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The [[shock and awe]] battle tactics adopted by the American military – overwhelming power, battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force – are employed because they are believed to be the best way to win a war quickly and decisively, reducing casualties on both sides. However, if the only people doing the shooting are American, then a high percentage of total casualties are bound to be the result of friendly fire, blunting the effectiveness of the shock and awe tactic. It is probably the fact that friendly fire has proven to be the only fundamental weakness of the tactics that has caused the American military to take significant steps to overturn a blasé attitude to friendly fire and assess ways to eliminate it.<ref name="books.google.com.au"/>
The [[shock and awe]] battle tactics adopted by the American military – overwhelming power, battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force – are employed because they are believed to be the best way to win a war quickly and decisively, reducing casualties on both sides. However, if the only people doing the shooting are American, then a high percentage of total casualties are bound to be the result of friendly fire, blunting the effectiveness of the shock and awe tactic. It is probably the fact that friendly fire has proven to be the only fundamental weakness of the tactics that has caused the American military to take significant steps to overturn a blasé attitude to friendly fire and assess ways to eliminate it.<ref name="books.google.com.au"/>

==Historical examples==
There have been many thousands of friendly fire incidents in recorded military history, accounting for an estimated 2% to 20% of all casualties in battle.<ref name="Percin">{{fr icon}} Percin, Gen. Alexandre (1921) ''Le Massacre de Notre Infanterie 1914–1918'', Michel Albin, Paris; Percin supported his claims using hundreds of items of correspondence from officers and men who had served in the French Army in WW1</ref><ref name="Shrader">Shrader, Charles R. (1982) ''Amicicide: The Problem of Friendly Fire in Modern War'', US Command & General Staff College Survey No.1</ref> The examples listed below illustrate their range and diversity, but this does not reflect increasing frequency. The ''rate'' of friendly fire, once allowance has been made for the numbers of troops committed to battle, has remained remarkably stable over the past 200 years.<ref name="Kirke"/>

===English Civil War===
*1643 - Following fall of [[Gainsborough, Lincolnshire]] to [[Roundhead]] forces, captured Royalist commander, the [[Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull|Earl of Kingston]], was killed by Royalist cannon fire when the boat transporting him to Hull was fired on from the banks of the River Trent.<ref name=odnb>{{cite book|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 44|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=264|isbn=0-19-861394-6}}</ref>

===Nine Years' War===
*1690 – Two French regiments accidentally attacking each other during the [[Battle of Fleurus (1690)|Battle of Fleurus]] led to the practice of attaching a white scarf to the flags of the regiments.<ref>Mouillard, Lucien – ''Les régiments sous Louis XV'', 1882. [http://pfef.free.fr/Anc_Reg/Unif_Org/Mouillard/mouillard_L1c01.htm Book 1, Chapter 1]</ref>

===American Revolutionary War===
*In the [[Battle of Germantown]] in 1777, a combination of late arrival, poor navigation and overpursuit resulted in [[Major General]] [[Adam Stephen]]'s men colliding with General [[Anthony Wayne]]'s troops. The two American brigades opened fire on each other, became badly disorganized, and fled.
*In the [[Battle of Guilford Courthouse]] on March 15, 1781, after several volleys of musket and cannon fire between American and British troops, smoke begins to obscure soldiers' view of the battlefield. In a pitched battle, smoke not only limited visibility but irritated soldiers' eyes and could make breathing difficult. In the confusion, British Lieutenant John Macleod, in command of two British three-ponders, was directed by British [[Lieutenant General]] [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Charles Cornwallis]] to fire on the Americans and the British alike. Many British soldiers died as a result of friendly artillery [[bombardment]].

