Wounded Iraq War Vet Wins Ill. Primary

By DENNIS CONRAD, Associated Press Writer
Wed Mar 22, 2:00 PM ET

CHICAGO - Iraq war veteran L. Tammy Duckworth, a former Army helicopter pilot who lost her legs in a grenade attack two years ago, narrowly won the Democratic congressional primary nomination for the suburban Chicago district held by retiring Republican Rep. Henry Hyde

Duckworth, 38, who spent months recovering from her wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., was heavily recruited by Democrats eager to give the party more credibility on security issues.

Addressing supporters early Wednesday, Duckworth expressed her thanks "to my buddies who pulled me out of that field in Iraq, to the medical professionals who saved my life and taught me to walk again, to the many volunteers who worked so hard throughout this campaign."

"I especially would like to thank my husband ... He's been there with me every step of the way," she said. Her husband Bryan Bowlsbey is a captain in the Illinois Army National Guard.