Look up PFC in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

PFC may refer to:

Science[link]

• Perfluorinated compounds, a class of organofluorine compounds that have all hydrogen replaced with fluorine
• Perfluorocarbons, fluorocarbon compounds derived from hydrocarbons
• Power factor correction, a technique of counteracting the undesirable effects of electric loads
• Prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain
• pFc fragment of a monoclonal antibody; see Fragment crystallizable region
• Persistent fetal circulation in the newborn child
• Programmable Fieldbus Controller, ex WAGO 750-841

Sports[link]

• Palace Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States

Football (soccer) clubs[link]

• Paris FC, a French football club located in the east of Paris
• Partizan Football Club (disambiguation)
  • Partizani Tirana, a football club playing in Tirana, Albania
  • FK Partizan, a football club based in Belgrade, Serbia
• Paulínia FC, based in Paulínia, São Paulo, Brazil
• Peterhead F.C., based in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• Phichit F.C., based in Thailand
• Portsmouth F.C., based in the Portsmouth, England
• Pune FC, a Indian football club based in Pune, India

Other[link]

• Pacific City State Airport (IATA airport code), near Pacific City, Oregon
• Power Finance Corporation, an Indian financial institution
• Power foundation classes, computer libraries for PowerBuilder
• Phonologie du Français Contemporain, an international research project devoted to French phonology
• Priority-based flow control, Ethernet technology
• Private First Class, a military rank held by junior enlisted persons

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ross Andrew McGinnis
Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis at Fort Benning, Georgia
Born	(1987-06-14)June 14, 1987 Meadville, Pennsylvania
Died	December 4, 2006(2006-12-04) (aged 19) Adhamiyah, Iraq
Resting Place	Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2004–2006
Rank	Specialist
Unit	Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd "Dagger" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Medal of Honor Silver Star Bronze Star

Ross Andrew McGinnis (June 14, 1987 – December 4, 2006) was a soldier who served in the United States Army during the Iraq War and was posthumously awarded the United States' highest decoration for bravery, the Medal of Honor. While serving as the gunner in a HMMWV, his convoy was attacked and a hand grenade was thrown into his vehicle. McGinnis was subsequently killed in action when he threw himself on the grenade, saving the lives of at least four other soldiers in the vehicle. He was the fourth soldier to receive the Medal of Honor during the Iraq War, which was presented to his family following his death.

Early life[link]

McGinnis was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania on June 14, 1987 to Romayne and Tom McGinnis. Although he was born in Meadville he grew up in Knox, 90 miles north of Pittsburgh, after his family moved there when he was three. When he was in kindergarten, his teacher gave him a paper that at the top said "When I grow up, I want to be __________" and he wrote an "Army Man". When he was growing up he became involved in the Boy Scouts of America, enjoyed working on cars, and was an athlete playing multiple sports.^[1] He played basketball and soccer through the YMCA, and Little League baseball.^[1] He attended Clarion County public schools and graduated from Keystone Junior/Senior High School in 2005.^[2] He has two sisters, Becky and Katie.^[3]

Military service[link]

McGinnis had wanted to be a soldier since kindergarten and joined the Army through the Delayed Entry Program on his 17th birthday, on June 14, 2004. Following basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in Ledward Barracks, in Schweinfurt, Germany.^[4]

In August 2006, aged 19, the regiment was deployed to eastern Baghdad and he was serving as a .50 caliber machine-gunner in a HMMWV during operations against insurgents in Adhamiyah. On December 4, while his platoon was on mounted patrol in Adhamiyah, a grenade was thrown into his vehicle. He told the other four men about it, so they could prepare for the blast. Instead of jumping out of the gunner's hatch, he threw his back over the grenade, absorbing the bulk of the blast. He was killed instantly, but the other occupants were able to survive with only minor injuries.^[5]

President Barack Obama leaves a presidential coin at the McGinnis gravesite.

He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and his grave can be found in section 60, site 8544.^[6] Since the beginning of the Iraq War, he is one of four known United States servicemembers who have thrown themselves on a live grenade. The other personnel known to have done this are Marine Corporal Jason Dunham, Navy SEAL Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor, and Marine Sergeant Rafael Peralta.^[7] McGinnis was the fourth recipient of the Medal of Honor in the course of the Iraq War.^[8]

A ceremony was held in the east room of the White House on June 2, 2008 in which the medal was presented to his family by President George W. Bush.^[9][10] In addition to his family and the President a many other notable people attended the ceremony, including the Vice President, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake, Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne, General Jim "Hoss" Cartwright, and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Several members of congress also attended as did members of McGinnis' unit from Iraq, including the other soldiers from the vehicle he sacrificed his life to save.^[3]

Honors and awards[link]

In addition to the Medal of Honor he also received a posthumous promotion to specialist as well as the Silver Star, Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

U.S. military decorations Medal of Honor Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart Army Good Conduct Medal U.S. service (campaign) medals and service and training ribbons National Defense Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Army Service Ribbon Army Overseas Service Ribbon

U.S. badges, patches and tabs Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Infantry Division Patch (left arm) Shoulder Sleeve Insignia and (right arm) Shoulder Sleeve Insignia - Former War Time Service (SSI-FWTS)

