Jessica Lynch leaves behind her best friend

Canada.com ^ | April 7, 2003 | Michael Friscolanti

[A. Morgan]

Monday, April 07, 2003

During their tour at Fort Bliss, a sprawling military base on the western tip of Texas, Jessica Lynch and Lori Ann Piestewa had little choice but to spend time together.

As logistics and supply specialists, their military duties constantly intertwined. When Private First Class Lynch needed to stock up on toilet paper or shaving kits for deploying troops, she ordered the gear from Private First Class Piestewa, stationed in a nearby warehouse.

When they were not at work -- a rarity in the weeks leading up to the Iraqi war -- the pair shared a tiny room at the 507th Maintenance Company barracks, where they had long ago ditched their green, army-issued bed sheets for something a tad brighter.

Their close relationship, however, extended beyond work and sleep. Since arriving at Fort Bliss in the Fall of 2001, the young women from opposite sides of America had become the best of friends, spending even the rare free time they had in each other's company.

"You never saw one without seeing the other," Sergeant Shirley Atma said yesterday. "They were very outgoing and happy people."

[A. Morgan]

Six weeks ago, on the day the 507th deployed for the Persian Gulf, Pfc. Piestewa said goodbye to her two young children, four-year-old Brandon and three-year-old Carla.

"I am ready to go," she told a local television station. It's very important to me to know that my family is going to be taken care of."

[OldFriend]

We keep the families of the slain in our prayers.

[homeschool mama]

May God bless, protect and care for PFC Piestewa's children and other loved ones. I pray her memory and service to our country will be sweetly embraced.

[Puppage]

leaves behind her best friend

JUST LIKE CANADA DID TO THE USA.

[camle]

will there be scholarships for her children? hawaiian vacations? new cars? somehow I doubt it.

[stands2reason]

will there be scholarships for her children? hawaiian vacations? new cars? somehow I doubt it.

Your point is...

[ClearCase_guy]

I liked David Bloom and I am very sorry that he died during this war. However, I think it appalling that the media wears black and openly mourns a journalist that was killed, but for the most part (this article is an exception) does not dwell on the emotional toll caused by a soldier's death.

The media clearly feels that the loss of a journalist is a major loss for us all -- but the loss of Pfc. Piestewa is merely good for a human interest story on a slow news day.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I grow tired of hearing about this young ladies every move......One more suggestion about giving her the medal of honor, or renaming Baghdad International, to Jessica International, I going to gag.....LOL!

[IYAS9YAS]

Forgive me for my ignorance here...been have a hard time keeping up. What happened to the other woman (think her name was Shoshana Jackson - not sure on spelling) who was shown alive on TV? Is she still a POW or among the dead? Have they found any of the five who were shown on TV?

[IYAS9YAS]

been have = been having

[IYAS9YAS]

Thank you. Will keep them and theirs in my prayers as well.

[Blue Collar Christian]

I think the point is the difference between the fallen soldier and the victims of 9-11-01. Just a guess. Or possibly the difference between how life will be for the family now versus if Mom had survived the war and come home to a hero's welcome and a successful carreer.

[HiJinx]

The identities of the 8 sets of American remains recovered along with PFC Lynch have yet to be announced, or perhaps have yet to be discovered. PFC Piestewa (pee-ESS-tuh-wuh) is the exception...

[uncitizen]

I liked David Bloom and I am very sorry that he died during this war. However, I think it appalling that the media wears black and openly mourns a journalist that was killed, but for the most part (this article is an exception) does not dwell on the emotional toll caused by a soldier's death.

The media clearly feels that the loss of a journalist is a major loss for us all -- but the loss of Pfc. Piestewa is merely good for a human interest story on a slow news day.

That's an excellent point you make. These lib journalists are so full of self-importance (such as when journalist interview each other).

[ErnBatavia]

The identities of the 8 sets of American remains recovered along with PFC Lynch have yet to be announced, or perhaps have yet to be discovered.

Nope..they've indeed all been ID'd - one of the cable channels ran photos of all of them the day before yesterday.

[cgk]

Pfc's Jessica Lynch & Lori Piestewa pose at Ft. Bliss, TX the day before their deployment.

[HiJinx]

Looks like I'm the one who is behind. Was the third woman one of those ID'd?

[ErnBatavia]

Was the third woman one of those ID'd?

I think you're referring to Shoshanna, the one on the video? No. All but one were from Lynch's 507th, and the other was from another Army unit.