McGraw: Lynch should be given Congressional Medal of Honor

Parkersburg News and Sentinel ^ | April 12, 2003

[flutters]

West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw is sending letters to President Bush and the state's congressional representatives to encourage the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the 19-year-old former prisoner of war from Palestine.

"It's clear to me that she demonstrates the characteristics of an American hero," McGraw said.

Lynch, a supply clerk with the 507th Maintenance Company, was rescued April 1 from a hospital in Nasiriyah. She had been taken prisoner March 23 after her convoy took a wrong turn and was ambushed by Iraqi forces.

Reports said Lynch fired on her attackers and fought fiercely before being captured.

She has been treated for a head wound, injury to her spine and fractures to her right arm, both legs and right foot and ankle.

"It's just absolutely heart-stopping," McGraw said.

"It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear a story about it."

"While many others have served with great honor and distinction in our struggle in Iraq, I believe that the bravery shown by Pfc. Lynch and the impact her conduct had upon the morale of our troops and the mood of our nation qualifies her for this high honor," said McGraw.

The Medal of Honor was made a permanent decoration by Congress in 1863. It is the "highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States," according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

More than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been presented, according to the U.S. Army.

Only one woman has ever been awarded the Medal of Honor. Mary Walker, the first American woman to be a military doctor and a prisoner of war, received the medal in 1866 for her service during the Civil War.

[byteback]

Oh Please. A medal of honor for being captured? There are other medals that are highly regarded that more aptly fit her bravery.

[Mike Darancette]

Don't they need a witness for the MoH?

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[SkyPilot]

Ummmmm...no.

[spodefly]

West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw is sending letters to President Bush and the state's congressional representatives to encourage the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Pfc. Jessica Lynch ...

Warren: we all love her and think her story is incredible, but we are talking Purple Heart and Bronze Star here, not CMOH.

[Iwentsouth]

She is hero yes. Medal of Honor no. Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and POW Medal.

[flutters]

She is hero yes. Medal of Honor no. Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and POW Medal.

What is the criteria for a medal?

[capitan_refugio]

Purple Heart - yes - "wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy."
Bronze Star - likely - "For heroic or meritorious achievement of service, not involving aerial flight in connection with operations against an opposing armed force."
Congressional Medal of Honor - unlikely - "bestowed on those who have performed an act of such conspicuous gallantry as to rise above and beyond the call of duty"

There are only about 140 living recipients of the CMH. The threshold to be awarded the medal is extremely high. This is to take nothing away from the brave Private Lynch. She is a hero in my book. But, if one reads the citations of the previous winners, one will conclude that her actions did not meet the threshold.

[Arkinsaw]

Purple Heart, Bronze Star, POW Medal. Those are the awards she has earned unless something amazingly new comes up. Why do people want to give her something she hasn't earned? It just lessens her real actions.

[TheLooseThread]

Do we even know what happened with her? MOH?

I read the description of people who have received MOHs in the past. Jumping on a grenade to save fellow soldiers is an example.

Being a girl who fired her weapon before being captured was not listed anywhere.

[a4drvr]

Reports said Lynch fired on her attackers and fought fiercely before being captured.

I've seen that claim before, but... No one who was with her has yet been debriefed, and I don't believe she has been debriefed. (I believe the Doctors said "she may not remember details of her capture for some time".

So I ask, what "reports" and what facts are these reports based on.

I smell an attempt by some liberals and feminists to ram something through congress that is probably not deserved, particularly based on what we now know.

[flutters]

There are only about 140 living recipients of the CMH. The threshold to be awarded the medal is extremely high. This is to take nothing away from the brave Private Lynch. She is a hero in my book. But, if one reads the citations of the previous winners, one will conclude that her actions did not meet the threshold.

Thanks for the info. You express your opionion well. I get so frustrated with the "she's a woman" crowd. Do you have a link for the military criteria?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You are not going to believe this.

[judgeandjury]

Reports said Lynch fired on her attackers and fought fiercely before being captured.

This is what a soldier is trained to do. Why anybody thinks that this qualifies Lynch for a Congressional Medal of Honor is beyond me.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I was afraid of this.

The Medal of Honor should be reserved for the truly extraordinary act of valor and self-sacrifice. It is almost an insult, in my mind, to those who threw their bodies on grenades to save others to even suggest such a thing.

Ugh.

It's not Pfc. Lynch's fault - but damn, this makes me mad.

[river rat]

I have yet to hear an OFFICIAL account of what happened...
It is a bit premature to be thinking about MoH...

Semper Fi

[rightisright]

Are West Virginia Supreme Court Justices elected? And if so, is this an election year?

Just asking :-)

[Iwentsouth]

http://www.americal.org/awards/

this site list requirments. Lots of judgement calls. I do not know her full stroy so could be wrong.

[poet]

Has her "bravery" been proven? Was she the one driving and who made a wrong turn that caused the deaths of her comrades? Where's the proof that she mowed down all those Iraqis? This whole story sounds phony. The doctors say she was NOT shot! She has two broken legs, damage to her spine and arms, did she sustain these injuries by an overturned vehicle? If she did sustain the injuries this way, how could she have fired a weapon? Since she was in a maintneance crew, what was the extent of their armament?

Also, who is this Mohammed who supposedly walked six miles on many occasions to assist in her rescue?

The feminists are trying hard to find a heroine. This is being made a big deal because she's female and photographs well.

Just thinking out loud.

FReegards