please welcome a hero to me, jessica lynch. to have you here. [ applause ] every time i see the video, i get choked up. how old were you when that happened? >> 19. >> you were 19 years old. >> yeah. >> that is not something to happen to a 19 year old in west virginia and you are supposed to be out dates and having fun and not put in the hospital by iraqis and rescued in the middle of the night. why dudecide to join the army. >> i was 18 and my brother and i decided we were so close in age and help my family and not put thim through the burden of college and right after me was my sister and we were all close in age. we didn't want to have that debt on my parents and me and my brother decided to serve our country and be proud . be an army soldier. >> this was before 9/11 and the war . so duever think. okay, i will go to the army and i will probably be in combat? >> no, that never crossed my mind at all. i thought i would get the education like they rapromised and the travel opportunities and the people that you meet just at the u

the mission, to take home jessica lynch. ntered the hospital where she was being held, and found her. >> where do the windows go out to? >> it's okay. >> lynch was suffering from mental distress and severe physical injuries, including several broken bones. within seven minutes of the first american boots hitting the ground, lynch was on a helicopter headed for much needed medical attention. after nine days in captivity, her nightmare was over. >> you're doing wonderful, okay? >> welcome back. >> her rescue-- (applause) >> indeed her rescue launched the news coverage and she was a hero. she says she's not going to take credit for something she tonight do and survived herself simply as a survivor. would you please welcome a hero to me, jessica lynch. so good to have you here. i've got to tell you every time i see that video, i get choked up. how old were you when that happened? >> 19. >> 19 years old. >> yeah. >> that's not something that's supposed to happen to a 19-year-old young lady from west virginia, you're supposed to be