American soldiers give Iraqi children the gift of life.

Byline: Hilda Perez

SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, Iraq_The bombing ended, and the two brothers scampered ahead of the rest of the Saed family, relieved to be on the way back to their home in the town of Nahai Al Rasheed.

"We were so happy because we thought it was all over," said Arheim Saed, their 54-year-old father.

Then the boys tripped a landmine planted on the dirt path by their countrymen to stop the advancing American troops.

Saed rushed to his boys, who were sprawled on the ground, covered in blood. He knew they were alive because they were crying.

He had only one thought: "I knew I had to get them to wherever American soldiers might be. I could not count on Iraqi soldiers because I was not a soldier myself. They would have left them to die."

The small-chested farmer, his …