Congratulations, Rangers, for a job well done.
SAVANNAH — The Army has awarded its third-highest unit citation to the special operations unit that participated in the high-profile rescue of former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch.
The 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based in Savannah, Ga., received the Valorous Unit Award during a Friday ceremony at Hunter Army Airfield.
"Being a special operator, a Ranger, is not a job. It's who you are," said special operations commander Lt. Gen. Robert W. Wagner.
The battalion helped rescue Lynch from an Iraqi hospital during a nighttime raid and dug up the bodies of eight soldiers who had been killed in fighting with Lynch's unit.
A convoy from Lynch's company took a wrong turn and was attacked in the Iraqi town of Nasiriyah in March 2003. Eleven American soldiers were killed and six were captured, including Lynch. She suffered two spinal fractures, nerve damage and a shattered right arm, right foot and left leg when her Humvee crashed during the battle.
More than 50 individual awards were also presented to Rangers, including a Bronze Star for valor and 40 Bronze Star medals for service. In addition, the Army awarded five Commendation medals and eight Purple Hearts.
In August, Lynch started classes at West Virginia University, one of several universities that offered her a scholarship so she could achieve her dream of becoming a kindergarten teacher.
The battalion recently returned from a three-month split deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Congratulations, Rangers, for a job well done.