Widow Sounds Off About Jessica

[thedrifter]

Widow Sounds Off About Jessica



Dear Mr. Hackworth,


My name is Denise Marshall. I am the widow of SFC. John W. Marshall, killed in Iraq on April 8th. We have 2 sons and a daughter, ages 13, 14 and 15 years old.

I read the article Using Jessica Lynch today and was deeply saddened by the information that I learned. Since my husband's death we have tried not to dampen the spirit of homecoming events for other families by not attending the events and we try not to make others feel that their efforts or contributions to the war were minor or insignificant. But to learn that she received the very same award as did my husband, who gave it all and then some on behalf of his men, country and duty is appalling. I believe that Pfc. Lynch justly deserves the POW award and since her injuries were obtained on foreign soil, during an engagement with hostile forces, I also concur with the Purple Heart but bravery in a hospital is unthinkable. According to reports she was treated extremely well and it has been reported that one of her nurses said "I treated her like she was my daughter".

It is with GREAT DESPAIR that I write this letter. I possess an ample amount of inner strength but the hailing of Jessica Lynch as America's hero causes me to fight back tears. Webster defines a hero as "A man noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, esp. one who has risked or sacrificed his life" Webster defines heroine as "A woman noted for her courage and daring acts" Heroism is defined as "Heroic conduct or behavior; heroic characteristics or qualities, courage. I wonder does Pfc. Lynch, in her heart, feel that she TRULY deserves to receive the same honor for lying in that hospital bed as others who died knowingly engaging the enemy.

Here are just a couple of exerpts from a document that accommpanied my husband's award:

On April 7, Sfc. Marshall volunteered to lead a convoy, supplies were desperately needed.

Sfc. Marshall knew the mission was exceedingly dangerous because the main supply route was not secured & several units had experienced heavy contact along the route. Unwilling to expose one of his men to excessive danger, he took the gunners seat & manned the MK-19 on his truck & placed his truck in the lead of the convoy.

Sfc. Marshall's actions during the fight went far beyond the normal bounds of courage and dedication to duty.

I am truly happy for Lynch's return to her family but if someone used a handicapped child for purposes of soliciting money or public support we would quickly play the role of judge and jury. All I ask is that Pfc. Lynch look deep into the recesses of her heart about the BSM award and see if truly meets the definition of either HERO or HEROINE.

Sincerely,

Denise Marshall

On behalf of SFC. Marshall

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/c....0483225659815

Sempers,

Roger

[MORTARDUDE]

What about the other survivors who were in the video ? You hear next to nothing about them. What medals were they awarded ?

Larry

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.fox11az.com/news/local/st...3.2401f6a.html


Soldier commits suicide after fatally shooting man breaking into his vehicle
06:42 PM MST on Friday, October 3, 2003

By L. Anne Newell
? 2003 Arizona Daily Star


A Tucson man was shot to death outside a West Side hotel Wednesday after breaking into a vehicle and being confronted by its owner, an Army soldier, who shot him in the back and fled, police said Friday.


The soldier, Spc. Kyle Edward Williams, 21, was found dead outside San Diego on Thursday and officials believe he committed suicide with one of the seven firearms he had been carrying with him.


He left no note to explain the suicide or why he fired six shots at Noah P. Gamez, also 21, after spotting the man stealing an ice chest from his Jeep.


Williams spent seven months in the Middle East as part of the 507th Maintenance Company, the same unit as Pfc. Jessica Lynch, Army officials said.


He didn't have any disciplinary or mental health problems before he left Fort Bliss, Texas, at the end of September for 20 days of leave before moving to a new military job, the officials said.


Investigators said Williams was passing through Tucson on his way to visit family in San Diego. He never called his family or made it to their home before his body was discovered near his Jeep on a rural road, officials with the San Diego Sheriff's Department said.


None of the firearms found in Williams' Jeep Cherokee ? four rifles, one shotgun and two handguns ? was military-issued. A .380-caliber handgun might be the weapon used in the Tucson shooting, officials in San Diego said.


Tucson police planned to pick up that firearm Monday, said Chris Saunders, a San Diego County Sheriff's Department spokesman.