Marine under investigation in shooting of Iraqi soldier

[Drizzt]

Marine under investigation in shooting of Iraqi soldier


The Associated Press


Military officials are investigating a Marine who says he shot an Iraqi soldier twice in the back of the head following a grenade attack on his comrades.

The Marine Forces Reserve announced the preliminary inquiry of Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias on Friday, the day the Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a story in which he described the killing.

Covarrubias, 38, of Las Vegas, said that during an intense battle in Baghdad on April 8, he pursued a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard who had fired a rocket-propelled grenade at his unit. Covarrubias said he received a concussion in the attack and several other Marines also were injured.

Covarrubias, a 20-year Marine veteran, said he found the soldier inside a nearby house with the grenade launcher by his side. Covarrubias said he ordered the man to stop and forced him to turn around.

"I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Twice," Covarrubias told the Review-Journal.

He said he also shot the man's partner, who tried to escape. He showed what he said were the men's ID cards.

"I'm not vindictive, and I might get in trouble for telling you this, but I take it very personally when you do that to my family," Covarrubias said. "The Marines are my family."

The Marine Forces Reserve said the preliminary inquiry by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service will determine whether Covarrubias "met the established rules of engagement and complied with the law of war," and whether a formal investigation is warranted.

Calls to Covarrubias' home and knocks at the door went unanswered.

Marine reservist Sgt. Michael Dunn, who fought alongside Covarrubias and was injured in the battle, said he stands by him "100 percent."

"If he wouldn't have done it, those guys probably would've come back and killed or severely injured other Marines," Dunn said. "He did the right thing."


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/spe...03.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

 

[SIGarmed]

The press can spin it anyway they want.

So now our forces can't shoot at the enemy unless they're looking straight at us? What do the whiners think happen in war?
Its kill or be killed. Do you feel like dying?

 

[Don Gwinn]

As long as you said the same thing when they reported how the Iraqis executed several of our prisoners, I guess you're entitled to your point of view. Personally, and with the disclaimer that I haven't been in this Marine's shoes, I don't think the Marine Corps can afford to let it be known that there are no consequences for executing POWs. Unless there's a very good reason why he couldn't take prisoners, the argument that the dead guy would have come back to hurt other Marines doesn't really hold water, either.

All that said, I can understand making the wrong decision in the heat of battle--but why would you run to a newspaper reporter to incriminate yourself? If he'd kept his mouth shut it sure sounds like he'd have been OK.

If you didn't say it was OK to execute our prisoners with close-range headshots after they'd been captured, then it would seem you have an inconsistent position to resolve.

 

[Al Norris]

Having been in that situation, albeit in Vietnam, I can say that if the Gunnies story is correct, then he probably will be charged with a double murder.

Double murder? Yes. If the second soldier had run before the killing of the first, then that would have been a justified shooting. And then had the first soldier tried to bolt, it is possible that that shooting would have also been justified. But according to the gunny, he (the second soldier) was shot after watching his buddy get executed, thereby making it a double homicide.

Spin it however you want. The first was an out and out execution of the first soldier, as was the second. One does not execute prisoners...and then brag about it. If you do something like this, you keep your mouth shut.

But the story need not end here.

Suppose that this is all the gunny is doing. Bragging about an act that never happened. Then the gunny will be toast anyway. Art. 134, Conduct Unbecomming of a Marine. 6, 6 and a kick, as we used to say (Stripped of rank; loss of 6 months wages; incarcerated for 6 months and a Bad Conduct Discharge - BCD).

Else, exonerate Lt. Calley.

 

[Tim Burke]

I don't understand the story. Why order the guy to stop and turn around, only to shoot him when he complies? Much better just to shoot him on sight. Safer for the troop, and easy to defend.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

If the story is accurate, this guy made two mistakes. He took an enemy soldier prisoner and then executed him. Then he had to go and brag about it to a reporter.

Else, exonerate Lt. Calley.

No need, Nixon gave him a Presidential Pardon.

 

[Al Norris]

No need, Nixon gave him a Presidential Pardon.

Yes, I'm aware....

As far as I know, it was Medina that gave Calley his orders and was never charged. It is fact that during the Courts Martial, Medina's orders were never allowed to be brought up. Calley was the scapegoat and everyone knew it.

Back to the subject. My object in bringing up Calley was rather simple. There's not much difference in executing POW's whether they be soldiers or civilians. If one perpetrator goes free, so should the other, for the same exact reasons.

 

[SIGarmed]

Covarrubias, a 20-year Marine veteran, said he found the soldier inside a nearby house with the grenade launcher by his side. Covarrubias said he ordered the man to stop and forced him to turn around.

"I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Twice," Covarrubias told the Review-Journal.

He said he also shot the man's partner, who tried to escape. He showed what he said were the men's ID cards.

