREN SITTING ON SANTA'S LAP (3 SHOTS) 1.24 BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY NIGHT 10. GV GOSPEL CHOIR SINGING BEFORE THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY 1.29 11. SV U.S. SOLDIERS LISTENING WITH FAMILIES/ CHILD WAVING/ APPLAUSE (4 SHOTS) 1.46 12. SV U.S. LIEUTENANT COLONEL HAROLD T. STOTT SAYING LIGHTS WILL STAY ON UNTIL THE TROOPS RETURN FROM BOSNIA (ENGLISH) 2.07 13. SV TREE LIGHTING 2.12 14. SV UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 2.20 15. SV UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN (ENGLISH) 2.35 16. GV U.S. SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES AROUND TREE 2.41 SEQ.5: TRANSCRIPT; MOLINA: "IN MY OPINION WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO GO, WE ARE JUST WAITING ON THE PEACE AGREEMENT. IF WE ARE GOING TO GO WE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND JUST GO GET THE JOB DONE AND COME BACK." SEQ.12: TRANSCRIPT; STOTT:" TONIGHT AS WE LIGHT THE TREE, THE LIGHTS ON THIS TREE WILL BURN UNTIL THE SOLDIERS FROM BAUMHOLDER HAVE COME BACK AND AS YOU THINK ABOUT THESE LIGHTS, THINK ABOUT EACH ONE OF THEM REPRESENTING YOU IN OUR THOUGHTS, IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR PRAYERS." SEQ.14: TRANSCRIPT; UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: "IT IS OUR MISSION. IT IS TOUGH BUT WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE TOGETHER AS A UNIT OUT THERE AND WE WILL ALL TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER." SEQ.15: TRANSCRIPT; UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: "I'M SAD. I AM NOT SURE IF I AM REALLY FOR IT, BUT IT IS HIS JOB, AND THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF SAYS THEY ARE GOING SO WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 22nd December 1995 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES AND BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVABKHH6GW4MNSSLLL6MOPMWDSFF
  • Story Text: United States (U.S.) troops awaiting their marching orders to Bosnia-Herzegovina, attended festive Christmas celebrations with friends and families at their bases on Thursday (December 7).

    Spirits remained high during the intense training sessions at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where U.S. army troops are preparing themselves for possible deployment to the former Yugoslavia.

    Most of the men and women there felt optimistic about the deployment, their worst fear being the thousands of mines buried throughout the war-torn country.

    The troops also expressed frustration over not knowing when, or if, they will be going to Bosnia. The time to prepare their families for the separation was weighing heavily on their minds.

    "The worst part is not knowing and just waiting for the peace agreement (to take effect). I hope I'll know soon so I can make plans with my family," Specialist Victor Molina said.

    In the meantime, troops took their families to visit Santa and see the lighting of the Fort Bragg Christmas tree.

    If the peace accord is signed and the U.S. Congress gives its approval of the deployment, troops will leave before the Christmas holiday.

    In Germany, U.S. troops attended a festive Christmas tree lighting ceremony with friends and families at their base in the southwestern German town of Baumholder.

    They watched the mayor of Baumholder, Klaus Rickes, and their commander, Lieutenant Colonel Harold T. Stott, switch on the lights for the base's 15-metre (50-foot) high Christmas tree.

    Stott said the lights would be kept on until the soldiers return from Bosnia as a constant reminder of the role they are playing in the peace mission.

    The United States will be sending 20,000 troops to the 60,000-strong North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) contingent preparing to move to Bosnia to back up the peace agreement that will be formally signed this month in Paris.


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