===Napoleonic Wars===
*1796 – [[Battle of Fombio]]: French general [[Amédée Emmanuel François Laharpe|Amadee Laharpe]] was killed by his own men while returning from [[reconnaissance]].
*1801 – [[Battle of Algeciras Bay]]: Spanish ships ''Real Carlos'' and ''San Hermenegildo'' mistakenly engaged each other in the dark after a British ship sailed between them and fired at both. 1,700 were killed when the two ships exploded.{{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}
*1809 – [[Battle of Wagram]]: French troops mistakenly fired on their allies from the [[Kingdom of Saxony]]. The grey uniforms of the Saxons were misidentified as white, the colour of uniform worn by their Austrian enemy.
*1815 – [[Battle of Waterloo]]: [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] artillery mistakenly fired on British artillery causing many casualties, and British artillery returned fire at the Prussians.

===American Civil War===
*During the [[Battle of Antietam]] on 17 September 1862, a Confederate regiment had maneuvered into a gap between two Union regiments, the 9th New York and the 5th Massachusetts. The Confederates launched a surprise attack during a Union advance into the west woods. The 9th New York hastily began returning fire and unknowingly hit the 5th Massachusetts with musket fire that overshot the Confederate regiment, causing the other Union regiment to return fire in confusion. The two Union regiments had sustained heavy casualties during the lengthy exchange of fire. This was one of eleven friendly fire events recorded at Antietam, which taken together, were thought to have accounted for 1150 killed and wounded, or approximately 5% of the total casualties.<ref name="Garrison">Garrison, Webb B. (1999) ''Friendly Fire in the Civil War: More than 100 True Stories of Comrade Killing Comrade'', Rutledge Hill Press; ISBN 1-55853-714-7</ref>
*Confederate Lieutenant General [[Stonewall Jackson|Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson]] was wounded as a result of friendly fire in the [[Battle of Chancellorsville]] on 2 May 1863, and died eight days later. He and some of his men had been returning, under the cover of night, from an intelligence-gathering mission when a Confederate patrol misidentified them as a Union cavalry scout team.<ref name="Garrison"/>
*In the [[Battle of the Wilderness]] on 6 May 1864, Confederate Lt. General [[James Longstreet]] was wounded when his mounted column was mistaken for Federal troops. As a result of this, he did not return to command until October of that year. In the same incident, Brigadier General [[Micah Jenkins]] was killed.<ref name="Garrison"/>

