VARIOUS: PRIVATE JESSICA LYNCH THE U.S.SOLDIERS RESCUED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES FROM A HOSPITAL IN NASSIRIYA AND FLOWN TO GERMANY FOR TREATMENT, IS DOING WELL

Record ID: 856539

  • Title: VARIOUS: PRIVATE JESSICA LYNCH THE U.S.SOLDIERS RESCUED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES FROM A HOSPITAL IN NASSIRIYA AND FLOWN TO GERMANY FOR TREATMENT, IS DOING WELL
  • Date: 1st April 2003
  • Summary: RAMSTEIN, GERMANY (APRIL 4, 2003) (REUTERS) SCU: SOUNDBITE (English) RUBENSTEIN SAYING "Jessica remains in good spirits, in fact she is jovial and joking with the soldier who accompanied her here. We appreciate all the concern for Jessica's recovery, and extend our own prayers for all the soldiers, sailors and civilians involved with the global war on terrorism as well as the actions in "Operation Iraqi Freedom"." CU: SIGN READING 'LANDSTUHL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTRE'. SCU: SOUNDBITE (English) RUBENSTEIN SAYING "When she's awake, and she's awake when she's not in surgery, she's very lucid, she's talking with the staff, she knows where she is, she knows where her surroundings are, she's asked if she made the hometown newspaper. So." SCU: GERMAN AND U.S. FLAGS FLYING. VARIOUS: RUBENSTEIN LEAVING PODIUM AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE AND WALKING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RAMSTEIN, GERMANY/ NASSIRIYA, IRAQ
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq Germany
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA7D729FZEPSCVL2BYHN6O0ULEB
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Private Jessica Lynch, the U.S. soldier rescued by U.S. special forces from a hospital in Nassiriya in Iraq, is recovering well from her injuries, a U.S. military official has said. He said she did not suffer gunshot or stab wounds during her ordeal.
    Private First Class Jessica Lynch, 19, from Palestine, West Virginia, was in good spirits and receiving treatment for her injuries, Colonel David Rubenstein from the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl said on Friday (April 4, 2003).
    "Most recent evaluations by our staff do not suggest that any of her wounds were caused by either gunshot or stabbing injuries," Rubenstein told reporters. "She was not stabbed.
    She was not shot."
    Private Lynch, who has two broken legs and a broken arm, was with a maintenance convoy ambushed by Iraqi forces on March 23 and was held prisoner for more than a week before being rescued from a hospital in the southern Iraqi town of Nassiriya.
    Rubenstein said Lynch was in good spirits. She would receive regular meals as soon as her medical condition allowed and she had given staff a list of her preferred dishes.
    Lynch had been given glasses and she had asked if her story had been featured in her hometown paper, he said.
    Lynch was one of 15 soldiers listed missing, captured or killed when a 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company convoy made a wrong turn and was attacked by Iraqi tanks and fighters.
    Five of the captives but not Lynch, were shown on Iraqi television as well as the bloodied bodies of up to eight men, prompting President George W. Bush to warn Iraqis they should be punished as "war criminals" if they mistreated U.S.
    prisoners. Lynch was flown to the U.S. Ramstein air base early on Thursday (April 3) and taken from there to Landstuhl Medical Facility.
    Rubenstein said he was unable to say when she would be flown back to the United States, adding this would depend on her medical condition.
    GULF WAR 3
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