AH-64 friendly fire incident, 1991

On February 17, 1991, at approximately 1:00 a.m. (Persian Gulf Time), a U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle (Bradley) and an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (M113) were destroyed by two Hellfire missiles fired from an Apache helicopter commanded by Lieutenant Colnel Ralph Hayles. Two U.S. soldiers were killed and six others were wounded in the incident.

The incident occurred after U.S. ground forces, which were deployed along an east-west line 5 kilometers north of the Saudi-Iraqi border, reported several enemy sightings north of their positions. In response, ground commanders called for Apache reconnaissance of the area. A team of three Apaches subsequently found two vehicles, which appeared to be those described by ground forces. These vehicles were, in fact, a Bradley and an M113. (flight-level.com)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• apache
• friendly
• fire
• bradley
• m113
• iraq
• desert
• storm
• 1991
• ralph
• hayles

[publicmario17]

My uncle nearly lost his life and lost four of his best friends to friendly fire when their light armored vehicle was hit by a Maverick missile fired by a USAF A-10 aircraft while fighting against Iraqi forces during the Battle of Khafji. It's the same plane that took out the lives of US Marines in the Battle of Nasiriyah in the 2003 Iraq War.

My uncle was badly injured he had to stay in the some SA hospital for nearly two months.

People fought and died for the liberation of Kuwait. RIP.

[KOlive2043]

The saddest thing in this video (though the deaths of those killed is also terribly sad) was when he said, "I just killed some people." Partly because I feel sorry for the pilot, but far more because of the attitudes that we allow war and conscienceless leaders to brainwash into us.

Would he have said, "I just killed some people." and been so sobered by it, if they had not been "friendlies"?

The grunts on both sides in a war (those usually killed) are typically just following orders.

[OlderG0ds]

@digbydan It's an inescapable reality of war my friend. The US coined the term but didn't invent it. Others usually call it blue on blue. Compared to WW2 , these wars had unprecedented low amounts of it. So you're not only wrong you're exactly the opposite of right, they continue to reduce blue on blue.

I'm sure whatever country your from has done it. You sound like a clueless asshole to be honest.

[digbydan]

"Friendly Fire"!

From the country that not only invented the term, but continues to perfect the technique!

[rattlesnakemilitia]

In the fog of war there is a lot of accidents and so called friendly fire. I was artilleried many times by my own guys. Especially at night. I remember one time a grenade bounced off an enemies chest and came back and got one of use. One time guys I trained were on a lower hill within a rock throw and fired 81's over us, and in the rain the rounds went short and got guys near me. I was tossing boxes of mortars and one opened. My eyes got big and I was blown over a wall, cut, blind, burned, deaf.

[rattlesnakemilitia]

Horrible to kill your own. When I was a 81mm mortar gunner I wiped out friendly rocket squad. Another time I put it on the wrong stakes (front,back)and took out a school yard being used as a voting station. Never heard a word more because had I fired corectly I would have nailed military friendlies. Later as a FO, director of fire, we were overrun and outnumbered so I called artillery close. Stopped the enemy but killed one marine rifleman and the rest of us had to move for the flames and heat.

[PlaneAU]

What a bunch of retards, the US needs to reevaluate all personnel.

[samenameasmyspace]

This depressed me. :( Like for real. I feel so bad for all of the soldiers. And I wonder how scared the ones running away were? That would have ruined me for life.

[SturmKorps]

The new flir cameras today are higher definition, Apaches are now able to identify targets as enemies easier, this wouldn't happen these days.

[2pacalypse25]

man this shit is fucking hard to watch dude

[truffyt]

@stalkingalizee Well, friendly fire isn't always to blame on anyone in particular, so it seems pretty resonable to not go after anyone for it at once. Though in this case, the ground commander and the helo crew were sloppy. Ground commander didn't bother that he ordered the Apache to knock out targets he knew weren't really at that grid, and the helo navigator for fucking up the navigation completely by not checking his map propperly.