'She Was Fighting to the Death'

Washington Post ^ | 4/3/2003 | Susan Schmidt and Vernon LoebSusan Schmidt and Vernon LoebSusan Schmidt and Vernon Loeb

[saquin]

washingtonpost.com

'She Was Fighting to the Death'
Details Emerging of W. Va. Soldier's Capture and Rescue

By Susan Schmidt and Vernon Loeb
Washington Post Staff Writers

Thursday, April 3, 2003; Page A01

Pfc. Jessica Lynch, rescued Tuesday from an Iraqi hospital, fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers after Iraqi forces ambushed the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition, U.S. officials said yesterday.

Lynch, a 19-year-old supply clerk, continued firing at the Iraqis even after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds and watched several other soldiers in her unit die around her in fighting March 23, one official said. The ambush took place after a 507th convoy, supporting the advancing 3rd Infantry Division, took a wrong turn near the southern city of Nasiriyah.

"She was fighting to the death," the official said. "She did not want to be taken alive."

[Im Your Huckleberry]

She's braver than many a man I've known.

There's no getting over this young woman's heroism and valor.

God bless her, the rest of her days. I hope she heals. I hope the horrors of this war fade. I hope she has a wonderful rest of her life and tells this story to her great-grandchildren some day.

This woman is a soldier.

I'm sittin' here with a tear in my eye, honest I am, as I consider what a blessing it is to be an American and live in a country that produces men and women like this.

[algol]

"The officer said that Special Operations forces found what looked like a "prototype" Iraqi torture chamber in the hospital's basement, with batteries and metal prods"

This looks like a common pattern through out the whole country. Every hospital and every jail has a torture chamber.

Nah, it's the latest in high-tech medical science: electrotherapy. </sarcasm>

[Thorondir]

Yep, she's ten times the man that poofer will ever dream of being.

[Im Your Huckleberry]

I just hope she took a few dozen of these 11th century, medieval, barbarians with her.

Good Job, Jessie. I hope you killed dozens of these primitives.

[justa-hairyape]

Americans who are taught wisely are taught to always, 'Remember the Alamo'. The fact that our current military is all volunteer also helps to make it the toughest on the planet.

[Thorondir]

Seventh century savages. Don't give the sand maggots any more credit than they deserve.

Stop the ROT!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

That's a hard one because these aren't all of the requirements. Depending on Army standards at the time, independent verification may be required for such a medal. Other witnesses or evidence may be needed.

[gcruse]

This soldier may be the first hero of this war. Can you stop carping long enough for us to savor her rescue?

[Thorondir]

This soldier may be the first hero of this war.

The first? Unlikely. Way unlikely. Gee cripes!

[Nexus6]

The facts of what actually transpired obviously need to be verified, we're not talking about an Army Service ribbon here. Having said that, if this story turns out to be true, there is no doubt she will qualify for this medal, along with the POW medal and Purple Heart.

[gcruse]

Who do you do you have in mind, this far?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Thorondir]

OK, here we go. (sheesh).

You made the assertion that she may be the first hero of the war. Your assertion caries the burden of proof or, at least, the burden of some (any) evidence to make it something more than just a gratuitous assertion.

I made the claim that your assertion was unlikely, which still leaves the burden of proof (thus far unprovided) on you. But I will indulge the lack of rationality ou call for in this matter.

There have been literally thousands of contacts with hostile enemy forces. The great likelihood is that at least one of those thousands of contacts involved some heroism on the part of coalition forces. And don't forget the Black Watch forces who inserted themselves between the innocent Iraqi civilians and those Saddam loyalists who were murdering them. That, by any sane measure, was a heroic act.

Criminy! Calling on me to prove your gratuitous assertion untrue is beyond the pale.

[DoughtyOne]

Special Edition Victory Series Production

The rescue of POW Private First Class Jessica Lynch has captured the attention of our nation.
This Victory Series submission is dedicated to her.

American POW Leaves Iraq After Rescue
inspiring details of the Private First Class Jessica Lynch story

By DOUG MELLGREN, Associated Press Writer

Excerpted to details about Private First Class Jessica Lynch, future recipient of the Purple Heart and possibly other medals as well.

NASIRIYAH, Iraq - An American flag folded across her chest, Pfc. Jessica Lynch left Iraq on a stretcher Wednesday April 2, 2003, after U.S. commandos, acting on a CIA tip, rescued the prisoner of war.

Lynch, a 19-year-old Army supply clerk, arrived at a U.S. air base in southwestern Germany on a C-17 transport plane late Wednesday for treatment at a U.S. military medical center.

"She's real spirited, she hasn't eaten in eight days and she's hungry," her father, Greg Lynch, said. "She wants some food."

U.S. officials in Kuwait said earlier she had two broken legs, a broken arm and at least one gunshot wound (see below for discrepancy).

Lynch was captured by the Iraqis more than a week ago after her maintenance unit made a wrong turn and was ambushed in Nasiriyah.

Following an intelligence tip about Lynch's whereabouts, U.S. special operations forces made their way behind Iraqi lines and seized Lynch from the Saddam Hospital under cover of darkness late Tuesday, American officials said.

The 507th was attacked March 23 during some of the earliest fighting in Nasiriyah, where Saddam's Fedayeen loyalists and other Iraqi fighters are said to have dressed as civilians and ambushed Americans.

Lynch fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers during the ambush. She fired her weapon after she had several gunshot wounds (see above for discrepancy) and kept firing until she ran out of ammunition, The Washington Post reported in Thursday's editions.

She watched several soldiers in her unit die and was stabbed when Iraqi forces closed in on her position, The Post quoted U.S. officials as saying.

An Iraqi pharmacist who works at Saddam Hospital told Britain's Sky television that he treated Lynch for leg injuries but that she was otherwise healthy. But he added, "every day I saw her crying about wanting to go home."

The pharmacist, who gave his name only as Imad, said Lynch knew the U.S. troops were on the other side of the Euphrates River and "she kept wondering if the American Army were coming to save her."

Kudos to Private First Class Jessica Lynch, for her courage under fire.

Home grown, from the heartland of the United States!

[fr_freak]

I'm not a grunt, I don't know how the CIB works. Semper Fi!!

CIB is Combat Infantryman's Badge. Only infantry are eligible for that award.

[MCFujiTanker]

Right...no offense, my best buddy from HS was in the Army for 20 years...I could never figure out all the stuff he had on his uniform. The Marines keep it a lot simpler (now the jokes start about books with lots of photos, don't worry, I've heard them all!!) I remember during Desert Storm there was plenty of grumbling about who got the CIB, and on the Marine side they were arguing about the CAR. Then you have the CNO shooting himself in the chest over a combat "V"!! The new USMC Commandant had to remove his "Helping Hand" medal. The beat goes on.

[ChemistCat]

He just asked whom you have in mind.

PPfpppppbpbbbbbbbtt.