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Jessica 'conquers' America
02/04/2003 22:19 - (SA)
Washington - Jessica Lynch, the 19-year-old soldier rescued in a commando raid, became a national heroine on Wednesday as the United States sought good news from the Iraqi war.
While car hooters blared in celebration in Lynch's home village, a picture of the smiling teenager in military uniform dominated front pages across the country.
"SAVED" said the New York Post tabloid. "In Palestine, West Virginia, All is Joyful" declared the Washington Post, telling how Lynch's home village had run out of yellow ribbon to tie on trees and poles.
Yellow ribbons - which symbolise hope for a soldier's safe return - were fastened into neatly arranged bows around a tree and a mailbox at the family home, and festooned across the rest of Palestine.
"People are parading through town in their cars, beeping hooters. It's wonderful," said Linda Davies, Lynch's kindergarten teacher, quoted by the Charleston Gazette, a West Virginia newspaper.
Lynch, a 19-year-old army private first class who wanted to be a schoolteacher and joined the army to put herself through college, had previously been listed as missing in action after her company got lost and was ambushed.
She was rescued from an Iraqi hospital by special forces after being a prisoner of war for more than a week. 'You couldn't hear if you wanted to'
Her father, Greg Lynch, said he had thought news of Jessica's release on Tuesday night had originally been a joke.
"It was around six o'clock or so. An official called, and we kind of thought at first it was an April Fool's joke," he told NBC television.
"But it turned out to be the real thing, and we were just real tickled."
Lynch's grandmother Wyomena Lynch said the family gathered late on Tuesday to celebrate. "There was screaming, hollering, and you couldn't hear if you wanted to," the father chuckled.
He told CNN: "We didn't even know she was captured. Last we heard, she was just missing in action." He said the news was "a big shock" for the family.
Asked what words he had for his daughter's rescuers, Greg Lynch told NBC: "They would get the biggest thanks in the world from us. They all risked their lives to do this for Jessie."
"We're just glad to have our daughter back," he said, adding wistfully: "It's just sad, because we know that there are casualties involved." Bush glad, but
concerned about other POWs, MIA
President George W Bush was elated at the news, though he too expressed concern for other US prisoners of war.
"The president is, indeed, full of joy for Jessica Lynch and for her family. He's full of pride for the armed forces that carried out this daring rescue operation," spokesperson Ari Fleischer told reporters.
"He's also mindful of the fact that we have others who are unaccounted for, who are missing in action, who are POWs, and of course, those who have lost their lives," he said.
Fleischer said Bush replied "That's great!" when Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told him on Tuesday afternoon that Lynch had been rescued.
Lynch, a member of the 507th Maintenance Company, had been missing since a convoy she was in was ambushed March 23 after taking a wrong turn near the southern Iraqi town of Nasiriyah, an army official said.
She is reported to have multiple gun wounds as well as broken limbs.
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