Pat Tillman 20 years later

[HanSenSE]

And it's more SSDD from the military.
Pat Tillman's mother recalls command blunders behind ex-Cardinals safety's death

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

"friendly fire"

He was murdered.

 

[Slacker]

And it's more SSDD from the military.
Pat Tillman's mother recalls command blunders behind ex-Cardinals safety's death

Great interview with his mom. Thanks for posting.

 

[HanSenSE]

Great interview with his mom. Thanks for posting.

Jeremy Schapp may be the last true journalist at the WWL after Bob Lee retired.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Still dead?

 

[WriteThinking]

What a fantastic article, and what a terrific interview with Mary Tillman. I can't imagine living with this, and yet, it seems she has, with determination, and such grace -- for those involved who deserve it, and even, really, for those who don't.

I found this to be so right, and the most true, devastating and grace-full part of the whole thing:

The chain of command just threw it downwards. And a lot of these guys [in the platoon] have been harmed with PTSD, with moral injury, moral trauma. It's because they've been betrayed. They've been betrayed by their leaders, who don't have the courage to admit they made a mistake. And of course people forgive mistakes. You may be angry at first. You may question. You may be upset. You may beat on their chest, "How did you make this happen?" But eventually you come to terms with it and you're grateful that they told you the truth. But we can't say that about them. I'm still angry about it. I mean, there's no contrition. They've never apologized to us. They've never apologized to the soldiers that they gaslighted basically into thinking that this was all their fault. It's just lies upon lies upon lies. And they did it so tactically, so strategically."

The powers that be who were involved should follow Mary Tillman's lead. Even now, it would make a difference -- to her, to the whole Tillman family, to Pat's platoon, and, posthumously, for Pat, who deserves all the respect that can be given to him, yes, even now.

This was so NOT why he walked away from his NFL career and signed up for the Army Rangers. And I don't mean his getting killed by friendly fire. It's all the other, less accidental, more nefarious stuff that really is even more awful, and so disrespectful.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Pat Tillman's friendly fire death, and 20 years of trauma for his platoon

 

[Neutral Corner]

The WPPA in action. Ring knockers covering each other's ass.

Solid article.

 

[bigpern23]

Krakauer’s book was so damn good, and so damn sad.

 

[playthrough]

Pat Tillman's friendly fire death, and 20 years of trauma for his platoon

Well done but it just pisses you off all over again. Some good interviews but still too many higher-ups, all the way to Bush, that won't talk.

 

[swingline]

Krakauer’s book was so damn good, and so damn sad.

It seemed like he was in love with Tillman, who, really, was a pretty ****ty person.

 

[justgladtobehere]

It seemed like he was in love with Tillman, who, really, was a pretty ****ty person.

How so?

 

[Neutral Corner]

Tillman personally isn't the issue. He walked away from millions to serve, and I have to respect that. The issue is the Army brass covering the asses of the decision makers up the chain of command through a number of investigations to the point that to this day a number of those who gave the orders have never been held responsible.

 

[HanSenSE]

Tillman personally isn't the issue. He walked away from millions to serve, and I have to respect that. The issue is the Army brass covering the asses of the decision makers up the chain of command through a number of investigations to the point that to this day a number of those who gave the orders have never been held responsible.

I think I've posted it in every Tillman thread since I joined here, but the Jessica Lynch case was the Tillman starter kit.

 

[micropolitan guy]

I think I've posted it in every Tillman thread since I joined here, but the Jessica Lynch case was the Tillman starter kit.

The Army has been covering up friendly fire incidents for years. Bombing our own troops in the battle of Normandy. Friendly fire which obliterated a mobile hospital at Hill 875 in Vietnam are just a few of the more deadly.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

I remember a made-for-TV movie on ABC called "Friendly Fire." Think it aired in 1979 because I remember the house I lived in at the time. First time I ever heard that term and I was just a kid. Certainly before the wave of Vietnam-era movies that started with "The Deer Hunter."

EDIT: I always thought "Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now" were later but they were 1978 and 1979 respectively. That stands true, so my recollection could be a bit later, as late as 1981 because that's when we moved out of the house I grew up in.

 

[Liut]

I remember a made-for-TV movie on ABC called "Friendly Fire." Think it aired in 1979 because I remember the house I lived in at the time. First time I ever heard that term and I was just a kid. Certainly before the wave of Vietnam-era movies that started with "The Deer Hunter."

EDIT: I always thought "Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now" were later but they were 1978 and 1979 respectively. That stands true, so my recollection could be a bit later, as late as 1981 because that's when we moved out of the house I grew up in.

Remember watching that, too. It was startling as a kid to see Carol Burnett in a serious role. IIRC, she was very good. Kinda like MTM in Ordinary People.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Yep, found the IMDB info on it. Won six Emmys.

Friendly Fire (TV Movie 1979) 7.1 | Drama, War

 

[garrow]

Yep, found the IMDB info on it. Won six Emmys.

Friendly Fire (TV Movie 1979) 7.1 | Drama, War

Oh yes, based on the true story of Peg Mullen and her son. She was a prominent Dem and a McGovern delegate in '72.