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The 507th Maintenance Company

Discussion in 'Military History' started by Deep Web Diver, Jul 18, 2003.

  1. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5058

    Army releases findings from 507th ambush

    By Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs
    July 17, 2003

    WASHINGTON (Army News Service, July 17, 2003) - The Army released a 15-page report today stating that members of the 507th Maintenance Company fought the best they could in Iraq until there was no longer a means to resist.

    Elements of the Fort Bliss maintenance company became an American interest when a navigational error caused them to come under attack March 23 in the city of An Nasiriyah.

    The report states that of the 33 soldiers in the 18-vehicle convoy, six soldiers returned fire while moving and were able to maneuver their vehicles through the ambush and rejoin friendly forces.

    Faced with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades from all sides, 10 more members of the 507th were forced to set up a defensive perimeter after a number of their vehicles became inoperable. Under the supervision of Sgt. Matthew Rose, the report states that members of the team who were trained as combat lifesavers tended to wounded soldiers.

    Marines from the 8th Tank Battalion, Task Force Tarawa, eventually rescued the 10 soldiers after being informed of the situation by the six soldiers who escaped the ambush.

    Contributing factors that led to the others being killed, dying from injuries or taken as prisoners of war were heavy vehicles that were unable to maneuver in the desert terrain and malfunctioning weapons, according to the report.

    The report states numerous times that M-16 rifles malfunctioned or jammed. Other weapons that malfunctioned were the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the .50 caliber machinegun. However, the team that conducted the report did not find persistent problems with weapons, specifically the M16A2 rifle.

    "Dusty, desert conditions do require vigilance in weapons maintenance," officials said. "However, it is imperative to remember that at the time of the attack, the 507th had spent more than two days on the move, with little rest and time to conduct vehicle repair and recovery operations," officials said.

    The report is intended to provide closure for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, it states in its opening paragraph. In a narrative form, a brief description of the maintenance company's role and mission is given. The details begin March 20 and end March 23, the day of the attack, which lasted an estimated hour to 90 minutes.

    The treatment and the rescue of the former prisoners of war are not mentioned in this report. That's being investigated separately, officials said.

    Pfc. Jessica Lynch, 19, a member of the 507th, was rescued April 1 by U.S. military commandos from an Iraqi hospital. However, the report only states that she was seriously injured and captured when her Humvee was hit by direct or indirect fire and crashed into a stalled vehicle. Lynch was in the backseat of the vehicle.

    Pfc. Lori Piestewa, the only female casualty during the ground war, was the driver of the Humvee. She was captured along with Lynch, but died of her injuries, the report states.

    The remaining five POWs from the company, which also included female soldier Spc. Shoshana Johnson, were rescued April 13 by the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

    The information used to compile this report was taken from witness statements and other collected information, officials stated. Family members of those soldiers who were killed in action and the former POWs have already been briefed on the findings, officials added.
     
  2. David Barton (DB) Mathis

    David Barton (DB) Mathis Member

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    Great info Crapgame!

    Thanks
     
  3. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    You're welcome David.
     
  4. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2003/n07182003_200307183.html

    Former POW Receives Much Attention at NAACP Convention

    By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
    American Forces Press Service

    MIAMI, July 18, 2003 - Possibly the most honored person at the NAACP's 28th Annual Armed Services and Veterans Affairs award dinner was not a high-ranking dignitary or any of the scheduled awardees.

    However, this invited guest was special: Spc. Shoshana Johnson, former POW from Operation Iraqi Freedom. She received a bullet wound to both feet when her vehicle convoy came under heavy enemy fire March 23 in Nasiriyah, Iraq. She and other members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Battalion were taken as POWs. Along with six other POWs, she was rescued by Marines conducting house raids in the city of Samarra, Iraq. Unit members found the captives when they kicked down the door to a home.

    Johnson was the person everyone flocked to at the civil- rights organization's 94th annual convention. Wherever she went, people were waiting to shake her hand, wish her well, and most importantly, to get their picture taken with her.

    None of this seemed to bother Johnson -- she's become accustomed to the attention. And despite the constant camera flashes and occasional objections of her media escort, Johnson always managed a picture-perfect smile, and took time to talk and pose for the numerous photos.

    "It's been this way since they returned," said Terri Sirois, who accompanied Johnson the Fort Bliss, Texas, where her unit is stationed. Sirois was with Johnson to assist with interview requests.

