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BaldEagle
04-23-04, 09:56 AM
The Ex-NFL Star was killed in action in Afganistan Fox news is reporting.

You may remember him as the guy who gave up a multi-million dollar football contract to join the army to fight for our county because he wanted to do something because of 9-11.

a true American.

http://www.foxnews.com/images/123418/1_21_tillman_pat.jpg

Sparrowhawk
04-23-04, 10:07 AM
From what I remember he had a loyalty streak to those he was committed to, but was also a bit eccentric about certain things.

He should have gone into the Marine Corps as we seem to attract those type of people.

cjwright90
04-23-04, 10:18 AM
I just hope his accident was noy something dumb like a coke machine fell on him as he was trying to tilt it.

thedrifter
04-23-04, 10:24 AM
God Bless


Ellie

thedrifter
04-23-04, 10:31 AM
Ex-Football Star Killed in Afghanistan - Official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. professional football star Pat Tillman (news), who gave up a $3.6 million sports contract to join the military's elite special forces, has been killed in a firefight in Afghanistan (news - web sites), a U.S. official said on Friday.


The official, who asked not to be identified, said Tillman was killed on Thursday. The 27-year-old soldier abruptly quit his National Football League career following the 2002 season and joined the Army a year after the attacks on America.


Enlisting with his brother Kevin in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon (news - web sites) and World Trade Center, Tillman turned down a $3.6 million contract from the Arizona Cardinals to become an Army Ranger for an annual salary of $18,000.


The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Tillman played for five seasons with the Cardinals from 1998 to 2002.


He was selected by Arizona with the 226th pick of the 1998 draft -- the league only selects 241 players -- but the Arizona State University star emerged from training camp as the Cardinals' starting strong safety on defense.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040423/ts_nm/nfl_afghan_usa_tillman_dc


Ellie

kentmitchell
04-23-04, 10:39 AM
Good man. We need more. Even though there's a whole Marine Corps full of them there still aren't enough.
I respect him and grieve with his family.

Toby M
04-23-04, 10:59 AM
Surely a man who followed his conscience...politicians, movie stars, athletes take note. Pat Tillman paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country! He chose to get involved-not hide behind his star status. My condolences to his family!

namgrunt
04-23-04, 11:00 AM
I just heard a listener of the Glenn Beck radio show make the following suggestion.

He said Pat Tillman wore the number "40" with the Cardinals. The listener's suggestion was to make the 40 yard line on all NFL football fields the colors Red, White, and Blue, in honor of Tillman. In the future, when American go to a football game, if their children ask why that yardline is marked that way, they can explain Pat Tillmans choice, and honor his sacrifice. For parents of any serviceman who has died, it would be a memorial to their own child's sacrifice.

Sounds like an excellent idea to me.

The following number was given for those who want to contact the NFL and support this proposed change.
(212)450-2000

Osotogary
04-23-04, 12:05 PM
I just heard the news on the television. I think his brother is also an Army Ranger...if I am not mistaken.
May he rest in peace.

DSchmitke
04-23-04, 12:22 PM
Condolences to his family

stalkmaster
04-23-04, 12:56 PM
I agree he was what we are all about. He loved this country more
than money or fame. A lot of us feel that way but most of us did
not give up what he had. It really stinks that he and other great
people have given up their lives because of a bunch of idealistic
scumbags... God I wish I was 20 again!!

thedrifter
04-24-04, 07:48 AM
Tillman Exemplified Patriotism
Associated Press
April 24, 2004

KABUL, Afghanistan - The death of an NFL star who traded in a multimillion-dollar contract for a chance to defend his country in Afghanistan is an example of the patriotism and sacrifice of all soldiers who put their lives on the line, the U.S. military said Saturday.

Spc. Pat Tillman, a starting safety for the Arizona Cardinals football team who joined the army in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, was killed by enemy fire in an ambush Thursday night in eastern Afghanistan that left two other U.S. soldiers wounded and an Afghan militiaman fighting alongside them dead.

Tillman's sacrifice - he walked away from a $3.6 million offer from Arizona and gave up the most promising year's of his NFL career - has earned him the respect of millions. But U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Matthew Beevers said it was just one example of the dedication of all of the 13,500 U.S. soldiers fighting here.

"Spc. Tillman was clearly a patriot but I think that exemplifies ultimately the patriotism of every soldier, seaman, airman and Marine serving in Afghanistan today ... everybody here is serving and is truly a patriot," Beevers said.

