Wed, Jul 02, 2003
It's Not Homicide, Manslaughter, or Assault; But It's
Serious
Maj. Harry Schmidt, 37,
could get six months in prison, if he is convicted of dereliction
of duty, charges that remain after a Monday court martial hearing
by the Air Force.
Schmidt was flying an F-16, and was one of two pilots
who dropped bombs on what the pair thought were hostile troops, in
Afghanistan, on April 17, 2002. The troops were Canadians, engaged
in an exercise. Four died; another dozen were injured.
Maj. William Umbach, the mission commander, asked for early
retirement. He was repremanded and allowed to retire; all charges
against him were dropped.
Schmidt says he doesn't think he is
guilty, and preferred a court martial -- even on
homicide charges, which were a possibility at the time -- to an
administrative punishment, where he maintained he couldn't get fair
treatment. If convicted of dereliction of duty, he could spend half
a year in prison.
Schmidt says he was
given no indication that friendlies were conducting exercises in
the area where he dropped his bomb. His lawyer says that the Air
Force's earlier musings about homicide charges may have been a
bluff. The decision to proceed on only the dereliction charge,
"reinforces the fact that Harry didn't act criminally and shouldn't
have been charged criminally," he said.
The more-serious charges haven't been dropped; if Schmidt wins
the first round, they could be reinstated.
That scenario, though possible, is considered a long
shot.
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]