It’s all the more remarkable that she survived considering that in addition to the broken bones, she had multiple gunshot wounds. She wants to be a school teacher when she gets out of the military! Can you imagine that? Woe to anyone who goofs off in her class or tries to pull a prank on her!
She deserves a bunch of medals, along with the folks that rescued her. (And we’d damn well better offer American citizenship to the Iraqi who tipped off the soldiers to her location!)
OK, Tuckerfan, yes, I agree that whoever did this should be greatly thanks, yet …
For the rest of you, while I share you scepticism about what sort of care she was getting (exactly at this point), the adversary has not given any any pleasant stays to any captured troops/journalists yet, and I don’t foresee them doing so in the near future.
I am very close to writing to the family of Private Lynch myself. As a soldier in the U.S. Army, I am terribly sorry she had to go through that, and terribly proud that she endured it.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Thanks, Payne, but CNN must have changed the link since you posted the info. The story now is about her arrival in Germany. I still believe you!
AHA! I found another article where the issue of her treatment was mentioned:
NY Times
It’s almost at the end of the article.
I agree that the Iraqi doctor, and the rescuers, all deserve medals. It also shows that while there is without a doubt an evil regime in power, that [insane optimism alert] there is good everywhere. [/insane optimism alert].
Sheesh, the kind of people that would torture a 19-year-old girl (well, she was) with two broken legs. I hope the Special Ops guys took them out when they shot their way in and out.
I’m worried about this Iraqi doctor now. How hard would it be for Saddam’s thugs to figure out who he is? We should really try to offer this guy and his family some protection if we can.
Agreed. This, is obviously her senior portrait. Hard to believe that she could survive all that.
DtC, let’s hope that the doctor had an escape route planned. The guy deserves more than a medal.
One of the things that makes this story so poignant is the fact that she’s from a small backwater–the smallest county in WV–and that the community drew even closer together when they heard she was missing. And went totally apeshit when she was rescued. They brought out the firetrucks and had an impromptu parade. She went into the army to be able to afford her future education.
I hope her ordeal wasn’t as awful as it is beginning to sound.
Me too. I think they should give this man and his family 24 hr. protection. I sure am glad they got her out alive. What awesome news.
I never thought I would see a thread from DtC that I could get behind, but here it is.
The news mentioned something about several bodies being found in the area by the hospital that could possibly be the other soldiers. Anyone else hear anything?
I hope our SF helped her captors meet god.
Firstly… absolutely well done to the troops that rescued her, and her family must be so relieved to have her safe and sound. And please - what I’m about to post should in no way detract from that achievement, or her undoubted suffering…
But…
Did anyone see, in the pictures beamed around the world, her being loaded onto the 'plane to fly her to Germany… (A great bit of PR for the US (regardless of the first paragraph above)… just the tonic a battle-weary public needed as this clean-cut American Girl is flown home)… a joyful America tunes in… the world is watching…
…when the soldier carrying the head end of the stretcher tried to climb the ramp on to the plane, and his foot slipped between the gaps, and he half fell over, almost dropping the poor girl! I’m afraid I had to laugh! Hadn’t she suffered enough?!
Shows heroes (and again, it WAS a heroic act) can be human too…
You can virutally guaruntee at least a Lifetime movie special if not a big screen movie about her ordeal starring Meg Ryan or some such actress. The fact that Lynch is very young, attractive, and has a good story to tell makes this tailor made for a movie special. The girl is gonna be rich after this, no doubt about it.
She’s a year younger than I am, and I collapse into a writhing heap if I quirt shampoo in my eye.
God bless her.
Amazing. What I’m trying to figure out is that she was part of a logistics team (read- supply truck crew). While I’m sure they put up a fight, I can’t for the life of me figure out how she ended up with both legs broken.
I personally feel that the legs were probably done as part of a torture routine… as well as some other horrible things that tends to happen to female POWs.
She is strong, and a testament to the resiliance of the human spirit.
A 7.62mm bullet in the leg can break bones, as can an RPG-7 round anywhere near the body. I truly hope she was hurt in the ambush.
Latest radio report I got (CBS) says her group apparently put up a good resistance. It would not surprise me that at the moment of capture there had been a major beating of the survivors with rifle stocks and boots, even before it was decided what was to be their ultimate fate.
One tough young lady – go, PFC Lynch!
And yes, the Iraqui collaborator and as much as possible of his family had better be getting from us the keys to a new house far away from that town.
The Washington Post is reporting that PFC Lynch was “fighting to the death” when her unit was attacked.
Not to revel over anyone’s deaths… but it sure seems to me like this young soldier acted heroically. I expect she’s got a pretty heavy decoration coming.
NPR’s reporting that eleven bodies were retrieved from the hospital during the rescue. Additionally, Jessica’s family has stated that Jessica told them she didn’t have anything to eat while in captivity. Finally, the state of West Virgina has offered Jessica a full scholarship to the state university of her choice.
I have a feeling that she’s going to be West Virginia’s version of Sgt. York. (Not that she doesn’t deserve it.)
I’d be happy to send my (future) kids to be a student in her (future) classroom. FoxNews.com reporting the State of WV has offered to pay her way to any WV college or university. Her younger sister is still headed toward an enlistment in August. Tough family.