POW's Johnson's Iraqi captors urged her to marry Iraqi

The Associated Press ^ | 02/13/04

[optimistically_conservative]

NEW YORK -- Nearly a year after being shot and taken prisoner in Iraq, former Army specialist Shoshana Johnson said the 22 days she spent in captivity do not make her a hero.

"I'm a survivor, not a hero," Johnson told Essence magazine in its March issue. "The heroes are the soldiers who paid the ultimate price and the Marines who risked their lives to rescue us. ... They took a chance and because they did, I'm here."

Johnson, 31, of El Paso, Texas, was a cook for the 507th Maintenance Company when it was ambushed in March 2003. She was shot in both ankles and captured with five other soldiers, including Jessica Lynch. Nine U.S. soldiers died in the attack.

In an interview, Johnson said she was slapped and punched by her captors until her helmet flew off, exposing her braided hair.

"That's when they realized I was a woman," Johnson said. "They stopped beating me and immediately separated me from the others."

After undergoing surgery for her gunshot wounds, Johnson said, she began to refuse pain medications offered by Iraqi doctors. "When the doctor asked me if I wanted more, I said no," Johnson said. "He commented, 'Strong woman."'

She said at the time she thought, "I'm not a strong woman. It hurts!"

Johnson said she was not sexually assaulted, describing her captors as generally sympathetic, even protective. At one prison the guards told her to "stay and marry an Iraqi man," Johnson said.

"At first I thought it was a joke," she said, until one guard expressed interest in her "and even tried to hold my hand." After that happened, an older Iraqi guard began sleeping outside her cell door.

"He did that, I think, to protect me," Johnson said.

Johnson said she "had long conversations with God" and concentrated on eventually being free. She thought about her daughter Janelle, then 2, hoping she would return home to see Janelle grow up, finish school and get married.

When she was reunited with her daughter, the child was afraid of the brace and cast she wore on her legs, Johnson said. "She stood back and just kept saying, 'Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?' And I would say, 'Yes.' And she would smile."

Johnson said she has difficulty sleeping and suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome. "There's still some pain and swelling in my feet," Johnson said. "I also have back problems now. I can't lift my daughter."

Johnson was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal for her service in Iraq and was honorably discharged late last year.

[Hildy]

That's a hero...but women with children shouldn't go to war. That's my opinion.

[Sister_T]

She's much more of a "heroine" than Jessica Lynch!

[CharlotteVRWC]

I'll never forget the look in her eyes of the picture released when she was captured.

[COBOL2Java]

"At first I thought it was a joke," she said, until one guard expressed interest in her "and even tried to hold my hand." After that happened, an older Iraqi guard began sleeping outside her cell door.

Decent Iraqi, that older dude! I have a feeling there are enough of them to put some hope in the future of their country.

[cyborg]

Good article.

[Arkinsaw]

When you are captured by the enemy, and your captors end up commenting that you are "strong", then you have done your best as a soldier and American. Really proud of her.

[cyborg]

I noticed that Shoshana is getting a bit more attention from the media.

[Gunrunner2]

Agreed.

[optimistically_conservative]

Really proud of her.

Ditto.

[Cicero]

God bless her. She has the right attitude. Getting captured isn't, as she says, the kind of heroism that deserves a medal. Nonetheless her conduct as a captive was heroic. More so, I think, than someone like John Kerry, who used his political connections to get himself awarded a Silver Star for shooting a wounded man, and three (count 'em, three) Purple Hearts for three scratches.

[Arpege92]

"She's much more of a 'heroine' than Jessica Lynch!"

Why do you say that?

[armymarinemom]

She is one strong lady. I noticed how painful it was for her to walk from the first videos of the rescued group but she kept going.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**She's much more of a "heroine" than Jessica Lynch! **

Huh?

[BenLurkin]

"I'm a survivor, not a hero," Johnson told Essence magazine in its March issue. "The heroes are the soldiers who paid the ultimate price and the Marines who risked their lives to rescue us. ... They took a chance and because they did, I'm here."

I gotta respect this veteran for her down to earth attitude and devotion to duty. What I've seen of her to date has been pretty impressive for someone who was just another G.I. not that long ago.

[camas]

didn't kerry get a silver star for ???? and she only gets a bronze star!! i sure hope the truth about kerry comes out and soon.

[NonValueAdded]

"I'm a survivor, not a hero," Johnson told Essence magazine in its March issue. "The heroes are the soldiers who paid the ultimate price and the Marines who risked their lives to rescue us. ... They took a chance and because they did, I'm here."

Well, God Bless her. She is definitely one of America's finest.

[EagleMamaMT]

Bump.

[optimistically_conservative]

"... and she only gets a bronze star!!"

And my admiration.

[malia]

why do that - Don't pit one against the other, you fall into the dims game.

Both are very strong people and I'm proud of both for their service.