    Johnson said she has come to understand and appreciate what she says can be "overwhelming" public attention. She said she was reminded of stories of service members returning from Vietnam without such support.

    "We really didn't realize exactly what had been going on during our captivity, that our faces were out there, and everybody knew us by first name on site. It was a lot to take in," she said. "But we appreciated our homecoming. Everyone knows the history of Vietnam, so we appreciated the veterans from Vietnam that made sure we got such a warm welcome when we came home."

    Coming home is something for which she is both "happy and grateful." She describes the "incredible" feeling of finally seeing her young daughter.

    "I had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure it was real and that I was not dreaming and still in captivity, because sometimes you wondered if that was ever going to happen again," she said.

    When asked did she think she would ever see her family again, she said, "Of course." She declined any further discussion of events surrounding the unit's capture.

    She says what got her through her ordeal was prayer and faith in God. "Prayer. That's all that I can say, the belief," she said. "You never know what life has in store for you. You just have to make the choices you think are best for you in your life and leave it up to God."

    "I'm grateful that He chose to bring me home, and I'm grateful to have known those who had passed on, because they have changed my life forever. And I will do my best to make sure they are not forgotten and their sacrifices were not in vain."

    Johnson wears a heavy boot-like cast on her leg that makes it hard for her get around. She said she had a torn Achilles tendon in her right leg, and that the doctor's expect full recovery.

    "My injury is taking some time to heal. I'm going through physical therapy, but hopefully I'll be back to 100 percent and hopefully (at) full speed," she said. "I still have some pain with it." However, she jokes, "The foot is still there."

    Prior to Iraq and before she was injured, Johnson had planned to serve a full Army career. As a food service specialist, she wanted to one day use her Army training and experience to pursue a career in culinary arts.

    Now those plans are "just kind of up in the air," she said. "I'm not sure if that's the course for me right now. I still have a year left on my contract. I still have plenty time to think about it, especially when things settle down and I have time to breath."

    After a whirlwind day of hand-shaking and picture-taking, Johnson finally got a chance to rest in a room at the convention site. She seemed excited to be out of the public eye.

    But a sparkle remained in her eyes, the smile still painted on her face. Another night of photo ops and public attention was over. But then again, after her wartime ordeal, she appeared just happy to be alive.

    What happened in Iraq may have given Johnson a greater appreciation on life. She offered this message and advice:

    Whether one chooses military or civilian life, she observed, "whether you wash windows for a living or you're a soldier picking up trash, any contribution in a good way helps the world. So don't ever think that a dollar in a (church) collection plate doesn't make a difference; it does. It's going to make a difference to somebody."

    [​IMG]

    Former Operation Iraqi Freedom POW Spc. Shoshana Johnson, center, is flanked by NAACP president Kweisi Mfume and Command Sgt. Maj. Michele Jones, senior enlisted adviser to the Army Reserve, at the NAACP's 28th Annual Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Awards Dinner in Miami. Johnson attended the event as a special invited guest. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample.

    [ 07. August 2003, 10:28 PM: Message edited by: Crapgame ]
     
  5. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2003/n07222003_200307223.html

    Lynch Released From Walter Reed, Receives Military Awards

    Special to American Forces Press Service

    WASHINGTON, July 22, 2003 - Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the first of the rescued prisoners of war from Operation Iraqi Freedom, was discharged from Walter Reed Army Medical Center July 22, her 102nd day of care at the largest medical facility in the Department of Defense.

    Lynch boarded a helicopter that lifted off at 10:31 a.m. for Elizabeth, W. Va., near her hometown of Palestine.

    "I want to thank the whole medical team for taking care of me these past few months," Lynch said in a statement from Walter Reed. "I also thank all the well-wishers for all their cards, letters, banners and posters. These really raised my spirits and kept me going."

    In the same statement, the Lynch family thanked Walter Reed's doctors, nurses and other health care providers for their daughter's treatment. "If it wasn't for them, Jessi wouldn't be where she is today. We're very grateful for all the top quality care they gave her."

    The family also praised the Fisher House Foundation "for their hospitality and generosity in providing beautifully decorated rooms so we could be close to our daughter while she was treated in the medical center." The non-profit foundation provides free lodging for families of service members and veterans receiving care at military and VA medical facilities around the world.

