Families of POWs, Missing Soldiers Try to Stay Optimistic as Regime Falls

EL PASO, Texas – Families of soldiers missing in Iraq hoped for news of more miraculous rescues as U.S. forces continued dismantling Saddam Hussein's regime in Baghdad on Wednesday.

Anecita Hudson's son is among seven U.S. servicemembers reported captured since the fighting began in Iraq.

"I have no doubts my son is out there, and he is very alive and he is waiting to be rescued," said Hudson, mother of Army Spc. Joseph Hudson, 23, of Alamogordo, N.M.

The family of Marine Sgt. Brendon Reiss, 23, of Casper, Wyo., who is among 11 servicemembers listed as missing, takes comfort from the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch.

Lynch had been listed as missing but was plucked by U.S. commandos from an Iraqi hospital April 1.

"It doesn't sound possible that Brendon is alive but there's always that hope that he could be a POW," said his mother, Angela Reiss. "They didn't know at that point who the POWs were and who weren't."

Marines who captured Rasheed air base just southeast of Baghdad found uniforms believed to be those of at least two U.S. POWs. Some of the uniforms reportedly had blood stains and bullet holes.

The uniforms were found in a military prison where U.S. POWs were held in the 1991 war.

Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, the Central Command deputy director of operations, said Wednesday that some of the uniforms found in the prison had names on them. He declined to identify them.

Brenda Wilson, the mother of missing Marine Pfc. Tamario Burkett, 21, wants only an end to her heart-wrenching wait.

"Anything is better than nothing right now," she said from her Buffalo, N.Y., home. "How can you have hope when you have nothing? No information, period."

Families had differing thoughts on television news.

Carolyn Hutchings watches constantly, hoping to catch a glimpse of her son, Marine Pvt. Nolen Hutchings, 19, of Boiling Springs, S.C., who is listed as missing.

"I can't get away from the TV," she said.

Dave Williams, on the other hand, said he won't watch.

"I've been positive the whole way, but you can't get caught up in the story until the confirmation that they've located the POWs and the POWs are safe," said Williams, father of captured Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 David S. Williams, 30, of Orlando, Fla.