Posted on 04/03/2003 6:14:02 AM PST by rockinonritalin
The 19-year-old Army supply clerk rescued in Iraq shot several Iraqi soldiers during the March 23 ambush that resulted in her capture, newspaper reported Thursday. She kept firing even after she had several gunshot wounds, finally running out of ammunition, the newspaper said, citing unidentified U.S. officials.
Spirited but hungry, Pfc. Jessica Lynch arrived in Germany for treatment of two broken legs and bullet wounds reportedly suffered in a fierce gun battle she waged against her Iraqi captors.
"She was fighting to the death," the Washington Post quoted an official as saying. "She did not want to be taken alive."
"Talk about spunk!" said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., who was briefed by military officials on the rescue.
Pentagon officials and family members contacted late Wednesday declined comment on the report.
Lynch's daring nighttime rescue used virtually every asset the U.S. had, reports CBS News Correspondent Lee Cowan, from a battalion of Marines who drew fire as a decoy to U.S. Special Forces, who ran through a hail of gunfire for a stranger — not once, but twice.
"There were fire fights outside of the building, getting in and getting out," said Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks at Central Command in Doha.
The former POW left Iraq on a stretcher with an American flag folded across her chest, and arrived at a U.S. air base in Germany late Wednesday for treatment at the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. She was the only patient aboard the 10-hour flight, reports CBS News Correspondent Stephan Kaufman at Landstuhl.
From Germany, she spoke with her family at their home in Palestine, W.Va., in a 15-minute telephone call.
"She's real spirited. She hasn't eaten in eight days and she's hungry," said her father, Greg Lynch. "She wants some food."
Randy Coleman, a military spokesman in West Virginia, said Lynch had fractures in both legs, and her family said she also injured her arm. U.S. officials in Kuwait said earlier she had two broken legs, a broken arm and at least one gunshot wound.
According to the Post account, she was also stabbed when Iraqi forces closed in on her.
Landstuhl spokesman Capt. Norris Jones would not comment on Lynch's injuries other than to say she was in stable condition.
"She's weak, she knows she's injured and they're doing the best that they can to get her so she can travel," said her brother Greg Lynch Jr. Her father said she will be transferred to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington as soon as possible.
However, it may be some time before she is reunited with her family, since soldiers taken prisoner often need time to "decompress" and meet with medical and psychological experts.
The U.S. forces who rescued her also found 11 corpses — some believed to be Americans — in and around Saddam Hospital, and the military was trying to determine whether any of them were captured members of her unit.
Lynch and as many as 12 other members of the 507th Maintenance Company were captured after making a wrong turn in Nasariyah. She watched several soldiers in her unit die in the ambush, the Post reported.
Not long after the fighting, five of Lynch's fellow soldiers showed up in Iraqi television footage being asked questions by their captors. The video also showed bodies, apparently of U.S. soldiers, leading the Pentagon to accuse Iraq of executing some POWs.
Lynch joined the Army after graduating from high school in 2001. Her brother Greg enlisted the same day. Her 18-year-old sister Brandi will report for duty in August.
"I still want to do it even more. It's the Lynch blood," Brandi Lynch said.
To help Lynch reach her goal of becoming a kindergarten teacher, West Virginia and Marshall universities and Liberty College in Lynchburg, Va., offered her competing packages Wednesday.
And West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise said the state would finance Lynch's education at a state public college or university of her choosing.
"She wants to become a teacher, and we are going to see that she becomes one," he said after visiting the Lynch family at home.
Why isn't the Iraqi being considered a hero?
After all, he/she placed him/herself in tremendous danger and risked his/her life in providing the information necessary for our guys to rescue Jessica. In other words, he/she risked far more than Jessica did.
But not one word has been said on his/her behalf because we want to make heroes out "our" guys, even though they may not deserve to be called such.
I happen to think that every single soldier, sailor, airman, etc. over there is A HERO--whether they're in a fire-fight with the Republican Guard, or sorting the mail on a Navy ship.
ALL of our servicemen and women have chosen to be ready to kill and to die for the sake of our country!!! Shame on anyone here who doesn't appreciate that.
In North Africa, after Kasserine Pass, even in incidents that were combat failures, company and larger unit commanders were awarded the DSC for bravely leading smaller units in battle and recieving facial wounds. When nominated, Patton and others in one officer's chain of command suggested that it be downgraded to a Silver Star but the Army went ahead and awarded Ward the DSC.
He was taken from his command by Patton and Eisenhower and went back to lead a training unit.
Later in the war, he distinguished himself as a combat leader in Gemany.
Was his award a good "investment"? It appears to have been the case there.
"HERO - A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life."
and The Oxford English Dictionary (paperback):
"HERO/HEROINE - A person admired for courage, outstanding achievements, etc."
These definitions appear to me to apply to PFC Lynch.
Circumstances of engagement are the only factors that some folks nitpic about. The soldiers that fight with bravery and honor are heros. Those that nitpic over the circumstances are not.
" please tell me where and when you served."
I never served in the US mil.
"it seems obvious by your comments that you do not know what is expected of a soldier under battlefield conditions.
Nonsense.
I've noted mention of that Iraqui in every story I saw regarding her rescue. THat Iraqui is also a hero. It is folks like that we are fighting to liberate from the clutches of that tyrant and will provide character example for, not only Iraquis, but all folks.
And neither do you, which is exactly why we should be careful to honor her as a hero before the FACTS are in.
It's obvious that you are a newspaper person because of your insatiable need to write something that may not be necessarily the truth.
Agreed, but does that qualify her as a hero?
Goodness, your standard for heroes would include the likes of virtually every sports, political, academic, governmental and minsterial figure in the world.
Would you say that Ghandi is a hero? How about Shaq?
So you would include Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrahkan as "heroes?"
After all, they don't threaten my heroes but are looked at as such by others.
Oh, but we do appreciate the fact that they have answered the call of the true patriot, for which they must be honored.
But to declare them all "heroes" belittles a title that should be reverently given to those who go beyond what most of us would even think of doing.
The question is whether we, as a nation, are so needy for heroes that we call virtually anyone a hero?
In other words the gorgeous little Jessica has more balls than that whiny, faggy Marine conscientious objecter.
God bless her...I think he has now.
Those folks are acting in their own interests and risk nothing, but their own ass, or assets by their activities. Heros on the other hand recieve marginal, or no compensation for their activities and risk a considerable amount. They are motivated by other than their own interests and do not rely on coercing others to attain any goals.
Wanna bet someone will?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.