Medal of Honor citation[link]

President George Bush presents the Medal of Honor to the parents of Ross McGinnis

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an M2 .50-caliber Machine Gunner, 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy in Adhamiyah, Northeast Baghdad, Iraq, on December 4, 2006. That afternoon his platoon was conducting combat control operations in an effort to reduce and control sectarian violence in the area. While Private McGinnis was manning the M2 .50-caliber Machine Gun, a fragmentation grenade thrown by an insurgent fell through the gunner's hatch into the vehicle. Reacting quickly, he yelled "grenade," allowing all four members of his crew to prepare for the grenade's blast. Then, rather than leaping from the gunner's hatch to safety, Private McGinnis made the courageous decision to protect his crew. In a selfless act of bravery, in which he was mortally wounded, Private McGinnis covered the live grenade, pinning it between his body and the vehicle and absorbing most of the explosion. Private McGinnis' gallant action directly saved four men from certain serious injury or death. Private First Class McGinnis' extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.^[3]

Other honors[link]

A PBS Special Report chronicled the life of McGinnis as told by his parents, friends and the people of his hometown of Knox, Clarion County, Pennsylvania.^[2]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ross A. McGinnis

• "Ross McGinnis, Medal of Honor recipient". Arlington National Cemetery Biography. Arlington National Cemetery profile. December 9, 2006. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ramcginnis.htm. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
• "President Bush Presents Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis". White House Press Release. White House. June 2, 2008. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080602-1.html. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
• "Reflections on PFC Ross McGinnis on YouTube.com". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEjELGU3bCU. Retrieved April 1, 2010. 
• "Medal of Honor - PFC Ross McGinnis: Staff Sergeant Ian Newland Interview on YouTube.com". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOClztsqAbY. Retrieved April 1, 2010. 

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (January 2009)

LaVena Johnson (July 27, 1985 - July 19, 2005) was a Private First Class in the United States Army whose death, officially ruled a suicide, has attracted international attention amid shocking revelations she was raped and murdered. She was the first female soldier from Missouri to die in Iraq.

Biography[link]

The daughter of Dr John Johnson, a service veteran and Linda Johnson,^[2] Johnson was born and grew up in Florissant, Missouri. The 5'1" African American honor student enlisted in the Army immediately after graduating from Hazelwood Central High School. She was deployed to Iraq and stationed in Balad. She had been there for 8 weeks before her death on July 19, 2005.^[1]

Death and controversy[link]

Johnson's death was officially ruled a suicide by the Department of Defense. However, her father became suspicious when he saw her body in the funeral home and decided to investigate. The Army initially refused to release information, but did so under the Freedom of Information Act after Representative William Lacy Clay, Jr. raised questions about it at the congressional hearings over Pat Tillman's death.^[3]

The autopsy report and photographs revealed Johnson had a broken nose, black eye, loose teeth, burns from a corrosive chemical on her genitals, and a gunshot wound that seemed inconsistent with suicide. Several reporters have suspected that the chemical burns were to destroy DNA evidence of a rape.^[1][3][4][5]

A spokesman from the House Armed Services Committee said in June 2008 that the committee was looking into Johnson's death, but they were not yet committing to a formal investigation. Christopher Grey, chief of public affairs for the U.S. Criminal Investigative Command for the Army has said that the case remains closed as far as they are concerned.^[6]

Following a February 2007 KMOV news report on Johnson's death, an online petition addressed to the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee was launched. This was followed by the creation of an official LaVena Johnson website dedicated to developments in prompting a new Army investigation of her death. The petition closed on May 24, 2008 with nearly 12,000 signatures; preparations are being made for delivery to the two committees.^[7] In July 2008, the online Black activist group Color of Change launched an online petition^[8] calling on Henry Waxman, chair of the House Oversight Committee, to conduct a hearing into LaVena Johnson's death and the Army's handling of her case and others like it.

A movie about LaVena Johnson's family struggle for justice is currently^[when?] being shown at Webster University in St.Louis, Missouri. Joan Brooker directed LaVena Johnson: The Silent Truth.

On July 19, 2011, the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI) at CHI Institute will continue its investigation into the death by recreating the crime scene. Each year the CCIRI investigates a new cold case and this year chose Johnson’s case. The CCIRI’s crime scene reconstruction will help shed light on this case that has attracted worldwide attention.^[9]

See also[link]

• Ciara Durkin
• Pat Tillman

United States Army portal

References[link]

External links[link]

• The PFC LaVena Johnson Petition
• Murder on the Base? story in ChicagoReader
• Dark Secrets - coverage by Ginny Stein on SBS Australia Dateline program aired 29 May 2009.

