Jackson embraces the POWs after their release, following their 32 days in captivity
RELATED VIDEO: Jesse Jackson news conference (May 1) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K CNN's Walter Rodgers reports that three U.S.soldiers will be released after a month in Yugoslav custody (May 1) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K NATO spokesman Peter Daniel reports on strikes on Yugoslavia (May 1) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K Col. Konrad Freytag reports on NATO's military strikes against Yugoslavia (May 1) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K To view the latest video streams on the strikes in Kosovo, use the arrow buttons below to scroll through the video gallery.        Windows Media Real        28 K 80 K IMAGE GALLERY: Latest from Kosovo The Kosovo refugees Images of NATO bomb attack on Serbian TV headquarters The Serbs and Kosovo  THE DELUGE OF REFUGEES: Where are they going?  ALSO: NATO strike hits bus; 34 civilians reportedly killed  MESSAGE BOARD: Crisis in Kosovo  MAPS: NATO officials describe the air campaign  IN-DEPTH SPECIAL: NATO at 50 Strike on Yugoslavia

May 2, 1999
Web posted at: 4:21 a.m. EDT (0821 GMT)

In this story: 'I'm going to pack!' F-16 was returning from mission U.S. embargo targets Serbia's oil NATO hits bus near Pristina RELATED STORIES, SITES

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- Three captured U.S. servicemen were handed over by Yugoslavia on Sunday to a delegation led by U.S. civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Jackson signed transfer documents for the three, Staff Sgt. Andrew Ramirez, 24, of Los Angeles; Staff Sgt. Christopher Stone, 25, of Smiths Creek, Michigan; and Steven Gonzales, 22, of Huntsville, Texas.

The three had been held for more than a month -- they were captured on March 31 while on patrol near the Yugoslav-Macedonian border. CNN's Walter Rodgers said the soldiers were boarding a bus for a four-hour trip to Zagreb, Croatia. From there, they were to travel to Germany to be debriefed, and to undergo medical exams.

The release occurred shortly after news that a U.S. F-16CG fighter plane was downed over Yugoslavia. According to the Pentagon, the plane was returning from a combat mission when it went down near the Croatian border, not far from the town of Metic.

Although Serbian media said the plane had been shot down, the Pentagon said the cause of the plane's loss was not known and was being investigated. The pilot was reported safe.

Following the soldiers' release, President Clinton spoke by phone with Jackson, congratulating him. "The President is delighted," Jackson said, after the call.

Yugoslavia said it planned to release the captured men as a "gesture of good will," according to Yugoslavia's Foreign Ministry.

"We did not consider three American soldiers as enemies, rather as the victims of war and militarism," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nebojsa Vujovic, before the release.

Rodgers, who is accompanying the released servicemen on the trip to Croatia, said they appeared physicially well, although Stone still had a bruise on his face. They said they had been well treated while in captivity.

"The three soldiers are standing about 10 feet from me. There are smiles on their faces," reported Rodgers, as he witnessed the transfer ceremony. News reporters converged on them as they boarded a bus to depart from Belgrade.

In Baldwin Park, California, Vivian Ramirez, Andrew Ramirez' mother, said she was overjoyed, and would immediately travel to Europe to meet her son. Asked the first thing she would do after hearing of his release she said, with tears streaming down "I'm going to pack!' and later she reported that "I've called all my family."

As for Jackson, Vivian Ramirez said "He will be my hero. Muchas gracias." She said she thanked Jackson, "for bringing my son home."

She said that when her son told her he is coming home, "That is all we need to hear."

Jackson now is pressing for a halt to the bombing and the war with Yugoslavia. He reportedly is carrying a letter from Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to Clinton containing proposals for a settlement of the Kosovo crisis. Further details about the content of the letter were not available.

Jackson, who told Milosevic during a weekend meeting that: "You have the power to do it" -- release the hostages, said the NATO alliance risks losing the moral advantage if it does not respond diplomatically or otherwise to the release.

NATO spokesman Jamie Shea in Brussels said, however, that the release would not change NATO's attitude toward the bombing campaign in Yugoslavia. He said the bombing would continue.

"We're grateful for the prisoners' release," Shea said, but added they "never should never have been taken prisoner in the first place. We're going to continue our operation until our fundamental objectives are met."

The downed F-16CG was returning from a mission when it went down, CNN's Jonathan Karl reported from the Pentagon. No details were provided on how the pilot was recovered but the Pentagon said, according to Rodgers that "The pilot did not walk out."

Ramirez

The F-16CG, which costs about $20 million to produce, has been used extensively during the campaign against Yugoslavia. It does very well in bad weather, officials said.

The Pentagon said only that the combat mission was part of Operation ALLIED FORCE, and that it crashed near Metic, Yugoslavia about 9 p.m. (EDT), Saturday. "The pilot ejected and was recovered. He is currently at a NATO base and appears to be in good condition," according to a Pentagon statement.

NATO airstrikes hit central Serbia Saturday, hours after the Yugoslav government announced it would free the three U.S. soldiers.

Also on Saturday, Clinton ordered a U.S. trade embargo against Serbia, said a White House official.

Jackson with Stone after official release papers were signed

The order represents a unilateral move to cut off oil and other supplies to Yugoslavia, National Security Council spokesman David Leavy said.

"As we continue to intensify the air campaign, this is another step in tightening the noose around Milosevic's war machine," he said.

Taking advantage of good weather, NATO conducted its largest airstrike campaign Friday night and Saturday morning, the Pentagon said.

Alliance aircraft flew more than 600 sorties, hitting between 70 and 82 targets. A number of key bridges, radio transmission towers and control buildings, petroleum plants and other targets were hit, said NATO spokesman Peter Daniel.

A NATO warplane accidentally hit a bus crossing a bridge near Luzane north of Pristina, an alliance statement said.

Stone

Yugoslavia's state-run media and witnesses had reported that a NATO missile struck a civilian bus Saturday on a bridge north of Kosovo's capital Pristina, killing at least 34 people.

NATO said it regrets striking the civilians.

The Tanjug news agency said the missile cut the vehicle in two, sending part of it plunging off the bridge.

NATO began the airstrikes March 24 to compel the Serbian- dominated Yugoslav federation to accept an internationally brokered peace accord.

The NATO-sanctioned plan is meant to resolve civil conflict in the Serbian province of Kosovo between separatist ethnic Albanians and Serbian forces.

Correspondents Walter Rodgers, Jonathan Karl, Alessio Vinci and David Ensor contributed to this report.