Fratricide at Umm Hajul

[Nighthawk]

I wrote this 13 years ago, about a year after the events it describes. It is a first person account of a Desert Storm friendly fire incident and the cover-up surrounding it. It is a true story, although obviously biased towards my point of view. It's too big to fit on the board, but you can link to it at:

http://www.geocities.com/nighthawk_six/Hajul_S.pdf

[MacGuffin]

Thanks, Nighthawk.

[INThoughtPolice]

I wrote this 13 years ago, about a year after the events it describes. It is a first person account of a Desert Storm friendly fire incident and the cover-up surrounding it. It is a true story, although obviously biased towards my point of view. It's too big to fit on the board, but you can link to it at:

http://www.geocities.com/nighthawk_six/Hajul_S.pdf
Powerful story.

[Nighthawk]

Powerful story.

Thank you ... it was born of frustration.

[Biff_Loman]

Thank you ... it was born of frustration.

Sounds like it.

[Blue]

You've renewed my respect for your experience Nighthawk. Thanks for posting this.

+Blue

[Nighthawk]

I'm touched that y'all have managed to wade through that quagmire of words.

[Biff_Loman]

It was interesting. It had the necessary element of suspense - I wanted to see how it turned out.

Also, I'd never read an account of tank warfare before. It sounds intruiging in a way I can't define - from a reader's perspective. I suddenly would like to read an entire book written by a (modern) tanker, provided that it was well-written.

Edit: If empathy helps, yeah, your story got me pissed off. Was Daly some sort of glory hog, or just stupid through-and-through? I mean, when you're not supposed to fire. . . I dunno. I've never been in the military, and I come from a long line of pacifists. It just seems like something one is not supposed to do, but the impression I got from your account was one of total incompetence on the part of your superiors. Just total idiocy.

[Nighthawk]

Edit: If empathy helps, yeah, your story got me pissed off. Was Daly some sort of glory hog, or just stupid through-and-through? I mean, when you're not supposed to fire. . . I dunno. I've never been in the military, and I come from a long line of pacifists. It just seems like something one is not supposed to do, but the impression I got from your account was one of total incompetence on the part of your superiors. Just total idiocy.

Daly certainly wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. The powers that be helped him out by stacking the deck and giving him a brilliant operations officer ... but that still wasn't enough to help him out in this case. In my opinion, he saw his chances for a medal and notoriety escaping him because the war was coming to an end before he had a chance to get out front and fire some shots. His father-in-law had been a hero in WW2, his father had been a hero in the Korean War ... and he came from a long line of West Point graduates, starting with a general who had won the Medal of Honor in the Civil War. This was his big chance and he wasn't going to miss it. Too bad somebody forgot to provide a real enemy.

It is scary because there are a lot of self-serving idiots in the military. It may sound like sour grapes, but I know a lot of good people who became fed up and got out. Conversely, a lot of the idiots stayed in uniform and are the ones in charge now. Don't get me wrong, there are still some very good people in the military ... but a lot of the goofballs and idiots stayed in as well. It's a crap shoot who you would have leading you (or your kids) into combat. ... and by "leading" I mean being somewhere safe on a radio giving orders.

[renee_conrad]

I'd like to contact "Nighthawk". Four years ago I met Fred N Halley and I investigated his background. Part of my research led me to the Umm Hajul incident.

If "Nighthawk" is monitoring this page, please reply

[Biff_Loman]

Try PMing him.

[Nighthawk]

I'd like to contact "Nighthawk". Four years ago I met Fred N Halley and I investigated his background. Part of my research led me to the Umm Hajul incident.

If "Nighthawk" is monitoring this page, please reply

Hi Renee ... I'm here. What's on your mind? Feel free to PM me or send an instant message to my Yahoo IM. I'm online most of the day. You can access it by clicking the little red "Y" under my avatar.

[renee_conrad]

It's been awhile since I read your story, but as I recall you were expecting BG Halley to stay awhile to investigate it. But he left after just a few days and that seemed to surprise you.

BTW - The fact that I had "discovered" the incident at Umm Hajul surprised him when I mentioned it.

Also please remind me - did you go to West Point?

[renee_conrad]

Nighthawk - I'm challenged by the Yahoo IM process. So I'm posting here.

[Nighthawk]

Nighthawk - I'm challenged by the Yahoo IM process. So I'm posting here.

I've PMed you my email address, so we don't drag the whole form thru my escapades ;)

[cryokinetic]

Damn... there went the only interesting part of my day.

[Nighthawk]

Damn... there went the only interesting part of my day.

Heh ... I'll be happy to fill you in over a few beers.