First Girl Lost in War

The Sun ^ | 24 March 2003 | Will Barker

[Plainsman]

A PRETTY 19-year-old country girl who joined the US Army to escape unemployment was feared to be the first woman soldier to die yesterday.

Blonde Jessica Lynch was among 12 soldiers in a US supply convoy ambushed by Iraqi troops. Her parents were left weeping like others in America and Britain as more Coalition victims of the war were identified.

Supply clerk Jessica was feared dead after five survivors from the ambush were paraded before Iraqi TV cameras in sickening footage beamed around the world on Sunday.

Also shown were the bodies of the other seven members of the 507th Maintenance Co convoy, but Jessica’s parents could not identify her among them.

Her father Greg Lynch said: “The only thing they can tell us is she’s missing.

“I just want them to bring her back safely — her and all the rest of the kids.”

Private Jessica — known as Jessie — only joined up because she could not find a job in her farming community home town of Palestine, West Virginia.

Lorene Cumbridge, a 62-year-old cousin, said: “She’s just a West Virginia country girl. Warm-hearted. Outgoing. I really thought growing up she would become an elementary school teacher.

Missing ... supply clerk Jessica

But for West Virginia children in some of the more rural areas, the military is the one good chance of getting an education and making something of themselves.”

Lack of jobs and the military service of her older brother, Gregory Lynch Jr., led Jessica into the Army, her father said.

She signed up before graduating from Wirt County High School in Elizabeth, where she played basketball and softball.

Greg said: “The Army offered a good deal.” Jessica’s brother is stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Locals have been supporting Greg, Jessica’s mother Deidre, and her 17-year-old sister, Brandi Renee.

A yellow ribbon was tied to a tree near the family’s mailbox and two others were attached to posts on the front porch.

[Flint]

Folks have got to get the picture. The military is not a Job Fair. It is designed to fight wars. People get killed in wars. When you join you are putting yourself in line to die. Someone is always at the front of the line.

[Ga Rob]

Thanks for the memories Slick Willie....and all the rest of you feminazi, leftist, lesbian men hating bi&c*$!!!

[homeschool mama]

Good point. I agree and thank you.

[Trueblackman]

If I could say this about WV they turned out a finer person and soldier in Jessica than they did in a US Senator name Robert Byrd and at least Jessica had no problem serving and dying with her fellow, no matter who they where unlike Byrd.

[Psycho_Bunny]

"A PRETTY 19-year-old country girl"?

No. "A Woman".

[drjoe]

What an interesting thread. I wonder what are the statistics on the demographics of the posters. Only an opinion without any substantiation but my guess is:

Those opposed to women in the services will tend to be:

1.) male
2.) high school ed or lower
3.) blue collar, certainly not professional
4.) no military experience or if there was military experience, certainly not at an officer level.
5.) belong to a fundamentalist religion.

[amused]

Notice the slant...she wasn't actually serious about going to war, she was just looking for a job, and that EE-VIL Dubya MURDERED HER!

They have no shame. Game plan is to highlight that the poor are fighting this war, institute a draft to make this more "fair", use hatred of the draft to swell ranks of anti-war movement leading to civil unrest...

The left is hoping for another Vietnam...and for what? Some noble belief in pacifism? No, simply to regain power they believe is rightfully theirs. You can see it in the posts on other forums. Sanctimonious wailing against the war followed by not so subtle hopes the war goes badly so Bush loses in 2004.

[farmfriend]

But, it's well known that physical requirements for female trainees are relaxed and reduced.

I know they are and I have repeatedly said that that policy is wrong. I am not a victim of social engineering. I see you have fallen in the "women should be protected" trap. You miss my point and judge me wrongly.

[annyokie]

Hi! I am PC-proofed. Don't worry, Wardaddy! ;)

[RyeWhiskeyJoe]

My thoughts exactly on the obvious editorial slant of this piece. It grieves me deeply that we lost a soldier--any soldier--in this tragic but neccessary war. I thank all our soldiers for their service and I pray for the souls of all those who fall for our great country.

That being said--get the women off the front lines--this is unexcusable!

[Under the Radar]

You ask a good question. It is always best to gather facts instead of speculating. For the record, I am female, 31, with 2 post-graduate degrees, one a J.D.

[deJaz]

Prayers for Jessica and family.Hopefully the Iraqi's took her somewherw else,maybe she was wounded and needed medical treatment.Could be a possibility.God Bless America from a Canadian who truly cares.

[Under the Radar]

Sorry, to continue: no military experience, agnostic.

[Pagey]

Private Jessica — known as Jessie — only joined up because she could not find a job in her farming community home town of Palestine, West Virginia.

Geez, there are 50 states in the USA and here in California, there are many many jobs available that have nothing to do w/ joining the Military.What a biased piece of mindless drivel of an article this truly is.As if "that's all she was capable of doing". B.S. Everyone lives with their decisions they make in their lives.Anytime any soldier dies, it is a big deal, not just when a Woman dies.

[XBob]

considering your prejudices,

well, you got the first one right, I am male.

1 out of 5 is pretty normal for a PC liberal.

What rank were you?

[Pagey]

Geeeeeez, this is from the SUN, why does anyone bother posting any article from the SUN?

[patriot_wes]

First Girl Lost in War

It's the terrible reality of war that war is evil. but then so are socialist/communist democrats who think there is no such thing as evil!

[InHisService]

I resent The Sun describing a brave soldier as a girl, for one thing. Secondly, while it is a complement to call her "pretty" this has nothing to do with her service to her country and has the specific intention of upsetting and angering people to say, " a young, pretty, girl, lost her life."

And third, even worse, why do we need to know the color of her hair, as if being blonde makes her death more tragic than another soldiers? If she were African-American, would they say, "brunette" Jennie? No. This is an outrage.

[RooRoobird14]

cinFla--glad you caught the same NOW comment, too!!!

Yesterday the FemiNazi elitist dykes at NOW literally pooh-poohed rape and sexual abuse of female P.O.W.'s--it's just "another risk of war."

These FemiNazi @ssholes ought to be drop-shipped into the middle of a Republican Guard camp--let's see how tough they are after they've been tortured and gang-raped for days.

Of course, considering how hideous and mean the NOW dykes are, the Iraquis would probably just bury them alive --anything to get them to SHUT THE H*LLL UP.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

It was the "EE-VIL Dubya MURDERED HER!" part I was objecting to. I didn't see that anywhere in the article, either overt or implied.