thedrifter
06-14-03, 07:06 AM
June 13, 2003
Troops leave Romanian base used during Iraq war
Associated Press
CONSTANTA, Romania — A temporary U.S. air base near this Black Sea city was closed Friday after it was used for three months as a supply point for the Iraq war.
Over the past three weeks, some 1,000 troops of the U.S. 458th Air Expeditionary Group stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base were redeployed to bases in Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States.
Forces used the base to deploy troops and supplies to Iraq after Turkey denied the United States permission to enter Iraq from its territory.
The base was important because it is closer to the Middle East than other European bases, and because it has good road, rail and sea links.
About 150 Marines will remain at the base in the Black Sea port of Constanta, where they are completing a joint exercise with Romanian troops that consists mainly of infrastructure improvements like fixing airport runways, repairing roads and installing fiberoptic cables.
The Kogalniceanu base is one of the Balkan bases considered by the Pentagon to be used for training and rapid deployment of troops to conflict areas in the Middle East.
“We are leaving but we are staying,” said Col. Steven F. Dreyer, the 458th Expeditionary’s commander, adding that American planes on their way to the Middle East and Afghanistan will continue to use the air base to refuel.
He thanked Romania for the hospitality showed to American soldiers.
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Copyright 2003 The Associated Press
Sempers,
Roger
Troops leave Romanian base used during Iraq war
Associated Press
CONSTANTA, Romania — A temporary U.S. air base near this Black Sea city was closed Friday after it was used for three months as a supply point for the Iraq war.
Over the past three weeks, some 1,000 troops of the U.S. 458th Air Expeditionary Group stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base were redeployed to bases in Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States.
Forces used the base to deploy troops and supplies to Iraq after Turkey denied the United States permission to enter Iraq from its territory.
The base was important because it is closer to the Middle East than other European bases, and because it has good road, rail and sea links.
About 150 Marines will remain at the base in the Black Sea port of Constanta, where they are completing a joint exercise with Romanian troops that consists mainly of infrastructure improvements like fixing airport runways, repairing roads and installing fiberoptic cables.
The Kogalniceanu base is one of the Balkan bases considered by the Pentagon to be used for training and rapid deployment of troops to conflict areas in the Middle East.
“We are leaving but we are staying,” said Col. Steven F. Dreyer, the 458th Expeditionary’s commander, adding that American planes on their way to the Middle East and Afghanistan will continue to use the air base to refuel.
He thanked Romania for the hospitality showed to American soldiers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press
Sempers,
Roger