Excerpts of Interviews Shown by TV in Iraq

Here are excerpts from interviews with men identified as allied soldiers captured by Iraq. The interviews were broadcast on Iraqi television.

The men, three Americans, two Britons and an Italian pilot, responded to questions in English by an Iraqi interrogator. A seventh POW, identified as a Kuwaiti, was interviewed in Arabic. His interview was unavailable.

* Marine Corps Lt. Col. Clifford M. Acree, 39, of Oceanside, commander of the VMO2 Squadron:

His mission: “Observation and reconnaissance.”

How shot down: “I was flying a mission in southern Kuwait and was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.”

Message to family: “I would like to tell my wife and family I am alive and well.”

* Navy Lt. Jeffrey N. Zaun, 28, of Cherry Hill, N.J., Navy Attack Squadron 35, deployed on the aircraft carrier Saratoga.

His mission: “I fly the A6-E Intruder. My mission was to attack the H-3 airfield in southwestern Iraq. I flew as part of a formation of four aircraft in order to commit this attack.”

On the war: “I think our leaders and our people have wrongly attacked the peaceful people of Iraq.”

Message to family: “I would like to tell my mother and my father and my sister that I am well and that they should pray for peace.”

* Capt. Maurizio Cocciolone, 30, of the Italian air force.

His mission: “To attack the Iraqi people.”

How shot down: “We don’t know exactly.”

On the war: “The war is a bad thing. . . . So I think the best thing of this situation would be to find a political means of peace to bring this situation to an end. I think (I want) . . . to tell my political leaders . . . to find here right now a political solution to this war.”

Message to family: “Don’t be worried; they are really taking care of me.”

* Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer Guy L. Hunter Jr., 46, Camp Pendleton, Calif., Unit MO2 of the U.S. Marine Corps, pilot of an OV-10 Bronco.

His mission: “Against the Iraqi troops in southern Iraq.”

How shot down: “I am not certain. We were flying, and all of a sudden there was a loud bang on the left wing and the plane began to crash.”

On the war: “I think this war is crazy and should never have happened. It is an aggression against peaceful Iraq.”

Message to family: “To my wife and children, I miss you very much. I am in good hands and being treated well. To the children, please study hard.”

* Flight Lt. Adrian John Nichols, 27, of Britain’s 15th Squadron.

His mission: “To attack an Iraqi airfield.”

How shot down: “I was shot down by an Iraqi system. I do not know what it was.”

On the war: “I think this war should be stopped. . . . I do not agree with this war on Iraq.”

* Flight Lt. Peters, 29, British pilot. He spoke hoarsely and nearly inaudibly, and did not give his first name. Britain has listed Lt. John Gyart Peters as missing.