Posted on 07/22/2003 1:36:56 AM PDT by ex-Texan
Jessica Lynch Awarded Bronze Star
Lynch Gets Medals Ahead of Homecoming
ELIZABETH, W.Va. - Former POW Jessica Lynch was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in Washington Monday as she prepares for her homecoming.
Lynch, who returns to the hills of West Virigina Tuesday, also received Prisoner of War medals at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. The Bronze Star is given for meritorious combat service, a Purple Heart is most often awarded to those wounded in combat, and the POW for being held captive during wartime.
"The Purple Heart ... was not necessarily about being wounded or injured in action initially, but that's what it has come to symbolize," said Lt. Gen. James B. Peake, the Army Surgeon General, in presenting the medals. "It's a special award and not one you choose to get."
Four members of the West Virginia Army National Guard's aviation support unit in Parkersburg were chosen to staff the helicopter that she will ride home in.
"Minus all the hype, this mission is about being able to participate in the homecoming of one of our own," said Chief Warrant Officer Robert McClure, who will co-pilot the Black Hawk helicopter with Chief Warrant Officer Jim McPeak. "It's a real honor."
Lynch, still recuperating from multiple broken bones and other injuries, and her parents are scheduled to fly from the medical center to Elizabeth. The 210-mile trip should last two to three hours, depending on the weather.
Also on both legs of the flight will be Lynch's cousin, Dan Little, a first sergeant in the Parkersburg National Guard unit.
"Jessi trusts him and wanted him to be with her because he's been through most of it with her," said Wyonema Lynch, Lynch's grandmother, noting that Little traveled to Germany when Lynch was recuperating there.
Little, who has spoken twice with Lynch in the past week, said her spirits have been buoyed by her imminent trip home.
"She's a strong, disciplined young lady," Little said. "Her injuries are long healing, and that can be hard if you dwell on it. But she's not allowed that to happen."
With hundreds of news media and others descending on this Wirt County seat of about 1,000 for Lynch's first public comments about her ordeal, area residents have been painting, pruning and preening for weeks.
"We are excited just to see her, just to be able to give her hug. To Jessi, home is in the hills. She has been wanting to get here," her grandmother said.
Regina Ray of Elizabeth said she is glad Lynch is coming home "because there is no place like home to recover."
American flags and yellow bows line the route Lynch's military motorcade will take from Elizabeth to her home in Palestine, a community of about 300 residents some five miles away.
Lynch is scheduled to make a brief statement in Elizabeth before riding in a Ford Mustang convertible in the motorcade.
Lynch's convoy was ambushed near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah after it made a wrong turn. Eleven soldiers from the convoy were killed and Lynch, a supply clerk, was severely injured.
U.S. forces recovered Lynch at a Nasiriyah hospital April 1. Five other 507th Maintenance Company soldiers who were captured and held apart from Lynch were freed April 13.
The influx of hundreds of visitors, including many journalists here to report Lynch's first public words since her March wounding, capture and rescue in Iraq, is bringing needed cash to Wirt County, which has West Virginia's highest unemployment rate - 15.1 percent.
The economic benefits dampen the annoyance many residents feel at the intense media interest in Lynch.
"They're anxious to see you come, and they'll be anxious to see you leave," said Keith Burdette, Gov. Bob Wise's legislative liaison and the county's former state senator.
Also on the flight will be the crew chief, Sgt. 1st Class Vernon Cosner of Washington, and flight medic, Sgt. Paula Tucker of Morgantown.
That's a pretty damn sad state of affairs. The problem doesn't seem to be favoritism towards Lynch -- it's just an overall cheapening of the medal. My unit was involved in ground combat in the Gulf War and took combat casualties. We all saw combat, but had a grand total of two Bronze stars out of 160 guys. One was for a sergeant who got the whole gunline up and shooting while we were receiving incoming rounds, and the other was for our CO who led us on foot through a minefield. There were a few more Navy Comm's with "V", but that was it for valor medals. The idea that someone is handing out Bronze stars like they were CAR's is disgusting. I hope to hell that phenomenon hasn't caught up to the Marines yet.
I don't know if it's changed any, but it used to be in recent decades that the Bronze Star was pretty much handed out along with the Purple Heart. Now, geting one with the 'V' device, well, that's a different story...
Fair enough.
Bronze Stars are not what they used to be. She did as much as most everyone else did in this war to deserve a Bronze Star. Recent Army practice is to hand this out to everyone in a combat zone. Given this practice (which cheapened the medal when compared to awards in WWII and Korea), she probably should be awarded one.
I ain't touching that one - this is a family forum ;0)
Yes, I have come to that conclusion, thanks.
The troops that were injured, fought, captured, tortured and or died in that ambush deserve to have their stories told correctly. Had this been a secret squirrel SF mission I could understand some of the BS sh*t and Shineola show but this just discredits/dishonors the individuals involved and brings more doubt upon the leadership in the Goobermint IMHO.
Clerks , Cooks and Bottle washers ect will recieve a Bronze Star for this operation. Just understand that a Bronze Star is nothing more or less than a meritorious service medal under wartime conditions for those in theater . When a V for Valor is included it becomes what most have understood it to be ....... A medal for heroism and acts of bravery while engaged in combat against the enemy.
Albeit some troops who have never left the CONUS like the wing nut mechanic in the B2 unit who recieved one while serving at Whiteman AFB. S/he was awarded one for the Bosnia Conflict I believe. Crazy.....but then I'll trust hopefully that it wasn't a kiss ass who got it but someone that busted their butt above and beyond as it should be.......
Stay Safe !
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