Posted on 02/05/2010 6:12:09 PM PST by Redcitizen
(AP) Shoshana Johnson survived gunshot wounds to both legs and 22 days as a prisoner of war in Iraq. Life wasn't so easy when she came home, either.
In a new book out this week, the 37-year-old single mother describes mental health problems related to her captivity and tells how it felt to play second fiddle in the media to fellow POW Jessica Lynch, who was captured in the same ambush.
"It was kind of hurtful," the former Army cook said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "If I'd been a petite, cutesy thing, it would've been different."
And what great service have you contributed to your country? She got wounded....you sit behind a computer screen on your fat ass and run your mouth. Ill take Ms Lynch over a clown like you any day of the week.
49 was not a well worded post, I meant to emphasize that the media, by confusing Lynch with the heroics of the blond headed Walters went into a feeding frenzy that could have happened to Johnson, if they had confused her with a male soldier that had fought so heroically and long, even unto hand to hand combat.
I was trying to say that it may not have had to be a cute white girl, but a female of any type or race that was thought to have done what they thought Lynch had done that day.
Still sucks for Walters though.
Now that Lynch is out of the Army, she can probably spend time on the Internet like the rest of us that have finished our military service.
I agree.
You are a joke and a plant on this website. I am embarassed that you pretend to quote a VN Vet.
God Bless all the Warriors!
PS I did not post “I take it back you put them all down.”I would like to add I know you did not put them all down.Stop it Guardian Angel:)
Thought you might find this interesting....
I can’t remember all the details about the capture. But, in all fairness, Lynch herself did not seek attention. The heroic story about her was fed to the media by other people, and, according to what I’ve read, she herself disputed it.
Other articles about Shoshana Johnson have a different take. Here’s one where Johnson talks about the special treatment she herself was given and the backlash against her from other veterans:
It sounds like both women - Lynch and Johnson - are being upfront and honest. They’re not claiming hero status; they’re just telling their stories.
What bothered me about Lynch was that she seemed to accept it all without embarrassment, it was as though she saw herself as just a girl, and all this military stuff kind of went by her, she just took everything in stride and accepted it.
I had the impression that she never should have been in the Army.
I agree with that. However, I don’t know that Johnson’s frustration,or Miller’s for that matter, comes from the initial misunderstanding of events.
It’s one thing to record misunderstandings of events, but quite another to not correct them as soon as the mistake has been discovered. Then the same attention should be given to the real accounting of events, as was given the inaccurate story that captured the imagination, in order to make certain that those deserving of the credit actually receive it.
The Lynch story apparently continued to be blown out of all proportion by some in the media, and others, even after attempts were made by some, such as Johnson and Miller, to set the record straight.
You have posted links to information about the heroics of Walters. That story never received equal attention to the frenzy you mentioned regarding Lynch, although, the Walters story is equally compelling to anyone who loves our military and our country.
It’s one among thousands of stories that could have been told about the bravery of our troops in a way to inspire us all. That’s why I say there is a template that is preferred by many, if not most, in the media.
I can’t remember her initial reaction. I only read that she refuted the hero story.
I do not have a clue who you are talking about.
I am talking about the article that was posted.
You know the woman who is alive and promoting her book.
Get a clue.
Guess there is nothing you like about woman on this thread.
Now I get you, we are on the same page on the event, and it was that inability, or unwillingness of the media and the military to abandon their story that turned this into the terrible and embarrassing mess that it was.
What is that old saying about something turning to bitterness in our mouth or something, it is too bad that it taints and contaminates memory and history of the battle for the other participants and for the army in general.
My memory is that she is bland and accepting, if you ask her, directly did you fight, she will easily and openly tell you no, but on the other hand, if you don’t ask her and give her a parade for heroism, then she will accept that too. She seems to be not knowledgeable of and is unaware of the history and emotion and honor and so on that is connected to war events.
Same here.
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