Jessica Lynch | |
|---|---|
 Lynch at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., on April 28, 2004 | |
| Born | April 26, 1983 Palestine, West Virginia, United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 2001–2003 |
| Rank | Private first class |
| Unit | 507th Maintenance Company |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Prisoner of War Medal |
| Other work | Teacher, actress |
Jessica Dawn Lynch (born April 26, 1983) is an American teacher, actress, and former United States Army soldier who served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a private first class.
On March 23, 2003, she was serving as a unit supply specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi troops during the Battle of Nasiriyah; Lynch was seriously injured during the offensive and captured by Iraqi soldiers shortly afterwards. Her subsequent recovery by U.S. special operations forces on April 1, 2003, received considerable media coverage as it was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II and the first ever of a woman.
Initial official reports on Lynch's capture and rescue in Iraq were incorrect. On April 24, 2007, she testified in front of United States Congress that she had never fired her weapon (her M16 rifle reportedly having jammed), and that she had been knocked unconscious when her vehicle crashed during the ambush.[1] Lynch has been outspoken in her criticism of the original stories that were reported regarding her combat experience. When asked about her heroine status, she stated: "That wasn't me. I'm not about to take credit for something I didn't do... I'm just a survivor."[2]
In 2014, Lynch made her acting debut as specialist Summer L. Gabriel in the 2014 film Virtuous. Her role was loosely based on her own experiences during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.[3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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APwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Scott, Jeffery (September 18, 2014). "Former POW Jessica Lynch Starring in New Christian Film". Christian Post. Retrieved September 24, 2014.