===World War I===
*At night in foul weather on 16 September 1917, the British submarine {{HMS|G9}} mistook the [[destroyer]] [[HMS Pasley (1916)|HMS ''Pasley'']] for a German [[U-Boat]] and attacked with torpedoes. ''Pasley'', not recognising ''G9'' as British until too late, responded to the attack by ramming ''G9''. Nearly cut in two, the ''G9'' sank. Only one of the ''G9'''s crew members survived.
*15 April 1918, two British soldiers from the [[Somerset Light Infantry]] were killed and [[C.S. Lewis]] was wounded after being hit by a shrapnel from a British shell that had fallen short of its target in [[Mont-Bernanchon]], France.<ref>{{citation |last=Edwards |first=Bruce L. |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=uDvxsQhGgIkC&lpg=PA90&ots=JMBvRvLegR&dq=CS%20lewis%20and%20another%20British%20soldier%20killed&pg=PA90#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=C.S. Lewis: life, works, and legacy, Volume 1 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |year=2007 |page=90}}</ref>
*24/25 April 1918, during the [[Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux]], soldiers of the Australian 50th Infantry Battalion, advancing in the dark under German machine fire, attacked what they believed was an enemy trench. They found out that the trench was instead occupied by British troops of the 2nd [[Devonshire Regiment|Devon]] and 1st [[Worcestershire Regiment|Worcester]] Battalions who had not been informed of the Australian counterattack and "thought the Germans were attacking them from the rear".<ref>Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean, The Australian Imperial Force in France during the Main German Offensive, 1918 (Sydney, 1937), Volume V Chapter XVII p. 585.</ref>
*During the attack on the main wagon bridge over the [[Marne]] at [[Château-Thierry]], American machine gunners described a night attack on 1 June 1918 of massed German troops, who were singing gutturally as they made a suicidal charge, some linked arm in arm. The victims were soldiers of the French 10th Colonial division from [[Senegal]], who had been trying to get back across the river. Although reports of the incident were suppressed, it was discussed by American and French soldiers. There are no German records of any attack on the wagon bridge.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com.au/books?id=MfSM14o6uqgC&pg=PA236&lpg=PA236&dq=friendly+fire+'world+war+I'&source=web&ots=_7Ejhh1Ugv&sig=V3pe3gjtPEoe689VukcBJN_aDwk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result |title=American Battlefields of World War I: Chateau-thierry – then And Now
|last=David C. Homsher |publisher=Battleground Productions |quote=via books.google.com.au |year=2006 |accessdate=8 March 2011 |page=236}}</ref>
*On 16 June 1918, during [[Spring Offensive]], the British 4th Battalion of the [[King's Shropshire Light Infantry]] (4th KSLI), with reinforcing elements of [[North Staffordshire Regiment|North Staffordshires]] and [[Cheshire Regiment|Cheshires]], were shelled by British artillery, unaware the position had changed hands, within 30 minutes of successfully taking a hill, Montagne de Bligny, from the Germans and capturing 30 prisoners. The bombardment reduced the effective strength to 100 men but their commander, Captain Geoffrey Bright, insisted on retaining the hill and sending out for reinforcements from British units until help arrived before nightfall. For the overall action the 4th KSLI received a unit award of the French ''Croix de Guerre''.<ref name=srm>[http://www.shropshireregimentalmuseum.co.uk/volunteers-territorial-and-militia/4th-territorial-battalion-ksli-bligny-and-the-croix-de-guerre/]Article by Shropshire Regimental Museum.</ref>
*On 13 July 1918, British soldier and poet [[Siegfried Sassoon]] was wounded after being shot in the head by a fellow British soldier who had mistaken him for a German near [[Arras]], [[France]]. As a result, he spent the remainder of the war in Britain.
*On 16 July 1918, British [[flying ace]] Major [[Awdry Vaucour]] was killed<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918%20-%200890.html "Casualties" ''Flight'' 1918]</ref> in the vicinity of [[Monastier di Treviso]], [[Italy]] when he was accidentally shot down by an Italian pilot.
*On 15 October 1918, the British submarine, [[HMS J6]], was sunk by British [[Q-ship]]'' [[Cymric (schooner)|Cymric]]'' in the [[Northumberland Coast]]. The captain of the ''Cymric'' Lieutenant F Peterson [[Royal Naval Reserve|RNR]] mistook the identity lettering on the conning tower of ''J6'' for ''U6''. Assuming ''U6'' to indicate a German U-boat, Petersen raised the [[White ensign]] and opened fire on ''J6''. After a number of direct hits, ''J6'' sank. It was only after the survivors were seen in the water that Peterson and the crew of ''Cymric'' realised their mistake and recovered the survivors. Of the crew of ''J6'', 15 were lost; a subsequent court of enquiry found that no action should be taken against Peterson.
*An estimated 75,000 French soldiers were casualties of friendly fire, mainly by the artillery, during World War I.<ref name="Percin"/>

===Spanish Civil War===
*In 1937, the Nationalist [[Irish Brigade (Spanish Civil War)|Irish Brigade]] was fired upon by a [[Falangist]] unit, and the hour-long firefight resulted in 17 deaths. Neither unit had any battle experience.

===World War II===

====1939====
*6 September – Just days after the start of the war, in what was dubbed the [[Battle of Barking Creek]], three RAF [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfires]] from 74 Squadron shot down two [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricanes]] from the RAF's 56 Squadron, killing one of the pilots. One of the Spitfires was then shot down by British anti-aircraft artillery while returning to base.<ref name="Bickers">Townshend Bickers, Richard L. (1994) ''Friendly Fire: Accidents in Battle from Ancient Greece to the Gulf War'', Leo Cooper; ISBN 0-85052-372-9</ref>
*10 September – The British submarine {{HMS|Triton|N15|6}} sank another British submarine, {{HMS|Oxley}}. After making challenges which went unanswered ''Triton'' assumed it must have located a German [[U-boat]] and fired two torpedoes. ''Oxley'' was the first [[Royal Navy]] vessel to be sunk and also the first vessel to be sunk by a British vessel in the war, killing 52 with only two survivors.

