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And so they gave her the bronze star...

CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
[i]"For Heroic or Meritorious Achievement of Service, not involving aerial flight,
in connection with Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."[/i]

Where exactly does PFC Jessica Lynch fit in there?

Not exactly the first time a medal is given for nothing, but you'd think times had changed.

Comments

  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    [quote][i]Lynch was in a 507th Maintenance Company convoy on March 23 when her company was ambushed near the city of Nassiriya. Eleven soldiers died and nine were wounded in a 90-minute firefight.

    Lynch became a national hero after media reports quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds.

    In the end, Army investigators concluded that Lynch was injured when her Humvee crashed into another vehicle in the convoy after it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

    Far from a scene of battlefield heroism, the Army said the convoy blundered into the ambush after getting lost and many of the unit's weapons malfunctioned during the battle.

    The U.S. military also released video taken during an apparently daring rescue by American special forces who raided the Iraqi hospital where she was being treated.

    Iraqi doctors at the hospital said later the U.S. rescuers had faced no resistance and the operation had been over-dramatized.

    Lynch herself has been quoted as saying she can remember nothing of the ambush or the rescue.[/i][/quote]
  • A2597A2597 Fanboy
    She earned the Purple Heart, not the Bronze Star....
  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    She got a bronze star as well and a prisoner of war medal.

    [URL=http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030722_461.html]http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030722_461.html[/URL]
  • samuelksamuelk The Unstoppable Mr. 'K'
    [quote]b. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.[/quote]

    Although it's open to interpretation, I'd say her actions fit.
  • samuelksamuelk The Unstoppable Mr. 'K'
    Re: And so they gave her the bronze star...

    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by CurZ [/i]
    [B][i]"For Heroic or Meritorious Achievement of Service, not involving aerial flight,
    in connection with Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."[/i]

    Where exactly does PFC Jessica Lynch fit in there?

    Not exactly the first time a medal is given for nothing, but you'd think times had changed. [/B][/QUOTE]


    You pretty much quoted the reason yourself in your next post:

    [quote]Lynch became a national hero after media reports quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds.
    [/quote]
  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    [i]"Lynch became a national hero after media reports quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds."[/i]

    In other words, the media took unconfirmed reports that Lynch had "fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds" and presented them as facts. This was the myth. She says herself that she has no memory of the ambush.

    [i]"In the end, Army investigators concluded that Lynch was injured when her Humvee crashed into another vehicle in the convoy after it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade."[/i]

    This was after the media had made a hero of Lynch.

    She was injured in the Humvee crash, she was taken prisoner, and she was rescued. Does that constitute "heroic or meritorious achievement or service"?

    [quote]"The failure here was that the news media got to thinking the government could be trusted to reflect reality," said Carolyn Marvin, professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication.

    A spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Florida had no comment when asked about assertions that the heroism tale was government propaganda.

    The Washington Post, which was the first to report the heroic version of Lynch's capture, came under sharp criticism from its own ombudsman, Michael Getler, for its handling of the story.

    "Why did the information in that first story, which was wrong in its most compelling aspects, remain unchallenged for so long?" Getler asked.

    "What were the motivations (and even the identities) of the leakers and sustainers of this myth, and why didn't reporters dig deeper into it more quickly? The story had an odor to it almost from the beginning," he said.

    The Lynch story also exposed CBS News to criticism after the network offered Lynch a movie deal while trying to persuade her to give an interview about her experiences.

    On Sunday, CBS Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves acknowledged CBS News probably erred in offering the deal.[/quote]

    Now don't think I'm outraged by this whole thing, it doesn't concern me. I'm simply very much amused and curious as to what the army actually awards medals for. Then again, as I said before, it's nothing new.

    And a movie? You've got to be kidding me...
  • KonradKonrad Ranger
    So other than to start an argument - what do you, all the way over in Finland, care what one US soldier got for a medal? It doesn't effect you personally, and it doesn't effect the value of your military's medals. Let it go!

    To be clear - Almost the entire Unit got a Bronze Star. One member got the Silver Star because he went WELL 'above and beyond.' When she kept shooting while injured until out of ammo I would have been shocked if they had not given her a Bronze Star. Why would you have left her out? You need to look up what the word "Merit" means.

    Maybe you should spend some of this negative energy in a positive way by helping calm international relations and helping other people directly rather than just bitching and fanning the flames. :(
  • A2597A2597 Fanboy
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by samuelk [/i]
    [B]Although it's open to interpretation, I'd say her actions fit. [/B][/QUOTE]

    Doh, me and my big mouth.
    Yea, she earned it then. Did she get the Purple Heart as well? She earned that as well...
  • Captain,SimmondsCaptain,Simmonds Trainee trainee
    I herd that the media over Exerated the story of what happened.

