By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 10:19 am: Edit Post |
The last American official the Peace Corps Director, departed on an MC-130 for Libreville, Gabon
The last American official the Peace Corps Director, departed on an MC-130 for Libreville, Gabon
Americans Depart Brazzaville, Congo
STUTTGART, Germany - (NENS) --Operation Firm Response is complete. All U.S. citizens, who desired evacuation, have departed Brazzaville, Congo, including the U.S. European Command's (EUCOM) Survey and Assessment Team (ESAT).
The ESAT, with assistance of French forces, evacuated American Ambassador, Aubrey Hooks, and approximately 17 Americans to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, early Wednesday morning (June 18). Shortly thereafter, the ESAT and the last American official the Peace Corps Director, departed on an MC-130 for Libreville, Gabon. The MC-130 from the 7th Special Operations Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, delivered the ESAT to Brazzaville last Wednesday and took 56 people to Gabon where it remained on stand-by.
The ESAT is comprised of special operations personnel from the Special Operations Command Europe, commanded by BG Geoffrey C. Lambert. "Army Green Berets, Navy Seals, and Air Force Special Operations--what a team," said BG Lambert, the commander of Operation Firm Response. "This was a superb performance in an ambiguous situation. They stayed in Brazzaville until all American citizens were evacuated."