====1940====
*19 February – During [[Operation Wikinger|Operation ''Wikinger'']] the [[German destroyer Z1 Leberecht Maass|German destroyer Z1 ''Leberecht Maass'']] was sunk by ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' bombs while another destroyer, the [[German destroyer Z3 Max Schultz|Z3 ''Max Schultz'']], was sunk by mines in the confusion.<ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Emmerich |url=http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/articles/feature4.html |title=Operation Wikinger |publisher=German-navy.de |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>
*14 April – The Dutch submarine O10 was bombed in error off [[Noordwijk]] by two [[Vought SB2U Vindicator|V.156-F]] Dive Bombers.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Other reports attribute attack to British aircraft.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = O 10 | work = Dutch submarines | publisher = | date = 1997–2006 | url = http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/boats/boat_o10.htm | doi = | accessdate =10 March 2009 }}</ref>
*10 May – German Luftwaffe bombers sent to bomb [[Dijon]] in France instead bombed the German city of [[Freiburg]] due to navigation errors, killing 57 people.<ref>Gerd R. Ueberschär: Freiburg im Luftkrieg 1939–1945. Ploetz, Freiburg im Breisgau 1990, ISBN 978-3-87640-332-8</ref>
*21 May – A [[Bristol Blenheim]] L9325 of [[No. 18 Squadron RAF]] was shot down by [[RAF]] [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]] and crashed near [[Arras]], [[France]]. Three crewmen were killed.<ref name="ReferenceA">(P.226)Warner, Graham. Bristol Blenheim: A Complete History. 2nd Edition. (Manchester, U.K.: Crecy Publishing, 2005</ref>
*22 May – A [[Bristol Blenheim]] L9266 of [[No. 59 Squadron RAF]] was shot down by [[RAF]] [[Spitfire]] and crashed near [[Fricourt]], [[France]]. Three crewmen were killed.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*28 June – Italian Air Marshal [[Italo Balbo]] and his crew were killed when Italian anti-aircraft guns at [[Tobruk]] shot down their [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]].<ref>Taylor, ''Fascist Eagle: Italy's Air Marshal Italo Balbo'', p. 2.</ref>
*6 October – The Italian submarine ''Gemma'' was sunk in error by the Italian submarine ''Tricheco'' while on patrol in the Mediterranean.<ref>Conway: ''All The World's Fighting Ships: 1922–1946'' (1980) p309</ref>

====1941====
*In May, a [[Fleet Air Arm]] torpedo attack was erroneously carried out against the {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|6}} during the hunt for the {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||6}}.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kennedy | first = Ludovic | authorlink =Ludovic Kennedy | coauthors = | title = Pursuit, the Sinking of the Bismarck | publisher = Book Club Associates | year = 1975 | location = London | pages = 153–154 | url = | doi = | id = }}</ref>
*[[Bardia raid]] (1941): On the night of 19/20 April, 450 British [[commando]]s conducted an amphibious [[Raid (military)|raid]] against [[Axis Powers|Axis]] forces in [[Bardia]], [[Libya]], to destroy an Italian [[Ammunition dump|supply dump]] and a [[Coastal artillery|coastal artillery battery]] (which were successful). While most men were successfully evacuated after the raid, one was killed by friendly fire from an overalert British commando soldier and 67 became [[prisoners of war]] after getting lost and going to the wrong beach.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sas Zero Hour: The Secret Origins of the Special Air Service |author=Tim Jones |page=150 |date=May 1, 2006 |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute|US Naval Institute Press]] |isbn=1-59114-805-7 |accessdate=18 July 2013}}</ref>
*On 9 August, [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] [[fighter ace]] [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wing Commander]] [[Douglas Bader]] was shot down in what recent research suggests was a friendly fire incident.<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/a-b/bader.html Channel 4 – History – Douglas Bader]{{dead link|date=January 2011}}</ref>
*29 August – A [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]] plane was shot down in error by a German [[8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37/41]] near the French coast and crashed on the beach south of [[Dunkirk]]. Leutnant Heinz Schenk was the first Focke-Wulf 190 pilot to be killed in action.<ref>P.&nbsp;170–17, Caldwell, Donald</ref>
*26 November – A [[RAF]] aircraft bombed the 1st [[Essex Regiment]] during [[Operation Crusader]], causing about 40 casualties.

