RadioBanter - Tillman Killed By Friendly Fire

Tillman killed by friendly fire

Pat Tillman

Billy House
Republic Washington Bureau
May. 29, 2004 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals football player
who died in April while a U.S. soldier fighting in Afghanistan, likely
was killed by friendly fire, an Army investigation has concluded.

News of that finding was disseminated Friday to some members of
Congress and some Tillman family members just as the Memorial Day
weekend was to begin, including today's dedication ceremonies in
Washington of the World War II Memorial.

"It does seem pretty clear that he was killed by friendly fire," said
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., a member of the House Armed Services
Committee, which was alerted to the information by the Army's
Legislative Liaison Office.

"This does not take away one iota from the heroic nature and courage
of the man. The source of that fire is of little consequence in terms
of heroism," Franks said. He said that after learning of the Army's
conclusions, he made some follow-up inquiries and was satisfied the
information was accurate.

Friendly-fire accidents are an inevitable part of warfare, according
to an expert, who agreed that it should not diminish acts of heroism.

"It's tragic, and we probably feel worse about it," said Stephen Walt,
a professor of International Affairs at the Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard University. "But warfare is a inherently
unpredictable activity. Friendly-fire accidents are a part of modern
warfare and probably existed as far back as the Stone Age."

The Army reported last month that Tillman, 27, was killed April 22
while leading his team of Army Rangers up a remote southeastern
Afghanistan hill to knock out enemy fire that had pinned down other
U.S. soldiers.

More information
• Pat Tillman: An Arizona Hero

As Tillman and other soldiers neared the hill's crest, the Army
reported, Tillman directed his team into firing positions and was shot
and killed as he sprayed enemy positions with fire from his automatic
weapon.

The Army did not specify who fired the shot or shots that killed
Tillman.

For his actions, the Army posthumously awarded Tillman the Silver
Star, its third-highest award for combat valor, saying Tillman led his
Ranger team that day "without regard for his own safety" and was shot
and killed heroically trying to save his comrades. The Army said his
actions helped the trapped soldiers maneuver to safety "without taking
a single casualty."

Tillman's platoon was in the region as part of a spring offensive
called Operation Mountain Storm, aimed at rooting out hard-line
Taliban and al-Qaida fighters.

Tillman, who to many people had become a symbol of American
patriotism, had walked away from a lucrative contract extension
offered by the Cardinals to join the Army in 2002.

Officials at the Pentagon and at Central Command headquarters in
Tampa, late Friday declined to provide more details of the
investigation's findings.

But an e-mail circulated within the House Armed Services Committee
from committee staff members said: "Army just called to give us a
heads up. They have every reason to believe the 15-6 investigation
shows Pat Tillman was killed as a result of friendly fire."

That same message continues, "The Army has notified his family, so it
may come out in the media this weekend."

Army Regulation 15-6 is used as the basis for many investigations
requiring a detailed gathering and analyzing of facts, from
"fratricide accidents," or friendly-fire incidents, to other matters,
including civilian shootings or injuries, accidental weapons
discharges or allegations of misconduct.