Shoshana Johnson

Shoshana Nyree Johnson was born in the Republic of Panama to Panamanian parents Claude and Eunice Johnson. Johnson lives in El Paso, Texas near her family.

Johnson was a JROTC cadet in 1991 and graduated from Andress High School. She attended the University of Texas at El Paso before joining 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. Her first military assignment was at Ft. Carson, Colorado. In February 2003, while stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas, Johnson received orders to deploy to Iraq as a Food Service Specialist, (92G) with the 507th Maintenance Company, 5/52 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 five other members of the 507th Maintenance Company were captured and taken Prisoners of War. The ambush and its aftermath made headlines worldwide.

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. Johnson, among the rescued, returned to the US to a heroes' welcome. She retired from the Army with an 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. She is recognized as the first black female POW in US war history.

Since returning to the United States, Johnson has been active in veteran advocacy and public speaking, focusing on subjects such as life with PTSD and the impact of being a woman of color in the military. She graduated from El Paso Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in May 2008 and a degree in culinary arts (pastry) in May 2011. Johnson authored the memoir “I'm Still Standing: From Captured Soldier to Free Citizen-My Journey Home,” which was nominated for a NAACP Image Award. She continues to plan for further education, pursuing a nutrition degree to complement her advocacy work.