Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (AP) Three U.S. Military contractors are back in America and reunited with their families this morning.

The three were held as hostages for five years until Colombian agents tricked leftist rebels into handing them over yesterday.

The American ambassador to Colombia says U.S. And Colombian forces cooperated closely on the daring hostage rescue mission.

The contractors were captured five years ago when their drug surveillance plane crashed in a rebel-held jungle. Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell were flown back to an Air Force Base in Texas late yesterday, quickly taken away for medical checkups and reunions with their families.