thedrifter
04-30-03, 06:57 AM
Marines from St. Louis area helped rescue Jessica Lynch
CREVE COEUR, Mo. (AP) -- Two Marines from the St. Louis area helped in the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday.
Roger and Barbara Sturdevant of Creve Coeur learned Friday that their son, Lt. Col. Gregg Sturdevant, helped in the planning and rescue. The Sturdevants haven't spoken with their son in nearly a month, but learned of his role from his wife, Tina.
Meanwhile, Matthew Goodman, 21, a Marine corporal from Swansea, Ill., also aided in the rescue. He was part of a Marine detachment that backed up the special operations forces that rescued Lynch. His unit would have gone into the hospital if the special operations forces had needed assistance.
Gregg Sturdevant, 45, is a career officer in the Marines, now with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Detachment.
Lynch, who turned 20 on Saturday, was rescued April 1. The Army supply clerk was captured March 23 after her 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company convoy was ambushed in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah.
She was rescued from a hospital by U.S. commandos, reportedly after a tip from an Iraqi lawyer whose wife was a nurse in the hospital. She is recovering from a head wound, a spinal injury and fractures to her right arm, both legs and her right foot and ankle.
It was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II. Sturdevant flew one of the three helicopters used, he told his wife.
The plan called for a Marine ground unit to stage a fake attack to divert Iraqi paramilitary troops away form the hospital. Then, two CH-46 helicopters and a CH-53 helicopters, each carrying about 16 soldiers, landed near the hospital, dropping off the troops and getting out again quickly.
The Sturdevants haven't spoken to their son recently because phone calls are rare when he's on a mission, they said. The last time they talked, Gregg Sturdevant told his parents that communications would be down for a while, "but don't worry about me," he said. "I'll be fine."
The Sturdevants expect their son to return to San Diego, where his family lives, in May. Sturdevant and his wife have a 10-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter.
In September, Sturdevant will attend the prestigious National War College in Washington.
Sturdevant was awarded the first Bronze Star medal last year while serving at Bagram, Afghanistan.
He provided air cover for grounds troops in Operation Anaconda, the bloodiest battle the U.S. military fought in Afghanistan.
Sturdevant's parents say that their son is writing recommendations for awards for the soldiers who participated in the rescue.
"He wants to make sure all the soldiers get recognized," Roger Sturdevant said.
Sempers,
Roger
CREVE COEUR, Mo. (AP) -- Two Marines from the St. Louis area helped in the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday.
Roger and Barbara Sturdevant of Creve Coeur learned Friday that their son, Lt. Col. Gregg Sturdevant, helped in the planning and rescue. The Sturdevants haven't spoken with their son in nearly a month, but learned of his role from his wife, Tina.
Meanwhile, Matthew Goodman, 21, a Marine corporal from Swansea, Ill., also aided in the rescue. He was part of a Marine detachment that backed up the special operations forces that rescued Lynch. His unit would have gone into the hospital if the special operations forces had needed assistance.
Gregg Sturdevant, 45, is a career officer in the Marines, now with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Detachment.
Lynch, who turned 20 on Saturday, was rescued April 1. The Army supply clerk was captured March 23 after her 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company convoy was ambushed in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah.
She was rescued from a hospital by U.S. commandos, reportedly after a tip from an Iraqi lawyer whose wife was a nurse in the hospital. She is recovering from a head wound, a spinal injury and fractures to her right arm, both legs and her right foot and ankle.
It was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II. Sturdevant flew one of the three helicopters used, he told his wife.
The plan called for a Marine ground unit to stage a fake attack to divert Iraqi paramilitary troops away form the hospital. Then, two CH-46 helicopters and a CH-53 helicopters, each carrying about 16 soldiers, landed near the hospital, dropping off the troops and getting out again quickly.
The Sturdevants haven't spoken to their son recently because phone calls are rare when he's on a mission, they said. The last time they talked, Gregg Sturdevant told his parents that communications would be down for a while, "but don't worry about me," he said. "I'll be fine."
The Sturdevants expect their son to return to San Diego, where his family lives, in May. Sturdevant and his wife have a 10-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter.
In September, Sturdevant will attend the prestigious National War College in Washington.
Sturdevant was awarded the first Bronze Star medal last year while serving at Bagram, Afghanistan.
He provided air cover for grounds troops in Operation Anaconda, the bloodiest battle the U.S. military fought in Afghanistan.
Sturdevant's parents say that their son is writing recommendations for awards for the soldiers who participated in the rescue.
"He wants to make sure all the soldiers get recognized," Roger Sturdevant said.
Sempers,
Roger