Military Probe Shows Fribley Died From Enemy Fire
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
After a lengthy investigation, the U.S. Central Command has determined Marine Cpl. David Fribley, of Atwood, died from enemy fire last year.
The Warsaw Community High School graduate was one of 18 Marines killed March 23, 2003, in fighting around the city of Nasiriyah, Iraq. As many as 10 of those Marines were killed by friendly fire when a Marine air controller mistook their vehicle for enemy forces and ordered U.S. air strikes.
Linda Fribley, David's mother, said in a phone interview today that with the final investigation, Marines went to each of the 18 families Saturday and gave the families the information.
"We're glad it's finished. We've already been dealing with him not being a part of our lives," she said.
It was confirmed with forensic testing, she said, that David was killed by an Iraqi rocket-propelled grenade, not by a round fired from an Air Force A-10 jet. The autopsy also shows he was wounded in the back, not in the chest as Marine Lance Cpl. Edward Castleberry told CNN. Castleberry reportedly said David was killed by friendly fire.
"We were told of a possible friendly fire situation last summer," said Linda, but most of the Marines with David knew he was killed by an RPG. She said the Fribleys were prepared to deal with knowing David's death would not be called friendly fire.
While two members of David's squad swear that Fribley was killed by friendly fire, Linda said she and Garry Fribley, David's father, knew better. She said they don't know who the Marines saw get shot, but it was not David.
The report concludes that what happened March 23, 2003, was a communications breakdown. The report calls for the Marine air controller to be disciplined. He could face action for not following proper procedures when calling in an air strike, according to reports.
In addition, Linda said, there was no fake surrender in the entire Iraq war. "The Marines don't know where that came from." And there was no ambush.
"David got to fight for a while," she said. He was helping to secure an area on the battlefield by a road near a bridge along a canal when he was hit. The area, while considered part of Nasiriyah, was just outside the city.
David Fribley, a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, was the first Hoosier to be killed in the Iraq war in the line of duty. [[In-content Ad]]
After a lengthy investigation, the U.S. Central Command has determined Marine Cpl. David Fribley, of Atwood, died from enemy fire last year.
The Warsaw Community High School graduate was one of 18 Marines killed March 23, 2003, in fighting around the city of Nasiriyah, Iraq. As many as 10 of those Marines were killed by friendly fire when a Marine air controller mistook their vehicle for enemy forces and ordered U.S. air strikes.
Linda Fribley, David's mother, said in a phone interview today that with the final investigation, Marines went to each of the 18 families Saturday and gave the families the information.
"We're glad it's finished. We've already been dealing with him not being a part of our lives," she said.
It was confirmed with forensic testing, she said, that David was killed by an Iraqi rocket-propelled grenade, not by a round fired from an Air Force A-10 jet. The autopsy also shows he was wounded in the back, not in the chest as Marine Lance Cpl. Edward Castleberry told CNN. Castleberry reportedly said David was killed by friendly fire.
"We were told of a possible friendly fire situation last summer," said Linda, but most of the Marines with David knew he was killed by an RPG. She said the Fribleys were prepared to deal with knowing David's death would not be called friendly fire.
While two members of David's squad swear that Fribley was killed by friendly fire, Linda said she and Garry Fribley, David's father, knew better. She said they don't know who the Marines saw get shot, but it was not David.
The report concludes that what happened March 23, 2003, was a communications breakdown. The report calls for the Marine air controller to be disciplined. He could face action for not following proper procedures when calling in an air strike, according to reports.
In addition, Linda said, there was no fake surrender in the entire Iraq war. "The Marines don't know where that came from." And there was no ambush.
"David got to fight for a while," she said. He was helping to secure an area on the battlefield by a road near a bridge along a canal when he was hit. The area, while considered part of Nasiriyah, was just outside the city.
David Fribley, a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, was the first Hoosier to be killed in the Iraq war in the line of duty. [[In-content Ad]]