U.S. Defense Secretary Perry and Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Shalikashvili cheerfully relieved after crossing the pontoon bridge over river Sava. It took almost two weeks to set up two pontoon bridges, which slowed down IFOR operation. Meanwhile locals transported about 2000 troops over Sava in a more primitive way - by using little boats. Establishing of pontoon bridges also tied up journalists and photographers who waited. Reuters for example missed Martin Begosh (the first American casualty of this war). Instead they got a picture of his damaged humvee (that hit a landmine), before it was transported over, of course, a pontoon bridge:
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