That's some intelligent and insightful writing my friend ; I also found interest in the other 11Bravo's write , in addition to the other fine contributions .
Although I can understand the issue of fratricide , those three rounds to the forehead of Pat Tillman still leave me wondering . Although I'm admittedly not current with what the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (A.F.I.P. out of Walter Reed)) has concluded , the initial rep was suggestive of willfully directed fire , the three rounds being in such close proximity as to suggest an A-3 three shot burst from very close range . As fratricide lacking intent is always "damaging" to home front morale , the flat-out disclosure of the murder of a brother-in-arms would be nothing less than an unthinkable politically incorrect abomination . (In WW2 my father was given a bronze / P.H. for an action in Cisterna that should have merited at least a S.S. , this simply because the immediate after-action round that took the top of his head off came from a .30 Browning that was firing support ... an MOH might have necessitated disclosure of the low friendly round , and negated the outstanding tactical success of the action via the bad P.R. ; I still have the paper work re action and accident , and the press release that only mentions the substantial number of "Huns" killed . Anyway , we know that fratricide happens ; it's not at all rare , and if at all possible , it is to be left unacknowledged . ... the too quick pickle of 500 pounders , a misdirected nape splash , the common judgment of a small number of troopers simply sick of the oxymoron "Military Justice" , or whatever ... )
I also do tend to agree that the "fratricide element" was/is simply too "messy" a topic for the public at large to comfortably digest - particularly when one considers that "we" have both a short memory and a ready abundance of "professional heroes" , as in the N.F.L. - a "bread and circus" collection of distracting "gutless wonders" who paid zero homage to Cpl Tillman . In that regard , what I consider to be an outstanding film ("Attack") has be relegated to a rare late night presentation , in competition with a host of subliminally suggestive infomercials . Such a waste .
As an opinion , the political machine will always cancel-out the actions of an individual if said actions are in any way a detriment to the prevailing political climate . Morality in WW2 was not an issue , ever , for the victors , on any level . Surly Cpt Cooney had earned what he found "at the top of the stares" , but it NEVER would have made the press . Dido for Korea . Likewise for the R.V.N. - unless you got caught on the cover of "Life" magazine as did Lt Callie's efforts at My Lai . Small unit "frags" in R.V.N. could usually be tactfully handled by Graves Registration (now "Mortuary Services") , covert silencing , the offer of basic human avarice , or selective restructuring / dissolution .
And I needn't wonder if Audie Murphy would have gotten due recognition if he'd been strafed/K.I.A.'d with fratricidal .50 cal fire from a P-47 shortly after he went "above and beyond" .
In summation , I agree that although Cpl Tillman is a hero in every respect , he technically was not afforded "the Eddie Albert treatment" . I also agree that honesty is (morally) the best policy (as previously noted) , but in the gross immorality of war , it's by no means the most expedient , or even the most effective coarse of action . With that thought in mind , as had been said , "The first casualty in war is always the truth" .
Respectful thanks to all for sharing . wm
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