American Veteran: She joined the Army to learn to cook. She ended up a prisoner of war

Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson was traveling in a convoy in Iraq in 2003 when her vehicle was attacked. Iraqi forces killed 11 soldiers in her company and captured six, including Johnson. She was held for 22 days, becoming the first Black female prisoner of war in American history.

In commemoration of Veteran’s Day, the American Homefront Project collaborated with the PBS documentary series American Veteran and the companion podcast, American Veteran: Unforgettable Stories, to profile men and women who have served in the U.S military.