====1942====
*31 January – The German blockade runner ''[[MV Spreewald|Spreewald]]'' was torpedoed by German U-boat [[German submarine U-333|''U-333'']], captained by U-boat ace [[Peter-Erich Cremer]] off Bordeaux.<ref>[http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1305.html ''Spreewald'' at uboat.net]</ref>
*20 February – British Commonwealth forces during the [[Burma Campaign]] were repeatedly bombed and strafed by [[RAF]] [[Bristol Blenheim|Blenheim]]s during a break-out attempt by a battalion surrounded by Japanese troops in [[Sittaung River]], [[Burma]]. More than 170 British Commonwealth lives were lost due to RAF air-strikes.<ref name="ReferenceB">Warner, Graham. 'Bristol Blenheim: A Complete History. 2nd Edition''. (Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing, 2005) pp.563–564</ref>
*21 February – Pilots of the [[Flying Tigers|1st American Volunteer Group]] (Flying Tigers) strafed retreating Commonwealth forces who were mistaken for an advancing Japanese column during the [[Burma Campaign]], resulting in more than 100 casualties.<ref>Daniel Ford, ''Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and his American Volunteers, 1941–1942'' (HarperCollins, 2006), pp. 203–4</ref> Around the same day, retreating Commonwealth forces with 300 vehicles were bombed and strafed by [[RAF]] [[Bristol Blenheim|Blenheim]]s near Mokpalin, [[Burma]], resulting more than 110 casualties and 159 vehicles destroyed.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
*The [[Poland|Polish]] [[submarine]] [[ORP Jastrząb|ORP ''Jastrząb'']] was mistakenly sunk by the [[Royal Navy|British]] [[destroyer]] {{HMS|St Albans|I15|6}} and [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweeper]] {{HMS|Seagull|J85|6}}. She was attacked with depth charges and made to surface, there she was strafed with the loss of five crew and six injured, including the commander, despite yellow recognition smoke candles. The ship was damaged and had to be scuttled.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
*The [[Italian submarine Alagi|Italian submarine ''Alagi'']] sank the Italian destroyer ''[[Navigatori class destroyer|Antoniotto Usodimare]]'' on 8 June 1942.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Whitley
| first = M J
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia
| publisher = Arms and Armour Press
| year = 2000
| location = London
| page = 164
| url =
| doi =
| isbn = 1-85409-521-8 }}
</ref>
*27 June – a group of RAF [[Vickers Wellington]]s bombed the units of 4th [[County of London Yeomanry]], [[British 7th Armoured Division]] and the British [[3rd Hussars]] during a two-hour raid near [[Mersa Matruh]], [[Egypt]], killing over 359 troops and wounding 560.<ref>''Sharpshooters at War: The 3rd and 4th and 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry, 1939–1945'', Andrew Graham</ref> The aftermath of RAF raids at this time were also seen by the Germans: "...&nbsp;The RAF had bombed their own troops, and with tracer flying in all directions, German units fired on each other. At 0500 hours next morning 28 June, I drove up to the breakout area where we had spent such a disturbed night. There we found a number of lorries filled with the mangled corpses of New Zealanders who had been killed by the British bombs&nbsp;...<ref>''The Rommel Papers'', [[B. H. Liddell Hart|Liddell-Hart, Basil Henry]] pp.238–239 (New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace, Javanovich, 1953)</ref>
*On 23 October, during the [[Second Battle of El Alamein|2nd Battle of El Alamein]], at 2140 hours under the cover of a barrage of 1000 guns, British infantry of the [[51st (Highland) Infantry Division]] advanced towards the enemy lines. However, they advanced too fast into the area of fire from British artillery, causing over 60 casualties.<ref name="Bickers"/>
*During the [[Second Battle of El Alamein|2nd Battle of El Alamein]], RAF fighters bombed British troops during a four-hour raid, causing 56 casualties. The British [[10th Royal Hussars]] were among the victims; they did not know the proper signals to call off their planes.<ref name="Bickers"/>
*During the night attack of 12/13 November in the [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]], the already damaged [[light cruiser]] {{USS|Atlanta|CL-51|6}} was fired on by the [[cruiser]] {{USS|San Francisco|CA-38|6}}, causing several deaths.

