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'I'm No Hero' -Former Iraq Captive Jessica Lynch
MaconAreaOnLine ^ | 11/6/03

Posted on 11/06/2003 7:29:27 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Army private Jessica Lynch, the badly injured U.S. prisoner of war who was rescued from a hospital during the Iraq war, said in her first interview that she is not the Rambo-style hero she has been portrayed as by American media and the military.

Lynch, 20, told ABC network reporter Diane Sawyer in an interview to be aired on "Primetime" next Tuesday, the same day as her authorized biography is published, that she never fired a shot when ambushed.

"My weapon did jam and I did not shoot, not a round, nothing. I don't look at myself as a hero. My heroes are Lori (Private Lori Piestewa, who died in the ambush of Lynch's convoy), the soldiers that are over there, the soldiers that were in the car beside me, the ones that came and rescued me," she said.

Lynch is still recovering from injuries to her spine, and cannot walk without crutches. She has no feeling in her left foot and has other medical problems.

Lynch, who became a symbol of U.S. heroism during the early stages of the war on Iraq, insisted, "I am just a survivor."

In an advance, partial copy of the ABC interview, Lynch said she was hurt that other people had "made up stories" about her fiercely fighting her Iraqi captors.

"I'm not about to take credit for something that I didn't do... It hurt in a way that people would make up stories that they had no truth about. Only I would have been able to know that because the other four people on my vehicle aren't here to tell that story."

'PRAYING ON MY KNEES'

Lynch, a supply clerk who was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War medal, received an honorable military discharge from the Army in August due to her injuries, allowing her to sign the $1 million book deal.

U.S. commandos filmed their rescue of Lynch from the Iraqi hospital on April 1, nine days after she was captured at the onset of the war.

An early media report quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she "fought to the death" before being captured and suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The Army later concluded she was hurt when her Humvee crashed into another vehicle in the convoy after being hit by a grenade.

Sawyer asked Lynch if she went down "like, somebody said, Rambo?"

"No, I went down praying on my knees," she replied.

Lynch said she was thankful to the soldiers who rescued her but said she was troubled by the way the incident was portrayed by the military.

"It does (bother me) that they used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff ... yeah, it's wrong ... I don't know why they filmed it, or why they say the things they, you know."

The full details of her story have yet to come out since Lynch said she suffered a loss of memory after her capture.

ABC said that in the interview she discussed for the first time a report she was sexually assaulted during her captivity, saying that she did not remember such an incident but adding, "even just the thinking about that, that's too painful."

According to Sawyer, the book "I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story," cites a medical record as indicating that Lynch was raped.

The young private was captured by Iraqis on March 23 near Nassiriya. Eleven other U.S. soldiers were killed and nine wounded in the incident.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: jessicalynch; jlynch
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To: iranger
Doesn't prove anything as to whether males are more likely to report a rape.
201 posted on 11/12/2003 9:49:20 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: #3Fan
Of course, it doesn't prove anything. But it does offer one little snipet of fact to disprove your theory. So far you have offered nothing to support it.
202 posted on 11/12/2003 10:06:46 AM PST by iranger
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To: iranger
Of course, it doesn't prove anything. But it does offer one little snipet of fact to disprove your theory.

No, it's useless as to the question of whether men are less likely to report rape.

So far you have offered nothing to support it.

Common sense, something some don't possess.

203 posted on 11/12/2003 10:10:57 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: #3Fan
"Common sense, something some don't possess."

I take it back, you do have something to offer...personal attacks. Beautiful, you'll get far in life with that attitude. I love the 'I have nothing to support my argument other than common sense approach,' its so original.

204 posted on 11/12/2003 10:32:22 AM PST by iranger
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To: iranger
I take it back, you do have something to offer...personal attacks.

Your post #200 was a personal attack against me, saying I lack depth.

205 posted on 11/12/2003 10:37:50 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: Lokibob
Nobody has put her up for a Silver Star or a Medal of Honor.

A judge from West Virginia made a formal request for her consideration for the Medal of Honor.

206 posted on 11/12/2003 10:41:20 AM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: #3Fan
I looked. It says nothing about you. It does speak to your comments, but does not say they lacked dept, rather I was merely thanking you for the depth of your comments.
207 posted on 11/12/2003 10:52:28 AM PST by iranger
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
I'm not suprised, with the Jessica worship going on the last few days, but the request will get very little traction.

Having been in VN, I can appreciate the terror she must have felt, but terror is not MOH criteria.

Jessica is excellent media and U.S. Army copy, but , as she herself has said, She isn't a hero.

This country NEEDS more kids like Jessica, and truthfully, I think we have them already.
208 posted on 11/12/2003 10:56:12 AM PST by Lokibob
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To: iranger
I looked. It says nothing about you. It does speak to your comments, but does not say they lacked dept, rather I was merely thanking you for the depth of your comments.

According to that standard I didn't say you didn't have common sense, I said "some" didn't.

209 posted on 11/12/2003 11:08:51 AM PST by #3Fan
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To: Lokibob
I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression - it was way back in the beginning (April or May) when he did it. He jumped the gun pretty badly, as did some folks here.
210 posted on 11/12/2003 11:09:31 AM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
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To: #3Fan
"...some don't possess."

That would be most women...word to the wise.

211 posted on 11/12/2003 11:44:42 AM PST by iranger
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To: iranger
Now I see your problem with Lynch.
212 posted on 11/12/2003 12:41:12 PM PST by #3Fan
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To: MJY1288
Yes it was the media, now they are blaming it on the pentagon and the administration, and according to reports, so is she. More Bush/Rummy bashing on this subject. So disgusting.
213 posted on 11/12/2003 12:43:29 PM PST by ladyinred (Talk about a revolution, look at California!!! We dumped Davis!!!)
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Leave her alone.
214 posted on 11/12/2003 12:44:52 PM PST by Consort
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To: #3Fan
I'm disappointed you didn't see the humor in that.
215 posted on 11/12/2003 5:06:40 PM PST by iranger
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