    Lynch, a 20-year-old Army supply clerk, was injured and captured March 23 after her unit, the 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, was ambushed in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. She was rescued from a hospital in that city by U.S. forces several days later, reportedly after a tip from an Iraqi lawyer. She arrived at Walter Reed April 12 after receiving care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

    On July 21 the Army awarded Lynch the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and POW medals. Lt. Gen. James B. Peake, Army surgeon general, presented the awards and spoke briefly to Lynch's family and members of the assembled "families" of Walter Reed, the Army Medical Department and others before presenting the awards.

    He said the Purple Heart, "a special award and not one you choose to get," is awarded to a person who's given more to their country than just service - "They have given of themselves by going into harm's way." He said other awards have to do with the quality of one's service.

    "The Bronze Star is given for meritorious service in combat, and the POW medal is one that very few people receive," Peake said.

    After receiving her awards, Lynch thanked the Walter Reed staff for the care she received at the medical center during the last three months.

    Peake then recognized the Walter Reed staff for the care they've provided Lynch and other soldiers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

    "We're proud of them and they're proud of you," Peake said to Lynch.

    Walter Reed has treated approximately 655 patients from Operation Iraqi Freedom since the war began, 170 of them battle casualties. Of those, 125 have been treated as inpatients and 45 as outpatients. All but 26 have received discharges.

    Other members of Lynch's unit who were injured and held captive following the March 23 ambush also received medals during an Independence Day ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas.

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    http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2003/n07222003_200307226.html

    Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch: Home to the Mountains

    By Linda D. Kozaryn
    American Forces Press Service

    WASHINGTON, July 22, 2003 - "It's great to be home," Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch told hundreds of well wishers who lined the streets of Elizabeth, W. Va., today to welcome the former POW home.

    A Blackhawk helicopter carried the former POW to Elizabeth, after her discharge from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Lynch then traveled the last five miles of her journey by motorcade to a private homecoming in her hometown of Palestine.

    Flags, signs and yellow ribbons awaited the young soldier in Elizabeth. The Wirt County High School marching band was there, as was West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, who said the people of West Virginia were welcoming back "a young citizen and a soldier."

    "She left here as one of many newly enlisted in the military pursuing both her duty and her dreams," he said. "She returns a renowned international figure and the symbol of the quiet courage and commitment of all of our armed forces. And like all members of our armed forces, she may consider the duty that she had and what she did as routine, (but) we know that she and they have performed the heroic."

    Wise said the entire state of West Virginia "has worn a yellow ribbon around its heart" since Lynch was captured. "In Palestine, after your rescue," he said, "a church put up a sign. The sign reads 'God is still in the business of making miracles.' One of his miracles has come home to the mountains today."

    Dressed in her Army green uniform and black beret, Lynch appeared to hold back tears as she pushed her wheelchair up to a microphone to make her first public statement since her March 23 capture by Iraqi forces.

    "Hi," she said simply, "Thank you for being here. It's great to be home."

    Lynch went on to thank everyone who hoped and prayed for her safe return. "For a long time I had no idea so many knew I (had) been missing, but I read thousands of letters, many of them from children who offered messages of hope and faith."

    She also thanked the West Virginians who gave donations to the Lynch fund and who volunteered their time and skills to work on her family's house. She thanked the doctors, nurses and staff members of Walter Reed Army Medical Center for their excellent care and the staff of Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany for their care and support.

    "I'd like to thank the Fisher Foundation, Gov. Bob Wise, and United States Senator Jay Rockefeller for the roles they played in helping my family to be with me in Germany and Washington," Lynch added. "I'm also grateful to several Iraqi citizens who helped save my life while I was in their hospital."

    "Lynch also thanked the Special Forces soldiers who saved her life and praised an Army sergeant who's been her inspiration during her recovery.

    She then spoke of her feelings about her combat experience.

    "I'm proud to be a soldier in the Army," she said. "I'm proud to have served with the 507th. I'm happy that some of the soldiers I served with made it home alive. And it hurts that some of my company didn't."

    "Most of all I miss Lori Piestewa, she was my best friend, she fought beside me and it was an honor to have served with her. Lori will always remain in my heart. (Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba, Ariz., was killed March 23, 2003, in Iraq.)

    "I've read thousands of stories that said when I was captured I said, 'I'm an American soldier too.' Those stories were right. Those were my words. I am an American soldier, too. Thank you for this welcome and it's great to be home."

