April 1 - Saving Jessica Lynch

Today’s movie is a combat film with a scene that happens on April 1. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

SAVING JESSICA LYNCH           

Pfc. Jessica Lynch is a soldier in the US Army Quartermaster corp. During the invasion of Iraq in the Third Gulf War a convoy she was traveling in took several wrong turns and ended up being ambushed in the city of Nasiriyah by fedayeen. Eleven Americans are killed and six, including Jessica Lynch are captured. Back at home in West Virginia her family are notified that she is missing in action. An Iraqi lawyer, Mohammed Al-Rehiaef discovers Jessica is a prisoner in a hospital, as she was wounded before she was captured. He supports the American invasion, but his wife who works at the hospital does not. Jessica undergoes intense interrogation. The Iraqis show a tape of four of the prisoners. Al-Rehiaef crosses over to the American lines and tells them he knows where Lynch is being held. Iraqis are going to arrest Al-Rehiaef’s wife and daughter, but a cleric persuades the police to leave them alone. The army asks Al-Rehiaef to return to hospital to collect intelligence. Jessica thinks back over her decision to join the US Army, mainly to get GI Bill educational assistance.  Mohammed and his wife Iman argue about helping Lynch, but he finally convinces her, and the family crosses over to the American lines.  The Army, led by Colonel Curry, plans a rescue mission. On April 1, 2003 [1:12:00 to 1:24:20] the rescue mission is launched. There are problems. Lynch is not in her room because she was taken out for surgery.  She is finally located and rescued. The Rangers dig up the bodies of the other soldiers who were killed in the battle who were buried in a mass grave at the hospital. Her family is overjoyed to learn she is all right and Lynch gets a welcome home parade. Mohammed and his family moved to the USA.

A decent docudrama. Controversy came after this production as charges were raised that it distorted the facts. I don’t know what really happened, but as entertainment it is good. 

I’m a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story  by Rick Bragg (Alfred A. Knopf, New York

2003) at pages 129-131 and the film at 1:12:05 give the date of her rescue.

Producers - Bob Chmiel, Michael R. Joyce, and Dan Paulson

Director - Peter Markle

Screenplay - John Fasano

Runtime – 1 hour 34 minutes

Released = November 9, 2003

Starring –        Laura Regan as Jessica Lynch

Brent Sexton as Greg Lynch, Jr.

Denise Lee as Shoshona Johnson

Nicholas Guilak as Mohammed Al-Rehiaef

Crystle  Lightning as Lori Piestewa

Susan Peris as Iman Al-Rehiaef

Michael Rooker as Colonel Curry

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015