[RedRover]

These images are from a video, obtained by Defend Our Marines, that was recorded by a Scan Eagle orbiting the ambush site at Haditha on November 19, 2005. The video runs 43-minutes and is a presentation culled from more than eight hours of continuous footage.

They have never before been seen by the public.

The images are presented in chronological order using the time/date stamps created by the Scan Eye recording system as the video was being made.

The video we obtained was prepared for the upcoming Article 32 hearing of Captain Lucas McConnell, formerly the company commander of Kilo Co., 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines at Haditha in 2005. McConnell was relieved of command in April, 2006 for alleged dereliction of duty following allegations of murder by members of his infantry company during the day-long battle in Haditha that left 24 Iraqis and one Marine dead, and 11 Marines wounded.

This presentation is intended to refute allegations made in Time magazine and other media outlets which claimed the Marines massacred the Iraqi civilians in a fit of rage following the death of LCpl Miguel “T.J.” Terrazas, one of Kilo Company’s Marines. The cable television network CNN also obtained a copy of this video presentation but for reason best known to its producers elected to disregard most of the exculpatory images contained in it.

[NOTE: Video images with enhancement boxes were altered by selecting the area and brightening it with a Photoshop tool for clarity.
The rectangular white box on each image is the camera target area, designated by the Scan Eagle operator.]

____________________________________________________

Nat Helms is a Contributing Editor to Defend Our Marines. He is a Vietnam vet, journalist, combat reporter, and, most recently, author of My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story (Meredith Books, 2007).

[RedRover]

Go to…

Part one: The ambush site: 0759

Part two: Insurgents regroup: 0814 - 0910

Part three: The last battle: 0913 – 1544

[pissant]

Great stuff. Thank you.

[RS]

“0814 – above - Possible trigger house approximately 250 meters (roughly 750 feet) south of the IED ambush position. “

Nope - the houses in that picture are located at

34° 7’44.40”N 42°22’49.85”E on Google Earth

about 150 m NORTH of the IED

[RS]

“0829 – Another frame showing the same two insurgents fleeing the area.

The two suspects are approximately 250 meters (750 feet) south of the IED blast site moving in an unstated direction – probably north toward a large palm grove “

Again ... nope They are near the houses to the north, and they are headed west - the opening in the wall they are going through and the worn path they are on can be seen about 50m west of the house coordinates I gave above.