This official story was simply not true though and gradually the layers of deception began to be unpeeled by the media and ultimately Pat Tillman’s family. The specific details surrounding the true story are still unclear but the military did eventually admit that the real cause of Pat Tillman’s death was fratricide. A tragic accident they claimed, due to the ‘fog of war’. Although there are still many doubts about this second official story one unassailable truth remains, Tillman’s family and the American people were lied to by the military and the government.
It is this cover up and manipulation of the truth that is at the centre of Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary, The Tillman Story. With a voiceover by Josh Brolin, talking heads from key individuals (namely the Tillman family) and a host of archive footage Amir Bar-Lev lays out the story of the the construction of the cover up, the lionising of Tillman and the remarkable efforts by Pat Tillma’s mother, Mary, to find the truth behind Pat’s death and hold those responsible for the lies accountable.
The story of Pat Tillman is fascinating and anyone who has followed the unfolding events over the past 6 years will be aware of the many twists and turns. Unfortunately anyone familiar with the story will find little new in The Tillman Story and maybe even a few things that don’t quite sit right. That said those unfamiliar with the cover up will most likely find the story gripping, despite the film’s slightly leaden pacing, and the story compelling and enlightening.
The Tillman family are also some of the most intelligent and admirable people to grace the cinema screens this year and the most effective sequences in the film are due to this more than anything else. Listening to Richard Tillman speak about his brother, especially in an incredible speech at Pat’s memorial service, and Mary Tillman discuss the lengths she went to to uncover the truth are both jaw dropping and incredibly emotional affecting.
Amir Bar-Lev’s construction of the documentary seems a little confused though, moving down one path only to veer off down another before returning back. The overall structure is a little muddled and aimless and could perhaps benefit from a leaner cut as despite the fascinating story the last half hour drags somewhat and re-covers elements from the first hour.
The Tillman Story also suffers a little, only a little mind, from falling into the trap of myth-making and hero building that was so despicable falling the original cover up. Bar-Lev never goes anywhere near the extremes of that first wave of myth-making but there are a few moments where Bar-Lev constructs too neat an image of Pat Tillman, despite obviously attempting to avoid it. Josh Brolin’s voiceover at one point comments, for instance, that Pat never cheated on his wife which, although possibly true, is neatly presented as a fact and one that attests to his character.
The Tillman Story is an uneven documentary and one that could have been crafted much more skilfully. It is nonetheless incredibly compelling in parts and for anyone unfamiliar with the story it represents a good introduction to what is a shocking and disgusting entry in military history.
Embedded below is a very interesting interview with Pat’s brother Richard from Real Time With Bill Maher which includes footage of Richard’s comments at his brother’s memorial.
In his “The Fog of War” interview with Jason Guerrasio, Amir Bar-Lev, the director of “The Tillman Story,” said: “… there’s been no culpability on the second half of this tragedy, which is the higher ups trying to cover it up. … to borrow a football metaphor, they [the Tillman family] ran the ball 99 yards over four years time, they handed it off at the one-yard line to Congress and they fumbled it….”
Shortly after the Sundance film festival, Bar-Lev emailed me that “he was pretty hard on the Democratic Congress in his film.” True, his film does portray Congressman Waxman’s Oversight Committee as ineptly failing to get answers from the top military leadership during their hearing.
However, Bar-Lev’s film missed the ”untold story” that both the Democratic Congress and President Obama protected General Stanley McChrystal from public scrutiny of his central role in the cover-up of Pat Tillman’s friendly-fire death. This cover-up was a thoroughly bi-partisan affair. It wasn’t just a case of the Bush administration and the Army stonewalling the Democratic Congress. Congress didn’t just “fumble” the ball, they threw the game.
It’s not surprising that after their initial cover-up of Pat Tillman’s friendly-fire death fell apart, Army officers and the Bush administration lied to protect their careers. But after they took control of both Houses of Congress in 2006, the Democrats (including Congressman Henry Waxman, Senator Carl Levin, and Senator Jim Webb) and Senator John McCain could have gone after those responsible. Or at least not promoted them!
Just before the 2006 mid-term elections, Kevin Tillman published his eloquent letter, “After Pat’s Birthday” at
“Somehow torture is tolerated. … Somehow lying is tolerated. … Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated. … Somehow a narrative is more important than reality. … Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground. … Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country. Somehow this is tolerated. Somehow nobody is accountable for this.”
Four years ago, Kevin had hoped a Democratic Congress would bring accountability back to our country. But, just as with warrantless wiretapping and torture, those responsible for the cover-up of his brother’s friendly-fire death have never been held accountable for their actions.
Six years ago, Pat Tillman’s family were handed a tarnished Silver Star. It was a travesty of justice that President Obama and the Senate promoted General McChrystal to the Army’s highest rank, and handed him his fourth star.
. . .
“The Tillman Story” is a good introduction, but presents only a brief outline of the story. If you want to learn more details, I would suggest reading Mary Tillman’s “Boots on the Ground by Dusk” (paperback with new foreword at blurb.com), Jon Krakauer’s “Where Men Win Glory” (revised paperback has 50 new pages), or my “The [Untold] Tillman Story” posted at http://www.feralfirefighter.blogspot.com
SSGT Co. “F” (Ranger) 425th Infantry MI ARNG Pontiac, MI 1983 –1991
Firefighter, 1991 — Present