    Ever war needs some hero, Remember the last guy that got shot down or somthing.
  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    [quote]So other than to start an argument - what do you, all the way over in Finland, care what one US soldier got for a medal? It doesn't effect you personally, and it doesn't effect the value of your military's medals. Let it go![/quote]

    I care because I'm curious. Starting an argument isn't my intention. Possibly a discussion, yes. Argument, no. Be it a US soldier or not, I'm very much a military enthusiast. It doesn't affect me personally, you're right. Is that supposed to somehow prohibit me from questioning it? Does it matter if I live in Finland or the North Pole? I will let it go, what she got it for doesn't matter in the great scheme of things. Does that mean it can't be talked about?

    I didn't know the entire unit got a bronze star. And if she doesn't deserve to be singled out, why is she the hero, not her unit?

    It's also stated she was injured when the RPG struck the Humvee. It's nowhere stated that she kept shooting while injured until running out of ammo. I'm not saying it isn't so, but maybe you could provide a source for that piece of information?

    [quote]Maybe you should spend some of this negative energy in a positive way by helping calm international relations and helping other people directly rather than just bitching and fanning the flames[/quote]

    I'm not going to get personal with you, but "negative energy"? Give me a break. How often do you see me bitching about something on this board? I don't know you, and I don't pretend to. Can't say I care if you extend me the same courtesy. Only flames I see in this thread so far are from your direction.
  • Meh, I'd have to agree with Curz, and before the flamage extends to me, I [i]do[/i] live in the US. I suppose the American public likes to hear of their "fellow Americans" doing stuff like this, even if they didn't.
  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    A bronze star without a V device isn't a whole lot. People have gotten more for less. But still, being wounded in action and being taken prisoner is all she supposedly did. That's what the purple heart and the POW medal is for. It shouldn't be a big deal, but it is one, apparently, since she somehow got turned into some kind of a hero instead of soldiers who did far more than she did. I'm not trying to be cynical. I have respect for every fighting man and woman over there, and I have no way of telling how I would've performed in the same situation, because I wasn't there. It's a good thing she made it out alive. If only everyone could be so lucky.
    My opinion, formed on the basis of the evidence I've seen, is that she got the purple heart justly. She got the POW medal entirely rightfully. But the bronze star? No.

    I will concede that this is quite a moot point since medals are given for absurd reasons sometimes, and it has been awarded now.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    I say let her have it... Let her decide how important it is to her versus the fact that she is alive and out of that nightmare...

    ;)
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    It was in the news here too. Apparently they (the government of USA) made it look like they liberated her from some kind of 'prison camp hospital', when in fact, those iraqi doctors saved her life. There werent even an opposition when they came to get her.

    I dont know about you guys, but I dont want to be lied to. She should be grateful for those doctors, and we should be glad for her, that she is alive, and it should end there.
  • Captain,SimmondsCaptain,Simmonds Trainee trainee
    The U.S. Media is full of shit half the time. They never get both side of the story. And their Full of Porpoganda.(This mite not be ture, and does not apply to all of the U.S. media)

    What about those other POWs???


    Also they had a thing on CBC, on what could have happened.
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    the whole gaglaxy if Full of Porpoganda ;)
  • Captain,SimmondsCaptain,Simmonds Trainee trainee
    Your Fucking right
  • WHYWHY Elite Ranger
    Yes, simmonds, and the Canadian media is [I][U]COMPLETELY[/U] [/I] unbiased :rolleyes:

    I'm still pissed about my people being called terrorists for keeping a bridge blocked for a few weeks, meanwhile Villeneuve's group of yahoos bomb buildings and kill people are called "freedom fighters".
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by WHY [/i]
    [B]Yes, simmonds, and the Canadian media is [I][U]COMPLETELY[/U] [/I] unbiased :rolleyes: [/B][/QUOTE]

    You know, I was just thinking that...
  • CANADIA IS THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE!





    I have no idea why I just said that, I live in the US, and don't give half a crap about the Northern US, AKA Canadia.
    No offense to Canadians...
  • WHYWHY Elite Ranger
    1) I live [U]IN[/U] canada, and have for my entire life...

    2) exactly what does that have to do with what I said ?
  • C_MonC_Mon A Genuine Sucker
    I agree with CurZ and Messiah.
  • Captain,SimmondsCaptain,Simmonds Trainee trainee
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by WHY [/i]
    [B]1) I live [U]IN[/U] canada, and have for my entire life...

    2) exactly what does that have to do with what I said ? [/B][/QUOTE]

    Sorry, I did not know you where Canadian.

    I was not very clear on what you where talking about
  • lol, that was rather spammish, I apologize.
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Captain,Simmonds [/i]
    I was not very clear on what you where talking about[/QUOTE]

    That pretty much sums up most of our threads ;)
  • samuelksamuelk The Unstoppable Mr. 'K'
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Captain,Simmonds [/i]
    [B]The U.S. Media is full of shit half the time. They never get both side of the story. And their Full of Porpoganda.(This mite not be ture, and does not apply to all of the U.S. media)

    What about those other POWs???


    Also they had a thing on CBC, on what could have happened. [/B][/QUOTE]

    The other POWs were given the same awards.
  • Captain,SimmondsCaptain,Simmonds Trainee trainee
    [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by bobo [/i]
    [B]That pretty much sums up most of our threads ;) [/B][/QUOTE]

    And my life;)
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