Lori Piestewa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lori Piestewa
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Piestewa a few weeks before her death in 2003
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| Native name |
Kocha-Hon-Mana
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| Born | December 14, 1979 Tuba City, Arizona, United States |
| Died | March 23, 2003 (aged 23) Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar, Iraq |
| Buried |
Tuba City Community Cemetery, Tuba City, Arizona, U.S.
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 2001–2003 |
| Rank | Specialist (posthumous) |
| Unit | 507th Maintenance Company |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards | Purple Heart Prisoner of War Medal |
Lori Ann Piestewa (PY-es-TƏ-wah; born December 14, 1979 – died March 23, 2003) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. She was killed during the Iraq War. Lori was part of the Quartermaster Corps, which handles supplies and support for the army.
She died in an attack in Iraq. Her fellow soldiers, Shoshana Johnson and her friend Jessica Lynch, were also hurt in the same attack. Lori Piestewa was a member of the Hopi tribe. She was the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military. She was also the first woman in the U.S. military killed in the Iraq War. A mountain in Arizona, Piestewa Peak, is named in her honor.
Lori's Early Life
Lori Piestewa was born in Tuba City, Arizona. Her parents were Terry Piestewa and Priscilla "Percy" Baca. Her father was a Hopi Native American. Her mother was Mexican-American.
Lori's family had a long history of serving in the military. Her grandfather fought in the U.S. Army during World War II. Her father, Terry Piestewa, served in the Vietnam War.
The Piestewa family lived in Tuba City. This town is located on the Navajo Indian Reservation. When Lori was a child, she received the Hopi name Qötsa-Hon-Mana. This name means White Bear Girl. Her last name, Piestewa, comes from a Hopi word. It means "water pooled on the desert by a hard rain." So, Piestewa means "the people who live by the water."
Ambush in Iraq
Lori Piestewa was part of the U.S. Army's 507th Maintenance Company. This unit helped with vehicle repairs and support. Her company was traveling in a group of vehicles called a convoy. They were supposed to go around Nasiriyah, a city in southern Iraq. This happened during the first days of the war in 2003.
However, the convoy got lost. On March 23, 2003, they drove into an ambush in Nasiriyah. An ambush is a surprise attack.
Lori was driving her military vehicle, a Humvee. The enemy started shooting at them. She drove very fast to try and escape the gunfire. But a rocket-propelled grenade hit her Humvee. The explosion caused her vehicle to crash into a broken-down truck.
Lori, Shoshana Johnson, and Jessica Lynch all survived the crash. They were injured. Three other soldiers in the Humvee died. Lori and her injured friends were taken as prisoners. Lori died from her wounds soon after in an Iraqi hospital.
A video of some American prisoners of war was shown on TV. This video included Lori, filmed shortly before she passed away. People in Tuba City hung signs saying, "Put your porch light on, show Lori the way home." They even spelled her name on a large mesa (a flat-topped hill) outside town.
Lori's Legacy
Lori Piestewa received two important awards after her death. These were the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. The U.S. Army also promoted her from private first class to specialist.
Jessica Lynch has often said that Lori Piestewa was the real hero of the ambush. Jessica even named her daughter Dakota Ann to honor Lori. Many places and groups have also honored Lori's memory.
Piestewa Peak
In Arizona, there was a mountain called Squaw Peak. Its name was considered offensive. So, the state decided to rename it Piestewa Peak to honor Lori. This change became official on April 10, 2008. The freeway that goes near this mountain was also renamed in her honor.
Other Tributes
Senator Tom Daschle honored Lori. Many Native American tribes across the United States also honored her. Since her death, the Grand Canyon State Games hold an annual event. It is called the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games. People from all over the country come to participate.
There are also plaques with her name at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Another is at Fort Bliss, Texas. She is also honored with a plaque at the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, California. In 2011, an American Legion Post on the Hopi Reservation was renamed the Lori Piestewa Post #80. Also in 2011, a building at Fort Benning, Georgia, was named Piestewa Hall in her honor.
Lori's death brought together the Hopi and Navajo tribes. These tribes had been rivals for hundreds of years. They held a special joint prayer gathering.
In 2005, Lori's parents and children received a new home. It was built by Ty Pennington and his team on the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Jessica Lynch also helped with this project. They also built a new center for veterans on the Navajo reservation.
In 2018, Lori Piestewa was honored again. She was one of the first people to be included in the National Native American Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Lori Piestewa para niños
- Battle of Nasiriyah
