Rescued POW Put Up Fierce Fight

CBSNews.com ^ | April 3, 2003 | CBS

[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.

[spunkets]

"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."

Where's the honor? It's all self promotion.

[HairOfTheDog]

They did on other threads last night. I just hope I find something here today to remind me that there is a lot that is good here.

[rockinonritalin]

Agreed. Hollywood likes to play "dress up." PFC Lynch is the real deal.

[MineralMan]

"And neither do you, which is exactly why we should be careful to honor her as a hero before the FACTS are in."

Nor should we deny that she is a hero before the facts are in. You seem bent on inferring that PFC Lynch is _not_ a hero. You don't know any more than anyone else here.

We'll all watch and see whether any medal citations emerge, won't we. Your opinion in this regard has no effect on what awards the military may bestow on this young soldier.

Why not hold off on your criticism until _you_ have the facts?

[MineralMan]

"I wonder who will be the first one to claim the story of Jessica's heroism is bogus..."

Keep reading. A2J is already denigrating her to the level of just another GI. Shameful.

[A2J]

I don't believe I've heard her "claim" anything. My understanding is that she is a clerk who was put into a situation way outside the confines of what her normal job classification would have required. She is no "SEAL" or special ops.; how about giving her a little credit?

Considering the fact that apparently all those who were with her at her capture are either dead or still in captivity, who else is there to make those claims?

I will give her more than credit by saying she apparently had the strength and determination to stay alive in the face of what probably was going to be certain death. She is deserving of our thanks and praise for being a true patriot.

[A2J]

In other words the gorgeous little Jessica has more balls than that whiny, faggy Marine conscientious objecter.

Amen!

[valleygal]

Fight to the Death! Girl from West Virginia, darn right she could teach some Kindergarten.

Hey, she could survive middle and high schoolers with no problem!

[Frapster]

I think we are all truly inspired by her bravery, her resiliance and her determination. We are awed by the wounds she sustained and some of us (including me) may be eating a little crow for our comments about women in battle. But I do agree with you - she deserves a lot of accolades but the exposure of her story does not, in and of itself, merit an award beyond any other soldier who has been captured (wounded or not) deserves. Those who rescued her, on the other hand, seem less inclined to garner any attention for doing their duty which was to face enemy fire to bring home one of their owned. They are most definitely heroes and I bet PFC Lynch and her family agree.

[Frapster]

owned s/b own. bah

[MineralMan]

"Considering the fact that apparently all those who were with her at her capture are either dead or still in captivity, who else is there to make those claims?"

What evidence do you have that she has made any claims at all. Some here consider this young soldier a hero. That is their right. You consider her to be simply a soldier. That is your right.

None of us knows what happened in that battle. Apparently this young soldier was wounded and apparently, according to the military, she fought back, emptying her weapon.

Beyond that, we do not know. None of us knows. We will probably learn more as time goes on. Until then, I believe that your insistence that she is _not_ a hero is misplaced here.

[homeschool_dad]

I appreciate your reply and respect your civil tone. Thank you. It's nice to be able to have a rational discussion about such a heated topic and still maintain our dignity.

[lewislynn]

And neither do you, which is exactly why we should be careful to honor her as a hero before the FACTS are in.

I know enough about her before the firefight story to know she's a hero.

I also know a nitwit when I see one.

[A2J]

Everyone's heros are their own is all. There is no count of votes required before one or many people can admire and look up to someone. For them to call them a hero.

Ah, but when you talk about awarding a person with a very public award, it does matter whether one truly deserves it. That's why the military usually investigates claims of such bravery that it warrants such a high honor, to make sure the person receiving it is worthy.

That's the way it should be.

[CougarGA7]

I keep getting this mental image of an Iraqi soldier laying on the ground dying with the last thing he saw was this 5'5" blond girl who just kick his and his buddies @$$!

Makes me feel all warm inside.

[lewislynn]

She is deserving of our thanks and praise.....

Which seems to be more than we can say for you.

[A2J]

Where's the honor? It's all self promotion.

Would you then agree that heroism is in the eye of the beholder?

[MineralMan]

"Ah, but when you talk about awarding a person with a very public award, it does matter whether one truly deserves it. That's why the military usually investigates claims of such bravery that it warrants such a high honor, to make sure the person receiving it is worthy."

And no such award has been made. One may be, at some point, but that's not the issue here, in my opinion. I have no doubt that PFC Lynch will receive some citation. What that will be remains to be seen. However, even the Bronze Star is awarded for valor. I don't think there is any doubt of this young soldier's valor, do you?

I served in our military, but did not see any combat. I received no medals, nor did I deserve any. However, I recognize that citations and medals are given to those who show valor. That is apparently the case here. At what level, I do not know, but I'll wager that some medal will be awarded PFC Lynch.

Whether _you_ think she deserves it or not is beside the point.

[BSunday]

Little girl...willing to fight to the death... Welcome to America, Achmed

I hereby nominate you for the quote and post of the day!

[A2J]

Your opinion in this regard has no effect on what awards the military may bestow on this young soldier.

I believe that if the military honors Lynch with more than the other soldiers who were sent home with Purple Hearts for being injured in battle, it should ilicit a strong response from conservatives because it would be a decision made along what is PC and not what is truth.