2003 Autographed Jessica Lynch Silver Eagle Set, PCGS MS69

2003 Autographed Jessica Lynch Silver Eagle Set, PCGS MS69 

Set Contains COA

Jessica Lynch is a retired United States Army soldier, former prisoner of war (POW), teacher, actress, and motivational speaker. Born on April 26, 1983, in Palestine, West Virginia, she enlisted in the Army at age 18 to help pay for college, joining the 507th Maintenance Company as a unit supply specialist (MOS 92Y). On March 23, 2003, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces near Nasiriyah, resulting in a crash that left her seriously injured and captured. Eleven other soldiers were killed in the ambush, and five others were captured; Lynch was the only one rescued during the initial operation.

She was held captive for nine days before being rescued on April 1, 2003, by U.S. special operations forces in a nighttime raid on Saddam Hospital (now Imam Hussein Teaching Hospital) in Nasiriyah. The operation involved a joint effort by Navy SEALs, Marine commandos, Army Rangers, and Delta Force, marking the first successful rescue of an American POW since World War II and the first ever of a woman. Lynch was flown to Germany for medical treatment and later transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C..

Initially, media reports portrayed her as a heroic figure who fought back during her capture, but she later testified before Congress on April 24, 2007, stating that she had never fired her weapon—her M16 rifle reportedly jammed—and that she had been knocked unconscious during the crash. She has since criticized the exaggerated narratives surrounding her capture and rescue, emphasizing that she is simply a survivor rather than a war heroine. She was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War medals for her service and captivity.

After her military service, Lynch earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from West Virginia University at Parkersburg in 2011 and a Master of Arts in Communications Studies in 2014. She has worked as a substitute teacher and made her acting debut in 2014 in the film Virtuous, portraying a character loosely based on her own experiences. In April 2024, she joined the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance as the Administrator of the Women Veterans Program, leveraging her personal experience to support other women veterans in accessing VA benefits and healthcare.

Lynch has also been a public speaker, sharing her story to encourage perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. She is a mother to Dakota Ann Robinson, born in 2007, and has spoken about honoring her best friend, Lori Piestewa, who died in captivity, by naming her daughter after her.