Jessica Lynch Awarded Bronze Star !

Kansas City Star ^ | 7/22/2003 | Gavin McCormick

[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.

[mark502inf]

She was a POW? How many other POWs were in that same hospital? POW my ass!

I guess she just got a referral from some of the guys she met at the ambush site and then checked herself in. Kind of like a managed care plan.

[mark502inf]

We won't get the whole story until Jessica Lynch tells her side, and more power to her when she does.

I think we all know her story. PFC Lynch was in a convoy that was taken on the wrong route by the company commander and encountered an enemy force. She was a passenger in the 1SG's HMMWV when it crashed and she was injured pretty early on in the engagement. Then she was captured and taken to the hospital where she remained until the raid that rescued her. And all she would have seen of that is the guys that found her, put her on a stretcher and then hauled her away. There's just not much more to it.

The only thing we don't know is exactly how or if she was mistreated and if she does not want to make that public, more power to her.

"The official report is what the government wants people to believe about this incident."

Unfortunately, people can still type while wearing a tin-foil hat.

[usmcobra]

Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome, Groom Lake, Desert One, The MV-22, The Bradley fighting Vehicle, $800 toilets seats, "official" reports often lie to cover up what the government doesn't want to tell us.

And it takes significant courage to fly in the face of those reports, but it happens, and perhaps will happen here too.

Tin foil hat, I'll wear it with pride, I seen "official" reports fudged to cover the backsides of the guilty.

Why I've even seen a president lie about sex on national television.

[msru]

Yes I agree. I have had a bit of mixed emotions concerning Pfc. Lynch and her story. I've thought that she didn't deserve a Bronze star because personally I didn't think she was a "war hero." However, I do think that she deserves it for meritorious duty. For example, her legs were crushed in the accident and she spent nine days in a sh*thole hospital, probably in a lot of pain. From all accounts I've read, she conducted herself rather well given her situation. She wasn't begging for her life or constantly crying or complaining, etc etc. (at least from the accounts I've heard). So in this respect I do think that her conduct during her captivity is worth of "meritorious dury".

I do feel kind of badly for her now as well. Remember, her legs and back will probably be fu*ked up for the rest of her life no matter how much physical therapy she has.

However, I do have a problem with the media focusing on her and not on "combat heros", such as her Sgt., Sgt. Dowdy. From what I've read, he was the real hero of the 507th, saving Lynch's life and the lives of others. Also, I read about another soldier from her unit that ambushed an Iraqi mortar position and killed several soldiers before being killed himself. I really wish that Foxnews and the like would at least tell their stories. I think they deserve it!

[Polybius]

The MOH stats are misleading. During the Civil War (when there wasn't even an air force, mind you), the Medal of Honor was the only decoration available for troops, thus I think almost half of them given out were received in the Civil War...A primarily ground war.

Even more misleading is the fact that, since the MOH was the one and only medal during the Civil War era, it was handed out like Halloween candy during the Civil War. The Civil War era MOH was given out as the equivalent of everything from today's exceptionally valorous Medal of Honor to the "Alive in '65" Medal that is now again being issued as stardard equipment after boot camp graduation to every other modern medal between those two.

864 Medals of Honor were awarded to the 27th Maine simply for re-enlisting and Medals of Honor were also awarded for serving in President Lincoln's funeral guard.

In 1917, Congress reformed the criteria for the MOH award and 911 individuals had their MOH's revoked. Six medals awarded to civilians were revoked as well. Included in this group was Mary Walker, a female civialian contract physician and the only female awardee.

Political Correctness being what it is, however, Mary Walker's MOH was restored in 1977 during the Carter Administration and she is now lionized by feminists as a "female Medal of Honor winner".

Of all the Civil War era Medals of Honor ever handed out, the only one that has ever been honored on a U.S. postage stamp is the one that was handed out to Mary Walker, a civial contract physician that never saw combat. Being female trumps charging the entrenchments at Cold Harbor.

[Polybius]

My typing fingers seem to be having trouble with "civilians" this morning. :-)

[SuziQ]

What about the guys in her unit who died? I'll bet that some of them went down fighting. Don't they deserve medals? Isn't it a slur on them to give one to Lynch?

Have you heard that they DIDN'T get one? Maybe you have more info than I because I don't watch the news anymore.

The military knows what happened on that road now because all of the other who survived were released and were able to give statements. The fact that they haven't shared them with everyone else means squat.

Many people seem to be basing their approval or disapproval of Pvt. Lynch on the early stories after she was taken. Those were speculation based on some writers' fevered imaginations. The story will come out in time. Until then, I'll withhold judgement. I'm just glad the young lady is home with her family.

