Shoshana Johnson
Shoshana Johnson | |
|---|---|
Johnson at an NAACP dinner, July 18, 2003 | |
| Birth name | Shoshana Nyree Johnson |
| Nickname | Shana |
| Born | January 18, 1973 Pedro Miguel, Panama Canal Zone, Panama |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1998–2003 |
| Rank | Specialist |
| Unit | 507th Maintenance Company 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment |
| Conflicts | 2003 invasion of Iraq Battle of Nasiriyah |
| Awards | |
| Alma mater | El Paso Community College |
| Children | 1 |
| Other work | Author, veterans advocate |
Shoshana "Shana" Nyree Johnson (born January 18, 1973) is a Panamanian-born former United States Army soldier who became the first African-American woman taken prisoner of war in the military history of the United States.
Johnson enlisted in the Army in 1998 and served as a Food Service Specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company based at Fort Bliss, Texas.
During the opening phase of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Johnson was wounded when her convoy was ambushed in the Battle of Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003. She was captured by Iraqi forces and held as a prisoner of war for 22 days before being rescued by U.S. Marines on April 13, 2003.