SPC (Ret.) Shoshana Johnson (US Army)
SPC (Ret.) Shoshana Johnson is a retired U.S. Army soldier and the first Black female prisoner of war in U.S. military history. She enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998 and served in the 507th Maintenance Company, 5/52 Air Defense Artillery Battalion. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson and five fellow soldiers were captured in March, 2003 following an ambush near Nasiriyah, Iraq. Suffering gunshot wounds in both legs, she was held captive for 22 days before being rescued by U.S. Marines. Her many honors include a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War Medal.