Shoshana Nyree Johnson was born in the Republic of Panama to Panamanian parents Claude and Eunice. Johnson lives in El Paso, Texas with her daughter Janelle, her sisters, Nikki and Erika, and two nieces.
Johnson was a JROTC cadet in 1991, and an Andress High School graduate. She attended the University of Texas at El Paso, and later joined the US Army in September 1998. She completed the US Army Basic Training Course at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, and the Advance Individual Training, at Ft. Lee, Virginia.
A second-generation Army Veteran, Johnson's first military assignment was at Ft. Carson, Colorado. In February, 2003, at her second military assignment at Ft. Bliss, Texas, Johnson received orders to deploy to Iraq and to carry through her duties as a Food Service Specialist, (92G) with the 507th Maintenance Company, 552 Battalion 11th Brigade.
On March 23, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson was in a convoy that was ambushed in the city of an-Nasiriyah. Johnson received a bullet wound to her ankle, causing injuries to both legs. She and 5 other members of the 507th Maintenance Company were captured and taken Prisoners of War. The ambush and its aftermath made world news headlines.
House raids conducted by US Marines in the city of Samarra, Iraq, resulted in the successful rescue of seven POWs on the morning of April 13. Six days later, Johnson, together with six former POWs, came back to a heroes welcome in the US with a cheering crowd of over 3,000 people.
Specialist Johnson retired from the Army on a Temporary Disability Honorable Discharge on December 12, 2003. Johnson's awards and decorations include the US Army Service Ribbon, Army Commendation Ribbon, National Defense Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, and the Prisoner of War Medal. US Army officials identified Johnson as the first female POW of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the first black female POW in US war history.
Since her return to the United States, Specialist Johnson has received numerous awards, and recognition for her courage, valor, and service to the United States. She has been recognized with standing ovations from small groups to over 65,000 people at select events hosted by: the President of the Republic of Panama, the Congressional Hispanic and Black Caucuses, NAACP, College Football Games, National Hockey Game, Major League Baseball Game, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Glamour, McDonald's, and as New York Mayor's Special Guest at Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Johnson continually generates media attention and has participated in major national media interviews with the Associated Press, Reuters, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, NBC. Ms. Johnson also has done numerous speaking engagement across the country discussing her experience as a POW in Iraq.
