Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman was an American football player in the National Football League. He left his sports career and enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Tillman was the first professional football player to be killed in combat since Bob Kalsu, who died in the Vietnam War in 1970. Tillman was posthumously promoted from specialist to corporal. He also received posthumous Silver Star and Purple Heart Medals.
Tillman and his brother, Kevin, enlisted on May 31, 2002, and by September 2002, they completed basic training together. The two brothers then completed the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and were assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion in Fort Lewis, Washington.
Tillman’s service in Iraq and Afghanistan and subsequent death were the subjects of national attention. At first, the Army reported that Tillman had been killed by enemy fire. Controversy ensued when a month later, on May 28, 2004, the Pentagon notified the Tillman family that a friendly fire incident had killed him. Tillman's platoon leader First Lieutenant David Uthlaut and his radiotelephone operator (RTO), 19-year-old Jade Lane, were also wounded in the incident. An investigation by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) concluded that Tillman was killed by friendly fire when one allied group fired upon another in confusion following nearby gunfire that was mistakenly believed to be from enemy combatants.
The CID report summary, dated March 19, 2007, stated that:
" ... during their movement through the canyon road, Serial 2 (Tillman's platoon had to split up because of a broken Humvee; the parts were called Serial 1 and 2) was ambushed and became engaged in a running gun battle with enemy combatants. Serial 1 (Tillman's portion of the platoon) had just passed through the same canyon without incident and were approximately one kilometer ahead of Serial 2. Upon hearing explosions, gunfire, and sporadic radio communication from Serial 2, Serial 1 dismounted their vehicles and moved on foot, to a more advantageous position to provide over watch and fire support for Serial 2's movement out of the ambush. Upon exiting the gorge, and despite attempts by Serial 1 to signal a "friendly position," occupants of the lead vehicle of Serial 2 opened fire on Tillman's position, where he was fatally shot."
(Image via Wikipedia; Facebook)
Did you know...
- While attending the Grammys in February 2000, Jennifer Lopez stepped out in a green Versace dress that instantly became a phenomenon. The barely-there ensemble had a dramatically low cut that came below JLo’s belly button. It became such a talking point that it was Google’s most popular search query up to that point, and it spurred the company to include images into search results. It became the motivation for Google Images.
- After her role as First Lady came to an end, Jackie Kennedy went into the publishing business. She became an associate editor at Doubleday and worked mostly on autobiographies. In fact, she was one of two original editors for Michael Jackson's 2009 autobiography Moonwalk, a #1 New York Times bestseller.
- Björk created a media sensation when she wore her iconic white swan dress to the 2001 Oscars. At the time, many derided it as hideous and a publicity stunt, but it has since gone down as one of the most memorable dresses of all time—even if it isn't exactly beloved. She says David Bowie was the inspiration behind the dress.
- In February 2020, Jeff Bezos bought the most expensive property in California: a $165 million mansion. It was designed for Jack Warner (the former president of Warner Bros. entertainment company). It took a decade to construct (spanning the 1930s and 40s). It comes complete with 9 acres of Beverly Hills land, a main house, a guest house, a tennis court, a golf course, and terraces.
- Jennifer Aniston's star-defining role on friends started a hair craze in the 90s that even lasted into the early 2000s. Called "The Rachel," Aniston's shoulder-length haircut had grown-out bangs and highlights styled to perfection. A hairdresser in Detroit noted that at the peak of its popularity, 40% of her business was devoted to recreating "The Rachel." Too bad that it was notoriously difficult to maintain on your own at home.