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Injured ‘World News Tonight’ Team Showing Signs of Improvement

Jan 30, 2006  •  Post A Comment

ABC “World News Tonight” co-anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt, who were injured Sunday by an improvised explosive device in Iraq, were showing signs of improvement Monday, according to an update issued by ABC News President David Westin, who said the pair may be brought to the United States for further treatment as soon as tomorrow.

Mr. Westin said Mr. Vogt remained in better condition than Mr. Woodruff, but that “doctors are pleased with how they came through the transfer” to the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, where they and their injured Iraqi driver were being treated Monday. The three were flown from the military medical facility in Balad, Iraq, where they underwent surgery for shrapnel wounds.

“We still have a long way to go,” said Mr. Westin, “but it appears that we may have also come some distance from yesterday.”

Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Vogt suffered head injuries and Mr. Woodruff also received upper body wounds while traveling on assignment with the 4th Infantry Division. They were in a convoy with Iraqi security forces when the convoy was attacked near Taji, about 12 miles north of Baghdad.

During an appearance Monday with Mr. Woodruff’s co-anchor, Elizabeth Vargas, on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Mr. Westin said, “We have perhaps a false sense that when we are embedded with the U.S. military there is a particular sense of safety. In fact, there is nowhere in Iraq that’s safe. Bob understood that and knew that. He knew the risks, and we balance them every day with every assignment.”