====1943====
*The German [[blockade runner]] and [[minelayer]] [[Doggerbank (ship)|''Doggerbank'']] was mistaken for a British freighter and sunk by the submarine {{Ship|German submarine|U-43|1939|2}} in the mid-Atlantic. Of the 365 men on board, only one survived.<ref>[http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2707.html ''Doggerbank''] at uboat.net</ref>
*[[Operation Chastise]]: On 16–17 May, nineteen [[RAF]] [[Avro Lancaster|Lancaster]] bombers of [[No. 617 Squadron RAF|No. 617 Squadron]] were dispatched to attack dams in [[Eder]], [[Möhne]] and [[Sorpe|Sorpe (Röhr)]] rivers near Germany, using a specially developed "[[bouncing bomb]]" invented and developed by [[Barnes Wallis]]. [[Möhne Reservoir|Möhne]] and [[Edersee Dam]]s were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]] valley and of villages in the [[Edertal|Eder valley]], while the [[Sorpe]] dam sustained only minor damage. An estimated 1,600 people were killed by the floods, 1,519 of them were Allied [[prisoners of war]].
*During the Allied invasion of Sicily, [[Operation Husky]], 144 [[C-47 Skytrain|C-47]] transport planes passed over Allied lines shortly after a German air raid, and were mistakenly fired upon by US ground and naval forces. 23 planes were shot down and 37 damaged, resulting in 318 casualties including about 100 paratroopers killed.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Airborne Reinforcement | work = US Army in World War II | publisher = | date = | url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Sicily/USA-MTO-Sicily-9.html | doi = | accessdate =10 March 2009 }}</ref>
*General [[Omar Bradley]] recalled that his column was attacked by American [[North American A-36|A-36]]s in [[Sicily]]. The tanks lit yellow smoke flares to identify themselves to their own aircraft but the attacks continued, forcing the column to return fire which resulted in the downing of one aircraft. A parachuting pilot from the downed A-36 was brought before Bradley. 'You stupid sonofabitch!!' Bradley fumed. 'Didn't you see our yellow recognition signals!?' The pilot replied 'Oh, is that what that was?'.<ref>Hallion, Richard. ''Strike from the Sky: The History of Battlefield Air Attack, 1911–1945'', Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989</ref>
*During [[Operation Cottage]] after Allied forces occupied [[Kiska Island]], US and Canadian forces mistook each other as Japanese and engaged each other in a deadly firefight. As a result, 28 Americans and 4 Canadians were killed with 50 more wounded. There were no Japanese troops on the island two weeks before US and Canadian Forces landed.

