Command Releases Details of Lynch Rescue

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news ^ | 6 minutes ago Sat, Apr 05, 2003 | By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Command Releases Details of Lynch Rescue

6 minutes ago

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - Frightened and seriously wounded, a 19-year-old supply clerk who was held by Iraq (news - web sites) for more than a week at first hid under a sheet when a team of U.S. military commandos stormed into her hospital room.

"Jessica Lynch," called out an American soldier, approaching her bed. "We are United States soldiers and we're here to protect you and take you home."

Peering from behind the sheet as he removed his helmet, she looked up and said, "I'm an American soldier, too."

In the first details released about the daring rescue of Pfc. Lynch, a Central Command spokesman told a briefing Saturday that a team of Navy Seals, Marine commandos, Air Force pilots and Army Rangers worked with U.S. Special Forces in the rescue Tuesday in Nasiriyah.

While troops engaged the Iraqis in another part of the city, the team persuaded an Iraqi doctor to lead them to Lynch, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Gene Renuart.

Lynch, now recuperating at the military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, had suffered a head wound and fractures in her right arm, both legs, her right foot and ankle, and an injury to her spine. The rescue team quickly evaluated her medical condition, secured her to a stretcher and carried her to a waiting helicopter, Renault said.

"Jessica held up her hand and grabbed the Ranger doctor's hand, and held onto it for the entire time, and said, 'Please don't let anybody leave me,'" Renault said. "It was clear she knew where she was and didn't want to be left anywhere near the enemy."

Meanwhile, the Iraqi doctor told the team there were remains of other U.S. forces nearby, and they were led to a burial site. Because they had not brought shovels, Renault said, the team dug up the bodies with their hands.

"They wanted to do that very rapidly, so they could race the sun and be off the site before the sun came up," Renault said. "It's a great testament to the will and desire of coalition forces to bring their own home."

Renault did not shed any new light on how Lynch sustained her wounds — whether she was injured in captivity or when the 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed March 23 when they made a wrong turn in Nasiriyah.

Eight of the dead soldiers found during the rescue were members of the ambushed unit, Renuart said. The ninth was a soldier from a forward support group of the Army's Third Infantry Division, he said. All have been transported back to the United States.

Lynch's family in West Virginia said doctors had determined she'd been shot. They found two entry and exit wounds "consistent with low-velocity, small-caliber rounds," said her mother, Deadra Lynch.

She had a back operation Thursday and surgery for other broken bones Friday, said the commander of the hospital, Col. David Rubenstein. A friend is at her bedside and although she's still being fed intravenously, she's drawn up a list of her favorite foods for the hospital: turkey, steamed carrots and applesauce.

"Her emotional state is extremely good. She's jovial. She's talking with staff," Rubenstein said.

Lynch's family was to fly Saturday from from Charleston, W.Va., to Germany to see her.

While the U.S. team was in the hospital, Renault said, they also found a weapons cache and a large-scale sandbox model in the basement that accurately depicted U.S. and Iraqi positions in Nasiriyah

[bradactor]

There are people already working on several screenplays.
I saw a thread on a google groups on rec.arts.tv that someone was putting together lol.

[cibco]

"the Jessica Lynch Memorial Highway."

Not to be picky, but don't you have to be dead first?

[NautiNurse]

If pfc Lynch maintains full editorial rights, it should be a classic keeper for generations.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

I never meant to imply the only reason she survived was because of "luck". As I said, fortitude, stamina, courage, faith, etc. also sustained her. The fact the others didn't survive doesn't mean they didn't have the same strength, reserves and attributes. We don't know what ultimately killed them. Perhaps they were treated even more harshly than Pvt Lynch.

[Catspaw]

Such a far, far cry from the uberpatriot extremist individualist so-called constitutionalists who would have just shrugged and asked, 'What's in it for me personally?'

How true, how egocentrically true.

