This was one of those tragic "friendly fire" events that too often occur during the "fog of war" as it's called. Those responsible in this incident have to live with what they did and failed to do as professionals in the loss of these 26 souls.

1st Lt. Piper was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, class of 1992. She was fluent in German and Russian, ran track and played for the rugby team at the Academy. She was selected to attend flight school in 1995, already being flight qualified.

After intelligence training at Goodfellow AFB, she was stationed at Ramstein AFB, Germany. From there, she was given a TDY assignment to Turkey for duty in Northern Iraq with "Operation Provide Comfort". This mission was aimed at supporting Kurdish refugees in the region.

Unfortunately, she, along with 25 passengers and crew, were killed by "friendly fire" while flying on U.S. Army Blackhawk U-60 helicopters. The Army helicopters were attacked and shot down by two U.S. Air Force F-15s (of Incirlik AB) in the "no-fly zone" of Northern Iraq. Apparently, misidentifying the American helicopters as Russian made "Hinds", the pilots of the F-15s attacked and launched their missiles. (See details at websites listed.)

Laura was the first female Air Force Academy graduate to be killed in combat and awarded the Purple Heart.

Note: Also, see profile on the Army TWS for Captain Patrick M. McKenna, (Eagle-1 Pilot Command) of the Blackhawk helicopter shot down in this incident..

Black Hawk shootdown victims

US Military:

SSG Paul Barclay (SF Commo NCO)

SPC Cornelius A. Bass (Eagle-1 Door Gunner)

SPC Jeffrey C. Colbert (Eagle-1 Crew Chief)

SPC Mark A. Ellner (Eagle-2 Door Gunner)

CW2 John W. Garrett, Jr. (Eagle-1 Pilot)

CW2 Michael A. Hall (Eagle-2 Pilot Command)

SFC Benjamin T. Hodge (Linguist)

CPT Patrick M. McKenna (Eagle-1 Pilot Command)

WO1 Erik S. Mounsey (Eagle-2 Pilot)

COL Richard A. Mulhern (Incoming Co-Commander)

1LT Laurie A. Piper (USAF, Intel Officer)

SGT Michael S. Robinson (Eagle-2 Crew Chief)

SSG Ricky L. Robinson (SF Medic)

Ms. Barbara L. Schell (State Dept. Political Advisor)

COL Jerald L. Thompson (Outgoing Co-Commander)

British Military:

MAJ Harry Shapland (Security/Intel Duty Officer)

LTC Jonathan C. Swann (Senior UK Officer)

French Military:

LTC Guy Demetz (Senior French Officer)

Turkish Army:

LT Ceyhun Civas (Laison Officer)

LT Barlas Gultepe (Liason Officer)

Kurdish Partisans:

Abdulsatur Arab

Ghandi Hussein

Bader Mikho Ahmad

Mohammed Salid Said (Linguist)

Laura was interred in the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, Plot: Section 6, Row F, Grave 13.

Piper, Laura Ashley, 1st Lt