====1944====

*28 January, a train carrying 800 Allied [[prisoners of war]] was bombed when it crossed a bridge on the Ponte Paglia in [[Allerona|Allerona, Italy]], killing approximately 400 British, U.S. and South African prisoners. In anticipation of the Allied advance, the POWs had been evacuated from PG Campo 54 at Fara-in-Sabina outside of Rome, and were being transported to Germany in unmarked cattle cars. The POWs had been padlocked in the cars and were crossing the bridge when [[Martin B-26 Marauder|B-26s]] of the [[320th Air Expeditionary Wing|320th Bombardment Group]] arrived to blow up the bridge. The driver stopped the train on the span, leaving the prisoners locked inside to their fate. While many escaped, approximately 400 were killed, according to local records, and witness testimony. The mass graves were later destroyed by subsequent bombardments.<ref>[http://bombedpowtrain.weebly.com/ The Bridge at Allerona.] Retrieved 2 July 2012.</ref>

*On the morning of 27 March, two US [[Motor Torpedo Boat]]s ([[Motor Torpedo Boat PT-121|PT-121]] and PT-353) were destroyed in error by [[P-40 Kittyhawk]]s of [[No. 78 Squadron RAAF]], along with an RAAF [[Bristol Beaufighter]] of [[No. 30 Squadron RAAF]]. A second Beaufighter crew recognized the vessels as PTs and tried to stop the attack, but not before both boats exploded and sank off the coast of [[New Britain]]. Eight American sailors were killed, with 12 others wounded.

*28 April. [[Exercise Tiger]], a nine-day rehearsal for the [[D-Day]] landings on Utah Beach, was marred when troops landed at [[Slapton, Devon|Slapton Sands]] during a live firing exercise. American soldiers crossed into an area which was being shelled with [[live ammunition]] by the British [[heavy cruiser]] [[HMS Hawkins|HMS ''Hawkins'']]. One source put the number of deaths at 308 American soldiers.