Beevers also gave a few more details about the firefight that cost Tillman his life

He said it occurred at 7:30 p.m. local time Thursday on a road near the village of Sperah, about 25 miles southwest of a U.S. base at Khost.

After coming under fire, Tillman's patrol got out of their vehicles and gave chase to their attackers, moving toward the spot of the ambush. Beevers said the fighting was "sustained" and lasted 15-20 minutes. He said Tillman was killed by enemy fire, but he had no information about what type of weapons were involved in the assault, or whether he died instantly.

There was no word on any enemy casualties.

The area borders Pakistan's North Waziristan region - a tribal area believed to be a possible hideout for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri.

The Pakistani military recently launched a major operation in nearby South Waziristan in which more than 120 people were killed. They have backed off further military operations, however, and appear to have agreed to an amnesty for several prominent tribesmen accused of sheltering Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

Beevers said the two other U.S. soldiers wounded in the fighting were listed in stable condition at a military hospital at Bagram Air Base, the main coalition headquarters north of the capital, Kabul. Tillman's body was also being kept at Bagram.

Beevers would not say what Tillman's unit - the Army's 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment - was doing when it was attacked, citing security reasons. But he described service with the Rangers as "one of the most demanding assignments anywhere in the military."

Beevers said the risks for U.S. soldiers are still considerable in Afghanistan, despite the fact that fighting in Iraq draws more headlines. Some 110 U.S. soldiers have been killed - 39 of them in combat - since Operation Enduring Freedom began in Afghanistan in late 2001.

"If you speak to every soldier here, his value is not diminished because there are less news clips about what we are doing in Afghanistan," Beevers said. "Every soldier knows exactly what he is doing and why he is here."

Ellie

usmc4669
04-24-04, 10:16 AM
Tillman's sacrifice - he walked away from a $3.6 million offer from Arizona and gave up the most promising year's of his NFL career - has earned him the respect of millions. But U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Matthew Beevers said it was just one example of the dedication of all of the 13,500 U.S. soldiers fighting here.
"Spc. Tillman was clearly a patriot but I think that exemplifies ultimately the patriotism of every soldier, seaman, airman and Marine serving in Afghanistan today ... everybody here is serving and is truly a patriot," Beevers said.

We lost another patriot who has died for freedom. Yes he walked from a $3.6 million offer from the Arizona Cardinals football team, not many would have done that, I don't know of any other that has. Still do we owe him this much coverage when our other young patriots who have died, only makes the Obituary page in their local News Paper?

usmc4669
04-24-04, 04:37 PM
I wonder how the love ones of our other American Patriots feels when they see reports like this for days praising one man for what their own love ones did without one line of praise, all that they get is this letter informing them of the death of their love ones. Yes this man gave up a lot of money to fight for his country and I salute him for what he did, I also salute the ones who didn't have a pot to P*ss in and gave their live fighting for this country. Now his family are asking the Americans to send in money to have a foundation set up to honor him, praising one man for what their own love ones did without one line of praise, all that they get is this letter informing them of the death of their love ones. Yes this man gave up a lot of money to fight for his country and I salute him for what he did, I also salute the ones who didn't have a pot to P*ss in and gave their live fighting for this country Now his family are asking the Americans to send in money to have a foundation set up to honor him, I for one wouldn't donate to this, if his family, ASU and the NFL wants to set up a foundation that would be fine, not just for Pat Tillman, make it a foundation for the American Service Men who died for our freedom, they could call it the Iraq Freedom Foundation.[/b ]I for one wouldn't donate to this, if his family, ASU and the NFL wants to set up a foundation that would be fine, not just for Pat Tillman, make it a foundation for the American Service Men who died for our freedom, they could call it the Iraq Freedom Foundation.

What if his brother also was killed and this is posible, would they set up a foundation to honor him?

Sgtj
04-24-04, 07:25 PM
Gunny with all do respect,
Walking away from all that money takes a strong man with even stronger patriotism. A lot of people with that much money wouldn't even think of doing something like that. Tillman did what he did for this country, like all men and women in our armed services today, he did it without any attention. Unlike R. Bowe!!!! His death and act of patriotism and sacrifice (of all that money and his life) I am sure, opened many eyes. I think it made a lot of people, rich and poor think of his cause. So YES I think he deserves this much attention.

Again no disrespect intended.

Semper Fidelis,

Sgt J

usmc4669
04-24-04, 07:58 PM
No more comments on this one either, I'm out of here also.