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American pilot responsible for death of Canadian soldier: Report
An inquiry into an incident of friendly fire that left one Canadian soldier dead and more than 30 injured found an American fighter pilot "solely responsible" for the "preventable" error.
The A-10A Friendly Fire Board of Inquiry report, released Friday, concluded that an unnamed US Air Force pilot "lost his situational awareness" while flying in support of NATO coalition ground forces in the Panjawi district of southern Afghanistan. Pte. Mark Anthony Graham was killed on Sept. 4, 2006 when the A-10 Thunderbolt pilot mistook a garbage fire lit by Canadian troops for an enemy bomb blast and strafed the terrain in response. The infantry group, part of the Petawawa-based Royal Canadian Regiment, was part of Operation Medusa, a Canadian-led offensive intended to stamp out a Taliban stronghold.
The accidental attack was the second such on Canadian forces by an American pilot since the start of the conflict in early 2002. In April 2002, an American F-16 pilot dropped a laser-guided bomb on Canadian troops engaged in routine live-fire training. The four soldiers killed were the first Canadian fatalities in a war that has since claimed 63 more Canadian lives
Lt.-Gen. Michel Gauthier stressed the importance of following procedure in combat. "But given the nature of such operations," he warned, "the associated risk cannot be reduced to zero."
Mr. Graham, a former sprinter who ran for Canada's 4x400 m relay team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, joined the military in 2004 after injuries ended his running career.
Mr. Graham's family issued a statement thanking the board for its research into the soldier's death. "It is with relief that we have finally learned the circumstances that led to Mark's death and the wounding of many other Canadian soldiers."
"This report stirs up many painful memories and we continue to grieve our loss."
The four-member board, comprised of Canadian Forces officers, examined the context of the incident and heard some 33 eye-witness and expert testimonials.In the report, they recommended further training and technology to be implemented for ground-support missions.
The report also commended medical staff in the field for saving the lives of those severely injured in the attack.
A concurrent investigation by the USAF into the incident has yet to be made public. In the Tarnak Farm incident in 2002, Maj. Harry Schmidt of the Illinois Air National Guard was found responsible for the four deaths and was subsequently convicted of dereliction of duty.
An inquiry into an incident of friendly fire that left one Canadian soldier dead and more than 30 injured found an American fighter pilot "solely responsible" for the "preventable" error.
The A-10A Friendly Fire Board of Inquiry report, released Friday, concluded that an unnamed US Air Force pilot "lost his situational awareness" while flying in support of NATO coalition ground forces in the Panjawi district of southern Afghanistan. Pte. Mark Anthony Graham was killed on Sept. 4, 2006 when the A-10 Thunderbolt pilot mistook a garbage fire lit by Canadian troops for an enemy bomb blast and strafed the terrain in response. The infantry group, part of the Petawawa-based Royal Canadian Regiment, was part of Operation Medusa, a Canadian-led offensive intended to stamp out a Taliban stronghold.
The accidental attack was the second such on Canadian forces by an American pilot since the start of the conflict in early 2002. In April 2002, an American F-16 pilot dropped a laser-guided bomb on Canadian troops engaged in routine live-fire training. The four soldiers killed were the first Canadian fatalities in a war that has since claimed 63 more Canadian lives
Lt.-Gen. Michel Gauthier stressed the importance of following procedure in combat. "But given the nature of such operations," he warned, "the associated risk cannot be reduced to zero."
Mr. Graham, a former sprinter who ran for Canada's 4x400 m relay team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, joined the military in 2004 after injuries ended his running career.
Mr. Graham's family issued a statement thanking the board for its research into the soldier's death. "It is with relief that we have finally learned the circumstances that led to Mark's death and the wounding of many other Canadian soldiers."
"This report stirs up many painful memories and we continue to grieve our loss."
The four-member board, comprised of Canadian Forces officers, examined the context of the incident and heard some 33 eye-witness and expert testimonials.In the report, they recommended further training and technology to be implemented for ground-support missions.
The report also commended medical staff in the field for saving the lives of those severely injured in the attack.
A concurrent investigation by the USAF into the incident has yet to be made public. In the Tarnak Farm incident in 2002, Maj. Harry Schmidt of the Illinois Air National Guard was found responsible for the four deaths and was subsequently convicted of dereliction of duty.
