In the first year of the Iraq War, seven soldiers were captured and held prisoner by the Iraqi forces for 22 days. Two of them were women. One was Private First Class Jessica Lynch, whose story of heroism was praised in national headlines when she returned to America. The other woman was Specialist Shoshana Johnson, America’s first Black female prisoner of war. Except you might not remember her. 

The two women are friends, and both risked their lives for this country, suffering significant injuries. But the national spotlight on Lynch’s story left Johnson’s heroism overlooked and unrecognized.

On Veterans Day, Trymaine Lee speaks with Shoshana Johnson about her traumatic capture and rescue, her life after the war, and how she wants the military to honor the sacrifices of women of color who wear the uniform.

For a transcript, please visit https://www.msnbc.com/intoamerica. 

Thoughts? Feedback? Story ideas? Write to us at [email protected].

Further Reading and Listening: 

• Check out more Veterans Day coverage from NBC News
• First black female POW sets the record straight

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