And then they've would proceed to trash Pfc. Lynch, the rest of the POW's and the MIAs, some now KIAs.

[Catspaw]

I never meant to imply the only reason she survived was because of "luck". As I said, fortitude, stamina, courage, faith, etc. also sustained her. The fact the others didn't survive doesn't mean they didn't have the same strength, reserves and attributes. We don't know what ultimately killed them. Perhaps they were treated even more harshly than Pvt Lynch.

Some we knew were dead already, from the Iraqi tape. Some that were not shown on tape are dead, but we don't know if they were killed in battle or by the Iraqis. And five of them, as far as I know, were shown on the tape, not found at the hospital and are not yet rescued.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

five of them, as far as I know, were shown on the tape, not found at the hospital and are not yet rescued

I think of them every day... Can't get their faces out of my mind... Please, I hope they are found soon and can be saved like Pvt Lynch was.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Do you really want this story cheapened by the scum from Hollywood. I don't, It's enough hearing the reports on the news.

Becky

[DoughtyOne]

I haven't read down this thread yet, so 50 others have probably already said this. Does it turn your stomach to know that Hollywierd will glom on to this story, and the every actors that trashed the US, the President and the war effort will produce this movie?

Contempt doesn't even begin to describe my feelings over this.

[Eowyn-of-Rohan]

I agree, this talk of Hollywood-izing the story seems cheap and over the top already.

[NautiNurse]

I have faith that the UNAmericans like Baldwin, Penn and their ilk would neither accept, nor be offered a role in this story.

I believe it is important to describe this event factually in film, much like the classics we have appreciated from earlier generations. Even our soldiers have been trained through movie productions including The Peacemaker and Blackhawk Down.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I have been surprised that here on "conservative" FR on almost every thread I have read about this story someone makes a comment about making a movie about it. I thought eveyrone here disliked Hollywood. Is this a double standard:).

Sad. that the public cannot see that they have been programmed to be undable to survive without movies, and places having a movie made about you as a big honor. Sad that watching a movie about this girls torture is "entertaining". I personally don't want to see it, or actually hear the details. Knowing it probably happened is eonugh info for anyone. Let the girl get past it. Let her discuss it with those who can help her, if she needs help. The public dosen;t need to be privy to the details.

Becky

[LibKill]

If I'm ever in trouble, these are the guys I would want to come to the rescue.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

If a buck is to made I bet the last one I have they would make it. Your living in a fantasy world. Why other then your morbid curiosity do you need all the details?

Becky

[Hila]

That's right, the hollyweirds must not be allowed to make money off one of our braves. They are anti-America, but they lust after the money of America's citizens. Remember their hatred for our President and the way their rantings tried to demoralize our military; it was reported that hate mail was getting to our troops and that can also be attributed to all the idiocy that comes out of liberals, celebrities and poor political figures.

[NautiNurse]

Your living in a fantasy world. Why other then your morbid curiosity do you need all the details?

Chill out--where did I ever say I need all details? This story will be remembered for generations--how? Through books and film. Get over it.

[Illbay]

The family you refer to is that of "Mohammed," the lawyer who went to the Marines and informed them of Jessica's whereabouts, then returned to the hospital, made maps and counted the enemy for the Marines so that the rescue plan could be drawn up.

"Mohammed"'s wife was a nurse at the hospital. The family, including the couple and their very young daughter, are now safe in Kuwait.

[Illbay]

And Jessica is from West Virginia. So what southern accent are you speaking of?

Ever heard someone from rural West Virginia?

[Guenevere]

I agree.....but I could readily see someone of high esteem like Mel Gibson or Bruce Willis taking over these roles, or producing something of high caliber.

Easily, I could see Bruce OR Mel entering that room and saying those words...'...we are here to protect you and rescue you..

[DoughtyOne]

Unfortunately it is being surmised that Iraqis may have learned from Black Hawk Down how to take them down with small arms fire. That has been a topic of discussion for the last few days.