Proud town greets Jessica Lynch

By Emma Simpson BBC News, West Virginia

Private Jessica Lynch's journey is finally at an end.

'More important than a presidential visit'

The 20-year-old soldier is back at her home in Palestine, West Virginia, after receiving a hero's welcome from this small, rural, farming community.

There are only some 300 or so residents in Palestine but they, along with the people from the nearby town of Elizabeth, turned out in force to see her home.

Many wore Jessica t-shirts and waved American flags as she drove past in a motorcade to the front door of her secluded house.

A marching band from her old high school played in her honour along the way.

This girl went through a tremendous amount of pain and agony. We just want her to now that we're extremely proud Larry Knopp local army veteran

Larry Knopp, an army veteran, parked his seat at the side of the road several hours before Private Lynch arrived, hoping to secure the best view.

"To me, this is more important than the presidential visit we had last year," he said.

"This girl went through a tremendous amount of pain and agony. We just want her to know that we're extremely proud."

His thoughts are shared by all in this close-knit community.

They care little that Private Lynch's story has had to be rewritten, that the initial tales of her capture and rescue turned out to have been exaggerated.

"She still served her country, she was injured and it makes no difference how it happened," said Melvin Egbert.

Press frenzy

At the local post office, a special commemorative post mark was being issued by postmaster Beryl Ann Lewis.

Lynch still requires her wheelchair

When Private Lynch was captured, she and her colleagues were flooded by thousands of pieces of mail a day for this now world-famous local resident.

Most of it has been locked away until Private Lynch's return.

People here are hoping that the 20-year-old will be given time and privacy to continue her recovery.

She is still unable to walk unassisted. Over the last few months her home has been renovated by friends and volunteers to accommodate her wheelchair.

But with hundreds of media people still vying to secure her exclusive story, and with a television movie on the horizon, the interest in this young woman seems set to continue for months to come.