Shoshana Johnson
Encyclopedia
Shoshana Nyree Johnson (born January 18, 1973) is a Panamanian former United States
soldier, and was the first black female prisoner of war
in the military history of the United States
. Johnson was a Specialist
of the U.S. Army
507th Maintenance Company
, 5/52 ADA BN, 11th ADA Brigade. During a gun fight that led to her capture she suffered bullet wounds to both of her ankles. She was freed in a rescue mission conducted by United States Marine Corps
units on April 13, 2003. She was held prisoner in Iraq
for 22 days along with five other members of her unit including:
, and moved to the United States
with her family when she was a child. She is the eldest child of retired Army Sergeant First Class
Claude Johnson and wife Eunice. In 1991, Johnson was in the JROTC
program at Andress High School, although she did not plan a career in the military. She joined the U.S. Army in September 1998 after dropping out of University of Texas at El Paso
(UTEP).
In February 2003, while serving her second military assignment at Fort Bliss, Texas
, Johnson received orders to deploy to Iraq as a Quartermaster Corps Food Service Specialist (MOS 92G
) with the 507th Maintenance Company, 5/52 ADA BN, 11th ADA Brigade. Shoshana enlisted with the duty of preparing meals. She says that she had no intention of going into combat. Her company's duty was to supply mechanics to repair the Patriot missile trucks housed at the post.
On March 23, 2003, one month after her arrival to serve as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom
, Johnson was in a convoy that was ambushed and taken captive in the city of Nasiriyah
. Iraqi troops ambushed her supply convoy when it took a wrong turn. There had been bitter fighting around Nasiriyah, a vital crossing point of the River Euphrates. Johnson was among a dozen soldiers in the convoy who were captured. She received a bullet wound to her ankle, causing injuries to both legs.
On April 13, 2003, after subsequent house raids conducted by United States Marines
of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
, 1st Marine Division in the city of Samarra
, Johnson was rescued along with six other prisoners of war. They were welcomed as heroes in the United States on April 16 with a cheering crowd of over 3,000 people. The U.S. Army recognized them for courage, valor, and service with several awards.
On December 12, 2003, Johnson left the U.S. Army on a Temporary Disability Honorable Discharge
. Johnson was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal for her service in Iraq and has received numerous awards and recognition for her courage, valor, and service to the United States. She has presented talks throughout the nation about her experience as a prisoner of war, and has been recognized with standing ovations from small groups to over 65,000 people at select events hosted by public and private organizations.
in that they focused attention on Jessica Lynch
, a white woman, rather than Johnson, a black woman. CNN reported that "Lynch got a million-dollar book deal and more in disability payments from the military than Johnson. Some said it was a long standing and well documented issue of race in the military. Shoshana Johnson says reports that she and Lynch were at odds aren't true."
In 2007 Dafina Books and Johnson parted ways. Johnson signed a deal with Simon & Schuster in 2008. I'm Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen—My Journey Home was released on February 2, 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier, and was the first black female prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in the military history of the United States
Military history of the United States
The military history of the United States spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, the United States evolved from a new nation fighting the British Empire for independence without a professional military , through a monumental American Civil War to the world's sole...
. Johnson was a Specialist
Specialist (rank)
Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
of the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
507th Maintenance Company
507th Maintenance Company
The 507th Maintenance Company was a unit of the U.S. Army which provided maintenance support to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery , based at Fort Bliss, Texas...
, 5/52 ADA BN, 11th ADA Brigade. During a gun fight that led to her capture she suffered bullet wounds to both of her ankles. She was freed in a rescue mission conducted by United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
units on April 13, 2003. She was held prisoner in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for 22 days along with five other members of her unit including:
- SPC Edgar Hernandez
- SPC Joseph Hudson
- PFC Patrick Miller
- SGT James Riley - 31-year-old from Pennsauken, N.J. As the senior soldier present, he ordered the surrender.
- PFC Jessica LynchJessica LynchJessica Dawn Lynch is a former Private First Class in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Lynch served in Iraq during the 2003 invasion by U.S. and allied forces. On March 23, 2003 she was injured and captured by Iraqi forces but was recovered on April 1 by U.S...
- Part of same 507 unit but held in a different location
Life and career
Johnson, a second-generation U.S. Army veteran, is a native of PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her family when she was a child. She is the eldest child of retired Army Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
Claude Johnson and wife Eunice. In 1991, Johnson was in the JROTC
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
program at Andress High School, although she did not plan a career in the military. She joined the U.S. Army in September 1998 after dropping out of University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
(UTEP).
In February 2003, while serving her second military assignment at Fort Bliss, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Johnson received orders to deploy to Iraq as a Quartermaster Corps Food Service Specialist (MOS 92G
Military Occupational Specialty
A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...
) with the 507th Maintenance Company, 5/52 ADA BN, 11th ADA Brigade. Shoshana enlisted with the duty of preparing meals. She says that she had no intention of going into combat. Her company's duty was to supply mechanics to repair the Patriot missile trucks housed at the post.
On March 23, 2003, one month after her arrival to serve as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, Johnson was in a convoy that was ambushed and taken captive in the city of Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
. Iraqi troops ambushed her supply convoy when it took a wrong turn. There had been bitter fighting around Nasiriyah, a vital crossing point of the River Euphrates. Johnson was among a dozen soldiers in the convoy who were captured. She received a bullet wound to her ankle, causing injuries to both legs.
On April 13, 2003, after subsequent house raids conducted by United States Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
of the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion ' is a mechanized infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 and they are part of the 1st Marine Division and I Marine Expeditionary Force...
, 1st Marine Division in the city of Samarra
Samarra
Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
, Johnson was rescued along with six other prisoners of war. They were welcomed as heroes in the United States on April 16 with a cheering crowd of over 3,000 people. The U.S. Army recognized them for courage, valor, and service with several awards.
On December 12, 2003, Johnson left the U.S. Army on a Temporary Disability Honorable Discharge
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
. Johnson was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal for her service in Iraq and has received numerous awards and recognition for her courage, valor, and service to the United States. She has presented talks throughout the nation about her experience as a prisoner of war, and has been recognized with standing ovations from small groups to over 65,000 people at select events hosted by public and private organizations.
Controversy
Critics have accused the military and media of racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
in that they focused attention on Jessica Lynch
Jessica Lynch
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former Private First Class in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps. Lynch served in Iraq during the 2003 invasion by U.S. and allied forces. On March 23, 2003 she was injured and captured by Iraqi forces but was recovered on April 1 by U.S...
, a white woman, rather than Johnson, a black woman. CNN reported that "Lynch got a million-dollar book deal and more in disability payments from the military than Johnson. Some said it was a long standing and well documented issue of race in the military. Shoshana Johnson says reports that she and Lynch were at odds aren't true."
Book deal
Johnson signed a book deal with Dafina Books to write her story with Paul T. Brown, titled One Wrong Turn, which was to tell her side of the story and more about her fallen comrades.In 2007 Dafina Books and Johnson parted ways. Johnson signed a deal with Simon & Schuster in 2008. I'm Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen—My Journey Home was released on February 2, 2010.