[NMFXSTC]

"I think we all know her story. PFC Lynch was in a convoy that was taken on the wrong route by the company commander and encountered an enemy force. She was a passenger in the 1SG's HMMWV when it crashed and she was injured pretty early on in the engagement. Then she was captured and taken to the hospital where she remained until the raid that rescued her. And all she would have seen of that is the guys that found her, put her on a stretcher and then hauled her away. There's just not much more to it."

EXACTLY!!! And, where does the BS (with "V") come intoplay? Where does the POW Medal fit?

Lynch was on a FUBAR patrol, led by the unqualified and composed of poorly trained and disciplined troops who were REMFs, had only 48 hours before been issued weapons (which they didn't maintain...how many of the 3rd MARDIV's M-16s "jammed"?), and the story was bogus from the gitgo (one bullet wound, then two, then two plus a stab wound, then another stab wound, "firing until her ammo was expended"...) Gimme a break!

Lynch then goes on to say, "Duh...I don't remember".

Three MONTHS in the hospital? I caught a .30 cal in the right hand anf forearm, was evac'd to Japan, operated on, recovered, and was back IN MY UNIT within seven weeks!

Wake up, sheeple...you are being fed 100%, pure, full strength bovine manuer!

[mark502inf]

Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome, Groom Lake, Desert One, The MV-22, The Bradley fighting Vehicle, $800 toilets seats, "official" reports often lie to cover up what the government doesn't want to tell us.

If you include all the above as examples of cover-ups by the guv'mint, it becomes obvious why you believe there must be one for PFC Lynch.

[homeschool mama]

**She was a POW? How many other POWs were in that same hospital? POW my ass! **

Yes, she was a POW. Prisoner of War. Held against her will in a country at war. Tortured. Other US soldiers were executed at the hospital.

[homeschool mama]

I noticed on your screen page you're a disabled veteran. Thank you for your brave service to this great country of ours. It's unfortunate you seem to not have the same respect for Pvt Lynch.

[ArneFufkin]

Three MONTHS in the hospital? I caught a .30 cal in the right hand anf forearm, was evac'd to Japan, operated on, recovered, and was back IN MY UNIT within seven weeks!

You state in your profile that you are a "disabled" veteran. What is the nature of your disability?

Pfc Lynch survived a violent vehicle wreck that killed two or three others in the vehicle. Her injuries are authentic and horrific.

[hardhead]

I sense involvement of the vile witch (rhymes with bitch) from New York.

[homeschool mama]

**Three MONTHS in the hospital? I caught a .30 cal in the right hand anf forearm, was evac'd to Japan, operated on, recovered, and was back IN MY UNIT within seven weeks! **

She had 3 major spine surgeries..along with surgery for other wounds. So yes, 3 months in a hospital.

You caught a bullet, treated and released back into battle. If you had the injuries Pvt Lynch has you wouldn't have been able to do so.

[msru]

on a lighter note, I found this on a local site where I live:

Bassett Furniture Donated Furniture to Private Lynch

Tue Jul 22 19:34:34 2003

Henry County based Bassett Furniture has donated an entire bedroom set to Jessica Lynch (Private Lynch). The "American Beauty Collection" bedroom suit was waiting for Lynch when she arrived home from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

[usmcobra]

I never said the government was good at covering up it's mistakes.

I see The whole Lynch debate as a distraction from some real issues, The utter collapse, chaos, and cowardice That occured during the ambush on the 507th. Clearly the commander was at fault yet according to the report, no one could be blamed for poor navigation, lack of communication, poor fuel manangment, and if the report is to be believed the absolutely shamefull condition their weapons were in, or the fact that they ran and were "ordered" to run.

Why was there no real attempt to rescue or recover those the escaping members left behind to be killed or captured?

And there is still the unanswered question about the wounds shown in the video, were members of the 507th executed after being captured? The "official" report says nothing about how those soldiers were killed?

So while we argue about weather or not PFC Lynch deserves anything, or weather or not women have a place in the military much less combat, some very important issues remain ignored in the "official" report.

[Recon by Fire]

Women in the military must have lower standards for being awarded medals as well as the lower physical fitness standards.

All I know is that there were several females in my unit that were awarded the Bronze Medal during Gulf War I and all they did was check ID cards at the VIP locations.

[diamond6]

I agree with you. Captain Dale Dye (KFI) made the same statement. Although it is tragic that people are captured and/or killed, you are rewarding someone who made a mistake while ignoring the ones who didn't. Capt Dye was much more eloquent in explaining this than me.

[dasein64]

And if she were black or other minority, would you be saying that just because of her minority status she was awarded a medal? Shame on you---we need young people who have the initiative to join the armed service to advance their prospects in life and Jessica is a shining example of a good American woman. She is so far above you losers who have for several days now rained on her parade that every time any of you post it is an embarrassment to read. Viva Jessica Lynch!