    [​IMG]

    Pfc. Jessica Lynch receives the Purple Heart from Lt. Gen. James B. Peake, U.S. Army surgeon general, during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on July 21, 2003. Lynch also received the Bronze Star and the Prisoner of War Medal. U.S. Army photo by Brett McMillan

    [ 22. July 2003, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Crapgame ]
     
  6. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5058

    Army releases findings from 507th ambush

    By Staff Sgt. Marcia Triggs
    July 17, 2003

    WASHINGTON (Army News Service, July 17, 2003) - "The Army released a 15-page report today stating that members of the 507th Maintenance Company fought the best they could in Iraq until there was no longer a means to resist. Elements of the Fort Bliss maintenance company became an American interest when a navigational error caused them to come under attack March 23 in the city of An Nasiriyah. ...

    Pfc. Jessica Lynch, 19, a member of the 507th, was rescued April 1 by U.S. military commandos from an Iraqi hospital. However, the report only states that she was seriously injured and captured when her Humvee was hit by direct or indirect fire and crashed into a stalled vehicle. Lynch was in the backseat of the vehicle. Pfc. Lori Piestewa, the only female casualty during the ground war, was the driver of the Humvee. She was captured along with Lynch, but died of her injuries, the report states. ..."

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2003/n07222003_200307226.html

    Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch: Home to the Mountains

    WASHINGTON, July 22, 2003

    "I'm proud to be a soldier in the Army. I'm proud to have served with the 507th. I'm happy that some of the soldiers I served with made it home alive. And it hurts that some of my company didn't.

    "Most of all I miss Lori Piestewa, she was my best friend, she fought beside me and it was an honor to have served with her. Lori will always remain in my heart.

    "I've read thousands of stories that said when I was captured I said, 'I'm an American soldier too.' Those stories were right. Those were my words. I am an American soldier, too. Thank you for this welcome and it's great to be home." -PFC Jessica Lynch, 07-22-03

    [ 09. August 2003, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: Crapgame ]
     
  7. Deep Web Diver

    Deep Web Diver Member

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    http://www.mdw.army.mil/news/nativeamericanexhibit.html

    Native American exhibit opens at Women's Memorial

    By Rudi Williams
    American Forces Press Service

    MDW News Service, May 30, 2003 - Army Spc. Lori Piestewa didn't move a mountain, but her death on the battlefield in Iraq touched a nation and changed a mountain's name.

    "Squaw Peak," the Phoenix summit with a name that's offensive and controversial to some, is now "Piestewa Peak" - a hero's name.

    Among other tributes to the fallen warrior, Piestewa and five others are featured in "Voices," a new exhibit that opened at the Women's Memorial on Monday to honor and highlight the contributions of Native American women who serve in the armed forces.

    A Hopi Indian, Piestewa was given special honors by tribal representatives from across the country because she was the first service woman killed in action in Operation Iraqi Free-dom and the first known Native American service woman known to have been killed in combat.

    The 23-year-old soldier from Tuba City, Ariz., died when her unit, the 507th Maintenance Company, was ambushed March 23 near Nasiriyah, Iraq, by enemy forces. She was promoted posthumously.

    Her family and representatives from several nations and tribes - among them Hopi, Navajo, Oneida, Odawa, Chukc-hansi-Mono, Kumeyaay, and Lakota/Dakota - were at the exhibit's unveiling ceremony.

    In keeping with Native American heritage and culture, the tribes showered the Piest-ewas with gifts - blankets, shadow boxes, paintings and eagle feathers.

    Piestewa's brother, Adam, told the large audience that on Memorial Day everyone should remember and salute all men and women of the armed services and their families "for their tireless efforts and willingness to sacrifice all they have to give in the name of America."

    "We remember those innocent souls whose lives were not lost in vain on the morning of Sept. 11," Piestewa said. "We honor the warriors who have throughout history laid down their lives for their fellow man and preserved the God given right to freedom."

    Eagle feathers have long been the symbol of bravery, love, honor, friendship and mystical powers. And that's just what Oneida Indian Daniel King, president of the Wisconsin Indian Veterans Association, presented the family along with a shadow box.

    Before making the presentation, King said, "We may indeed put Pfc. Lori Piestewa to rest, but her example of warriorism, her response to the call, her courageous example of honor in the face of horror, brings honor to us all."

    King said Piestewa will be mentioned in the annals of Indian heroes throughout the course of time. And it's well deserved.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    City of Phoenix, Phoenix Points Of Pride

    Image of Piestewa Peak

    [ 11. August 2003, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Crapgame ]
     

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