Mary Tillman, Author, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: The Life & Death of Pat Tillman

MARY TILLMAN, Author, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: The Life & Death of Pat Tillman

The Integrity of Truth

Mary Tillman, the mother of fallen solider Pat Tillman, NFL football star and summa cum laude graduate of Arizona State will chronicle her family’s harrowing journey through the maze of bureaucracy, red tape and cover-ups to learn the true circumstances of Pat’s death. She will also recount memories of him as a loving son, brother, husband, friend and teammate.

Mary Tillman has brought international attention to the war and its consequences after the horrifying discovery her son had died mysteriously while fighting in Afghanistan. He decided to enlist after the September 11th attacks and was killed in Afghanistan when he was shot multiple times by his comrades. The Tillmans believe partly because of the timing of Pat’s death, a week after the Abu Ghraib abuses became public, the army told them and the nation he had been shot by enemy fire. The army later told the family he was shot by “friendly-fire” but military investigations have given differing and incomplete reports. Tillman told the Washington Post, “This lie was to cover their image. I think there's a lot more yet that we don't even know, or they wouldn't still be covering their tails” (May 23, 2005). She and her family have accused the Army of lying to the country about her son’s death to create more patriotic sentiment.

Mary Tillman is a San Jose resident and teacher at a public junior high school. She recently co-authored Boots on the Ground By Dusk: The Life and Death of Pat Tillman with Narda Zacchino.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 18, 2008