Saving Pvt. Lynch a big hit in W.Va.

NY Daily News ^ | 04-02-03 | KERRY BURKE and MAKI BECKER

[veronica]

Jessica Lynch, shown in September 2000 photo, was rescued from Iraqi captors yesterday.

Firecrackers popped and horns honked in West Virginia last night as news of Pfc. Jessica Lynch's rescue spread through the tiny town of Palestine. The 19-year-old Army supply clerk who disappeared — and was feared dead — after her maintenance crew was ambushed March 23 in central Iraq was rescued by U.S. Special Forces, Central Command announced last night.

"Oh, mercy! It's been like a big weight has been lifted," Lynch's grandmother Wanema told the Daily News.

"We got the word last Sunday she was captured, and we've been waiting ever since. Waiting, hoping and praying," she said. "We have to thank the Lord for miracles, and he certainly gave us one tonight."

Lynch's father, Greg, was so overcome last night he could barely speak.

"We're just glad it happened," he told a local TV station.

"I'm just so excited," said her mother, Dee. "I'm just speechless."

Nearly every tree in this poor town of 900 people was wrapped with a yellow ribbon in hopes that the dollfaced young woman a month shy of her 20th birthday would return home safely.

"They ran out of yellow ribbons," said another relieved relative, Rheta Lynch.

Costly wrong turn

Five members of Lynch's unit, the 507th Maintenance Company out of Fort Bliss, Tex., were believed to have been captured after taking a wrong turn near Nassiriya.

Two are confirmed dead. Besides Lynch, the fate of seven others from the unit remain a mystery.

U.S. Special Operations forces swooped in and rescued Lynch at Saddam Hospital in Nassiriya after a Marine was handed a note in English that said a woman POW was in the hospital, MSNBC reported.

"She's still alive. She's in room [XXX]," the note read, according to MSNBC.

Capt. Jay La Rossa, spokesman for the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, told Reuters that Lynch had two broken legs and one broken arm, but was in good condition. Early reports that Lynch also suffered at least one gunshot wound could not be confirmed.

La Rossa said Special Forces also found the bodies of two U.S. soldiers.

Iraqi TV has displayed five POWs from the 507th, along with the bodies of several dead soldiers. Sources told The Washington Post that no other POWs were at the hospital at the time.

But yesterday, Lynch's safe return offered a glimmer of hope to the families of other soldiers listed as captured or missing in action.

"I'm happy that she's been rescued," said Claude Johnson, father of Army Spec. Shoshana Johnson, 30, a cook who was shown on Iraqi TV in enemy hands. "I'm keeping my line open for information about my daughter."

[Catspaw]

I didn't hear her brother helped in the rescue. Where did you hear that?

[handy]

FYI - You all can see a video of the resuce @ Fox news for free. CNN want $9.95 before they will show you the video... and CNN wonders why they are losing viewers.

[Kozak]

Announced on Fox news this morning, Not sure if it was mentioned by the Centcom briefer this AM.

[Catspaw]

Remember that the Iraqis were known to have US uniforms, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that she wouldn't know if these were real US soldiers or fake ones. If her brother was there, it'd give her a face that she could ID.

[Elkiejg]

God has blessed this family with the rescue of their daughter. Thanks must go to our brave military for this daring raid. On another note, I saw a quote from WVa Rockfeller - but haven't seen anything from KKKByrd as yet. Maybe he was too drunk last night to even know what was going on. The news reports have said that the area of WVa that she comes from has about 15% unemployment and is very poor. Where has old KKK been - what about all those pork items he piles on for WVa - aren't they getting down to the working people? O.K. - rant over.

[rrrod]

americans rejoice..democRATS deeply saddened

[ChadGore]

"I'm
deeply
saddened"

[BullDog108]

I didn't hear her brother helped in the rescue. Where did you hear that?

That's news to me, too. From

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,82923,00.html :

She was following in the footsteps of her older brother Gregory, a National Guardsman based at Fort Bragg, N.C. Jessica Lynch enlisted through the Army's delayed-entry program before graduating from high school.

[ErnBatavia]

Announced on Fox news this morning, Not sure if it was mentioned by the Centcom briefer this AM.

I heard the briefer say that HIS brother was up fighting in Iraq...could this be what you heard?

[2Jedismom]

Can you imagine just how good the guys feel that got her out? What a wonderful feeling that must be for them.

I can just imagine the joy she must have felt when she saw "our guys" coming for her.

[handy]

I am ROFLOL @ your post #27. Thats Funny!!!!!!!!

[samanella]

starring Janene Garofalo or Susan Sarandon.

[mountaineer]

Yes, the senator from NY, er, WV, John D. Rockefeller IV, fell all over himself getting out a statement regarding Jessica's rescue. Sheets Byrd has yet to be awakened from his nap to be told the good news. We in WV await Gov. (former Congressman) Bob Wise's mad dash to Palestine, W.Va., to appear on camera with the happy family.

[Kozak]

There was a "crawler" accross the screen stating her brother had taken part in the rescue. If thats not true I appologize, it sure seemed pretty increadible, but a hell of a story.

[mtbopfuyn]

No, her brother didn't help in her rescue. They both did join at the same time, but he's in the Reserves (?) based at Ft. Bragg (?, sorry wasn't paying attention). The mom called him and he was granted leave to go home yesterday. This morning he was interviewed by CNN and FNC. Of course, by the time Hollywood gets through with the script, her brother might very well have been there leading the troops, ugh.

Hate to say this but Paula did a much better interview with him than Friends did. Friends acted as if they weren't even interested thought they did a good interview with the dad moments earlier.

[wimpycat]

I saw Jessica's brother on TV with their family in WV last night, so he wasn't in on the rescue.

[BullDog108]

If it is true, WHAT A STORY! This girl will have more than fifteen minutes of fame.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

starring Janene Garofalo or Susan Sarandon.

Playing the part of Saddam Hussein maybe? They don't even have special effects that could make either of those two look like Jessica Lynch.

[mtbopfuyn]

Forgot to add that brother, father, and friends were all interviewed about 6:30am/ct in yard of their WV home, not in the Iraqi desert. Switch channels! ...unless it's FNC.

[chuknospam]

Her father said the he hopes that she continues on with her military career. That's a real American for you and that's one tough "Hillbilly" woman. God Bless her and her family!