“American people don’t need to be told elaborate tales…”, said Jessica Lynch speaking at a congressional hearing on the use of misleading information.
Ms Lynch criticised the Pentagon, saying: “I’m still confused why they lied and tried to make me into a legend.”
Ms Lynch said the real heroes were those who died in the attack and those who rescued her.
Initial reports also suggested that Ms Lynch had been abused after she came round in the hospital.
She said the reports were lies: she had been treated well and the Iraqis had tried to return her to US forces.
“The nurses tried to soothe me and return me,” she told the hearing, adding that she objected to the way in which the US military had portrayed her.