GULF FRIENDLY FIRE

The army revoked awards for valour given to three army servicemen involved in a "friendly fire" incident during the Gulf War. Cpl. Douglas Lance Fielder was killed when soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment mistook his unit for a group of Iraqi soldiers. A report to be issued by the General Accounting Office recommends that the medals be revoked because the soldier's commanding officers lied about where the battle took place so that it looked as though Iraqi troops were involved in the engagement. The three soldiers will keep their Bronze Stars, which were given to nearly everyone who saw combat in the war, but will be stripped of the medal's "V" designation that indicates valour under enemy fire. TIME Pentagon correspondentMark Thompsonsays that this is a black and white case. "If there's no enemy fire, then there should be no award."