Lori Piestewa
Nickname	Kocha-Hon-Mana (Hopi name)
Born	(1979-12-14)December 14, 1979 Tuba City, Arizona
Died	March 30, 2003(2003-03-30) (aged 23) Nasiriyah, Iraq
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2001- 2003[1]
Rank	Specialist (posthumous)[2]
Unit	507th Maintenance Company
Battles/wars	2003 invasion of Iraq
Awards	Purple Heart Prisoner of War Medal

SPC Lori Ann Piestewa ( /paɪˈɛstəwɑː/ py-ESS-tə-wah;^[3] December 14, 1979 – March 23, 2003) was a U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps soldier killed during the same Iraqi Army attack in which fellow soldiers Shoshana Johnson and Jessica Lynch sustained injuries. A member of the Hopi tribe, Piestewa was the first Native American woman in history to die in combat while serving with the U.S. military and the first woman in the U.S. armed forces killed in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.^[2] Arizona's Piestewa Peak is named in her honor.

Early life[link]

Piestewa was born in Tuba City, Arizona, to Terry Piestewa and Priscilla "Percy" Baca.^[4][5][6] Her father is a full-blooded Hopi Native American, her mother is a Mexican-American.^{[7][8] photo} The couple first met in 1964 and married in November 1968.^[9]

The Piestewa family had a long military tradition; her paternal grandfather served in the U.S. Army in the European Theatre of World War II,^[10] and her father Terry Piestewa was drafted in the U.S. Army in September 1965 and served a tour of duty in the Vietnam War before he returned home in March 1967.^[9]

The Piestewa family resided in a trailer park in Tuba City, a town located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Coconino County.^[10] As a child, she was given the Hopi name Qötsa-Hon-Mana (Hopi pronunciation: [ˈḵøt͡sa ˈhon ˈmana], White Bear Girl).^[7] Her surname is derived from a Hopi language root meaning "water pooled on the desert by a hard rain"; thus, Piestewa (Hopi: [piˈɛstɛwa]) translates loosely as "the people who live by the water."

Ambush in Nasiriyah, Iraq[link]

Piestewa was a member of the US Amy's 507th Maintenance Company, a support unit of maintenance and repair personnel. Her company was traveling in a convoy through the desert and was meant to bypass Nasiriyah, in southern Iraq, during the opening days of the war; but the convoy got lost and ran into an ambush in Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003.

As Piestewa came under "a torrent of fire" (in the words of an Army investigation of the battle), she drove at a high speed, successfully evading the enemy fire until an RPG hit the front-left wheel well of her Humvee.^[11] The force of the explosion sent her vehicle into the rear of a disabled tractor-trailer.^[11] Piestewa, Johnson, and Lynch all survived the crash with injuries, while three other soldiers in the Humvee died. They were taken prisoner along with four others, with Piestewa dying soon after of her wounds. A video of some of the American prisoners of war, including Piestewa (filmed shortly before she died in an Iraqi hospital), was later shown around the world on Al Jazeera television.^[12] According to Jessica Lynch's book—I'm a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story—Piestewa was wounded in the head, and it was impossible to perform delicate neurosurgery in an Iraqi civilian hospital in wartime conditions (such as intermittent electric power). In a U.S. military hospital with reliable power and neurosurgeons available around the clock, she might have survived.^[13]

The families of soldiers in the 507th heard almost right away of the ambush and fatalities in the unit. The Piestewa family saw people in her unit being interviewed by Iraqi TV, and for more than a week families of the two women waited for news. All around Tuba City signs were hung out telling people: "Put your porch light on, show Lori the way home." They used white stone to spell her name on a 200 foot high mesa just outside the town.^[10]

Honoring Piestewa[link]

Piestewa was awarded the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal. The US Army posthumously promoted her from Private First Class to Specialist.

Jessica Lynch has repeatedly said that Piestewa is the true hero of the ambush and named her daughter Dakota Ann in honor of her fallen comrade. In addition, many entities have honored her memory with memorials. Arizona's state government renamed Squaw Peak in the Phoenix Mountains near Phoenix as Piestewa Peak and this was codified by the US Board on Geographic Names on April 10, 2008;^[2] the freeway that passes near this mountain was also renamed in her honor. In addition, Senator Tom Daschle honored her, as did Indian Nations across America. Since her death, the Grand Canyon State Games organizers have held an annual Lori Piestewa National Native American Games, which brings participants from across the country. A plaque bearing her name is also located at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and Fort Bliss, Texas. She has also been memorialized with a plaque and ceremony at Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, California.^[14] On November 10 American Legion Post No. 80 on the Hopi Reservation was renamed the Lori Piestewa Post # 80 in honor of this unselfish daughter of the Hopi.^[15] On 30 November 2011, the Directorate of Training Sustainment headquarters at Fort Benning, Georgia was named Piestewa Hall in her honor.^[16]

Her death led to a rare joint prayer gathering between members of the Hopi and Navajo tribes, which have had a centuries-old rivalry.^[17]

In May 2005, Piestewa's parents and children had a brand-new home built by Ty Pennington and his crew on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition accompanied by Jessica Lynch. They also built a new veterans' center on the Navajo reservation.

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Indigenous peoples of North America portal
	Iraq portal
	United States Army portal

Battle of Nasiriyah

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Rick Bragg (2003). I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story.. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 1-4000-4257-7. 

External links[link]

• The Lori Piestewa National Native American Games
• Lori Piestewa at Find a Grave