Horrible Mistake Led to Active Duty; Could Lead to Prison
Criminal charges were preferred Sept. 11 against
the two Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots involved in
the friendly-fire deaths of four Canadian soldiers and injuries of
eight others April 17 near Kandahar, Afghanistan.
The pilots, members of the 170th Fighter Squadron, based in
Springfield (IL), and part of the 183rd Fighter Wing, have been
recalled to active duty in response to the charges.
Maj. Harry Schmidt is charged with four counts of
involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of assault. He is also
charged with failing to exercise appropriate flight discipline and
with not complying with the rules of engagement in the Afghanistan
area of operations. The charges were filed under Articles 119, 128
and 92, respectively, of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Maj. William Umbach was also charged under the
same articles. He also faces the allegation that as flight
commander he negligently failed to exercise appropriate flight
command and control and to ensure compliance with the rules of
engagement.
According to the investigation board's summary of facts, the
pilots were returning from a mission when the flight lead noticed
what he described as fireworks coming from an area a few miles
south of Kandahar. Perceiving this as surface-to-air fire directed
against them, they asked an Airborne Warning and Control System
aircraft for permission to obtain coordinates of the site.
While
attempting to get the coordinates, the wingman requested permission
to fire on the location with his 20 mm cannon. The AWACS aircraft
controllers told him to stand by, later requesting additional
information on the surface-to-air fire and directing him to hold
fire. The wingman gave the information and immediately declared
that he was "rolling in in self-defense." He then released a
500-pound laser-guided bomb that hit a Canadian firing position at
the Tarnak Farms Range.
The four Canadians who were killed and the eight wounded were
participating in a night live-fire training exercise at the range.
The wounded soldiers were immediately evacuated from the area for
medical treatment.
When the two F-16s landed, the pilots were told they had
released a bomb on friendly forces.
Brig. Gen. Stephen T. Sargeant, the co-president of the
Coalition Investigation Board that examined the friendly-fire
incident, preferred the charges.
[The link below goes to the official report. Before you form any
opinion, have a look at it --ed.]