European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 the stars and stripes thursday july 29,1993 s&&9mv scholar ,. S43 so scholar staff sgt. Cathy sermons checks Marcla Kerla s blood pressure during the flight from Sarajevo to Germany. A bosnian patient is carried through Sarajevo Airport Shell shattered bosnian win respite in peace by Steve scholar Bureau Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirela Karla 15, was one of the Lucky ones. She made it out. Injured but alive. Marcla sat quietly aboard a hulking noisy c-130 her Cules As it rumbled Down the Shell pocked Sarajevo runway and became airborne in View of plumes of smoke and burning buildings nearby. As Miles separated her from her Homeland and the fighting a smile of sorts appeared on her face and she began to relax. Marcla was one of 19 bosnian patients evacuated to Germany on monday by the 2nd aeromedical evacuation so at Rachstein a Germany. She was flown out by a provide Promise c-130 aircraft from Rhein Mai Nab Germany. The patients who Range in age from eight months to Early 50s, were evacuated from Sarajevo to Ramstein and taken to Lan Stuhl army regional medical Cen Ter. A 2nd aes spokesman said they will be taken to an Drews fab aboard a c-141 Star lifter within Sev eral Days and then on to civilian hospitals for free treat ment. Most face painful reconstructive surgeries and pros thesis fittings to right what the War has done to them while others seek to Correct birth defects. The selection of patients was made by the International on migration which coordinated its Effort with thc4jnited nations. The organization is an International concern that helps people Migrate to a better Way of life. It asked the department of defens Eto provide humanitarian Airlift to bring these patients out said maj. Suzanne Silver an evacuation Squadron evacuation operations officer and the flight s Mission management director. The criteria for selection was that a patient s injuries had to be War related or the fact that he or she needed some Type of care that was t available in Sarajevo or Bosnia said Nidia Foley an organization spokeswoman. Mario to Rogulic accompanied by his Mother Selma is one of those who can t get the treat ment needed in Sarajevo. Mario has a congenital heart defect and could die. Hope taking him will save his life his Mother said. Selma described living in a hellish environment where bombs and mortar shells fell indiscriminately on Sarajevo like a downpour of deadly rain. It s awful living there. There s no food or water. We would stay in the House All the time because we were afraid to go outside. We might be been killed she said. Pajcic Mustafa who lives in the Sarajevo suburb of Dobrija said he s been wounded twice by shrapnel and will be treated for a Bone infection near one of his wounds when he gets to the states. Kerla its with her daughter Marcla at land Stuhl army regional medical Center As they wait to go to the states for treatment of Mir la s shrapnel injury. Mustafa who leaves a wife and two children behind in Bosnia was visiting his friends when he was wounded. I was standing outside talking to my friends when the grenade exploded. Everyone in the group including two children were injured by flying shrapnel when my injury is better i want to get my family out and go Back and defend my country he said. Mustafa 38, said it was a hard for him to decide whether to leave his family for treatment or to remain in Bosnia. I worry about my family s safety every day.". Mirela was also injured by flying Metal and has los much of the sight in her right Eye. I was standing in the front of my House. It had been a quiet Day wit Little fighting. All of a sudden a grenade exploded. I got shrapnel in my Eye and the Back of my head. The explosion injured 13 people and killed three. Two of the dead were neighbor boys Ages 10 and 11," the teen Ager said. Although some were missing limbs and others had dislocated joints the majority of the evacuee s wounds were caused by Small pieces of Metal that had hurtle through the air at rocket like speeds from exploding bombs. Despite the danger most expressed a desire to re turn to their Homeland when they Are Well enough. Is St a scholar cats. Terry Broussard Center left and tool Beumer Center right and two French . Peacekeepers ready patient for the trip from Sarajevo to Germany. From a Crew standpoint a major Factor in the evacuation Mission was safety. This was a humanitarian peacetime Mission under hostile said Edwards the medical Crew director. Most of the patients wounds happened some time ago. Our biggest Job was to make the patients Comfort Able and know their limits. Some were ambulatory handsome weren to but our Job was to tend to any medical problems while we were in the air.". Fortunately according to the flight s medical technicians there weren t any. The two hour 40-minute flight from Sarajevo to Ramstein a brought the patients one step closer to normalcy something that was a common theme voiced by Many of the patients. Most Long for a time when going to the nearby mar Ket or venturing to a nearby Park or standing with a group of friends does t mean dodging bullets rockets or mortar shells. Selma Sinanovic said she wants to take her so Mario Back to his country and Hopes the fighting stops soon. Mirela wants to go Back and help rebuild he country. Although some of the patients feel the world has for gotten them Sinanovic is More upbeat it s a hard problem. The world is doing the Best it 23 b r Lara Fos by Tai so to i i Elk s to a to s � of