Don Gwinn,

No I'm giving that senior enlisted Marine the benefit of a doubt.
Is there any facts left out of the story? We don't know, but I'm sure there is certainly more to the story than can be said by some little article from the AP news. I will not automatically condem the man.

The above are just the Marines statements and they seem really dumb at that. Was the other enemy armed? Did he run before or after the soldier that he described with a grenade launcher near was shot? I'm hoping this happened during an actual firefight.

 

[OF]

Sure, Sig. But discussing this as reported, with the information at hand (which is all we can do) and assuming it is complete and true, how do you see the situation?

- Gabe

 

[Al Norris]

Hmmmm, wonder if SIGarmed has an answer?

Seriously though, I'd like to find an update to this story.

 

[SIGarmed]

How much can you put in a short article? Every facet? The press is there to make money so they need a headline that sells. We don't know the whole story. Our personal opinions don't really count for much as far as the actual case so its easy for me to say I'd like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but of of course I don't know what went on. Its hard to beleive someone with that much experience can do and say something so dumb. The investigation and or court will settle it for sure.

Me and my big mouth.

 

[Ladybug]

I just don't understand why this guy is going around telling people that he took the guy prisoner and then shot him in the back of the head, twice. A lot of things could have made this justfied, and no one would know what happened except him and his dead enemies... seems strange then that he would tell the story in such a way. Then again, he is a Marine.

 

[Salpalinja]

He is just plain stupid, thats why he told the story. That is if the events happened like that. But if the other guy first made a run for it, and during this same time the guy with the rocket made a move to his guns, then it is a justified shooting.

 

[Blackcloud6]

The Gunny should keep his mouth shut.

 

[Drizzt]

Marine investigated for war crimes after newspaper interview
May 1 2003

Washington: A US Marine sergeant is under investigation for possible war crimes committed in Iraq based on statements he made to his hometown newspaper, military officials said today.

Gunnery Sergeant Gus Covarrubias became the target of the preliminary inquiry after he described for the Las Vegas, Nevada, Review-Journal daily how he had hunted down and shot two Iraqi soldiers after a firefight.

"A preliminary inquiry has been initiated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to examine the circumstances surrounding the statements made by Gunnery Sergeant Covarrubias," the statement said.

"The preliminary inquiry will determine if the actions described by Gunnery Sergeant Covarrubias during combat operations met the established rules of engagement and complied with the law of war."

A Marine Forces Reserve spokeswoman refused further comment, referring media inquiries to naval investigators.

In the interview published Friday, Covarrubias, 38, said he was searching for the source of a grenade attack during the April 8 battle and found a soldier in a nearby home with a grenade launcher next to him.

Covarrubias told the daily he ordered the man to stop and to turn around. "I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head - twice," he was quoted as saying.

Covarrubias said he noticed another Iraqi soldier trying to escape and also shot him, then grabbed their identification cards, a rifle and one of their berets for souvenirs.

Covarrubias is assigned to the Second Battalion, 23rd Marines, a reserve unit from the western United States.

In the interview, he was quoted as saying the killings were "justice", but the daily quoted a military expert as saying the first one could have been a war crime.

"We do not allow our soldiers to execute (prisoners of war) at their own discretion. And this, as described, looks like the summary execution of a (prisoner of war)," said John Pike, director of globalsecurity.org.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/01/1051382023689.html

 

[Ol' Badger]

S S S

Shoot'em
Shovel'em
Shut Up!

 

[Jim March]

Question: is it possible a concussion from the nearby RPG blast affected his judgement at the scene, and that might possibly explain or even excuse his actions?

Doesn't explain him being dumb enough to brag later to a reporter of course!

 

[Leatherneck]

All we know for sure is that a reporter is reporting some atrocious behavior. Both in combat and afterward. Don't know what's true.
But one can always hope.

TC
TFL Survivor

 

[Al Norris]

The original news story that started it all, April 25th edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Out of the fire, back home

The very next days edition carried this story:

INTERVIEW FALLOUT: Inquiry to focus on Marine

And finally, this, the latest article:

Investigators interview Marine about shootings from the April 29th edition.

Covarrubias is from this reserve unit:

Weapons Platoon, Company F
2d Battalion, 23d Marines
4th Marine Division

5095 Range Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89115
(702) 632-1501

Commanding Officer: Capt Martin W Goguen
SNCOIC: GySgt Gus Covarrubias
Inspector-Instructor: Capt Sean Pascoli
I-I First Sergeant: 1stSgt Randy Golden

You can do a quick search on the Marines name and come up with hundreds of news articles. I've chosen to carry the links from the Review-Journal, as they seem to have the most extensive coverage on this, probably because the Gunny is one of their own. Read the articles, they put things into a better perspective.

 

[critter]

We were at war. War is hell. I was not there. I will not judge him!