* 5–6 June, several [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] [[Avro Lancaster]]s attempting to bomb the German artillery battery at [[Merville-Franceville-Plage]] attacked instead friendly positions, killing 186 soldiers of the British [[Reconnaissance Corps]] and devastating the town. They also mistakenly bombed Drop Zone 'V ' of the [[6th Airborne Division]], killing 78 and injuring 65.<ref>''p.99, Bernage, Georges. Red Devils in Normandy, 6th Airborne Division, 5–6 June 1944" (Bayeux: Editions Heimdal, 2002)</ref>
*6 June, RAF fighters bombed and strafed the HQ entourage of 3rd Parachute Brigade (British 6th Airborne Division) near [[Pegasus Bridge]] after mistaking them for a German column. At least 15 men were killed and many others were wounded.<ref>''Pegasus Bridge & Merville Battery: British 6th Airborne Landings in Normandy 6 June 1944. 'Battleground Europe' series'' Shilleto, Carl P108-109</ref>
*8 June, a group of RAF [[Hawker Typhoon]]s attacked the 175th Infantry Regiment, [[29th Infantry Division (United States)|29th U.S. Infantry Division]] on the [[Isigny-sur-Mer|Isigny]] Highway, [[France]], causing 24 casualties.<ref>''Beyond the Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division in Normandy, 2nd Edition'' p.169, Joseph Balkoski</ref>
*During [[Operation Cobra]], the American offensive push south from western Normandy, bombs from the U.S. [[Eighth Air Force]] landed on American troops on two separate occasions.
**On 24 July, some 1,600 bombers flew in support of the opening bombardment for Cobra. Due to bad weather they were unable to see their targets. Although some were recalled, and others declined to bomb without visibility, a number did, which hit U.S. positions. Twenty-five were killed and 131 wounded in this incident.
**The following day, on 25 July, the operation was repeated by 1,800 bombers of 8th Air Force. On this occasion, the weather was clear, but despite requests by [[First United States Army|First Army]] commander Gen. [[Omar Bradley]] to bomb east to west, along the front in order to avoid [[creepback]], the air commanders made their attack north to south, over Allied lines. As more and more bombs fell short, and U.S. positions again were hit, 111 were killed and 490 wounded. Lieutenant General [[Lesley McNair]] was among the dead, the highest-ranking victim of American friendly fire.
*26 July, [[USAAF]] [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt|P-47s]] mistakenly strafed the US 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion near [[Perrières]], France. 20 men were badly injured, but there were no fatalities.<ref>P.20, Battalion Committee. The 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion (1945)</ref>
*On 27 July, the former {{HMS|Sunfish|81S|6}} was sunk by a British RAF Coastal Command aircraft in the Norwegian Sea during the beginning of its process of being transferred to the [[Soviet Navy]]. The Captain, [[Israel Fisanovich]], supposedly had taken her out of her assigned area and was diving the sub when the aircraft came in sight instead of staying on the surface and firing signal flares as instructed. All crew, including the British liaison staff, were lost. Later investigation revealed that the RAF crew were at fault.<ref>[http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3428.html HMS ''Sunfish''], Uboat.net</ref>
*7 August, a RAF [[Hawker Typhoon]] strafed a squad from 'F' Company/US [[120th Infantry Regiment (United States)|120th Infantry Regiment]], near Hill 314, [[France]], killing two men.<ref name="Mortain pp.111-112">''Battle for Mortain: The 30th Infantry Division Saves the Breakout: 7–12 August 1944'', Alwyn Featherston, pp.111–112 ISBN 978-0-89141-662-3</ref> Around noon on the same day, RAF Hawker Typhoon of the [[RAF Second Tactical Air Force|2TAF]] was called in to assist the US 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion in stopping an attack by the [[2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich|2nd SS Panzer Division]] between [[Sourdeval]] and [[Mortain]] but instead fired its rockets at two US 3-inch guns near L'Abbaye Blanche, killing one man and wounding several others even after the yellow smoke (which was to identify friendlies) was put out. Two hours later, an RAF Typhoon shot up the Service Company of the 120th Infantry Regiment, US 30th Division, causing several casualties, including Major James Bynum who was killed near Mortain. The officer who replaced him was strafed by another Typhoon a few minutes later and seriously wounded. Around the same time, a Hawker Typhoon attacked the Cannon Company of 120th Infantry Regiment, US 30th Division, near Mortain, killing 15 men.<ref name="Mortain pp.111-112"/> An hour later, RAF Typhoons strafed 'B' Company/US 120th Infantry Regiment on Hill 285, killing a driver of a weapons carrier.<ref>''Battle for Mortain: The 30th Infantry Division Saves the Breakout: 7–12 August 1944'', Alwyn Featherston, p.136 ISBN 978-0-89141-662-3</ref>
*Two battalions of the 77th Infantry on [[Guam]] exchanged prolonged fire on 8 August 1944, the incident possibly started with the firing of [[mortar (weapon)|mortars]] for range-finding and angle calibration purposes. Small arms and then armour fire was exchanged. The mistake was realized when both units tried to call in the same [[artillery]] battalion to bombard the other.<ref name="books.google.com.au"/>
*8 August, 8th USAAF heavy bombers bombed the headquarters of the [[3rd Canadian Infantry Division]] and [[1st Polish Armoured Division]] during [[Operation Totalize]], killing 65 and wounding 250 Allied soldiers.<ref>[http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape9/PQDD_0007/MQ43322.pdf ''Missed Opportunities''] Retrieved 2 July 2013.</ref>
*8 August, near Mortain, France, RAF Hawker Typhoons attacked two Sherman tanks of 'C' Company, US [[743d Tank Battalion|743rd Tank Battalion]] with rockets, killing 5 tank crewmen and wounding 10 soldiers. Later that day, two Shermans from 'A' Company, US 743rd Tank Battalion were destroyed and set ablaze by RAF Typhoons near Mortain. One tank crewman was killed and 12 others wounded.<ref>''The View from the Turret: The 743rd Tank Battalion During WWII'', William Folkestad, P.56 ISBN 978-1-57249-192-2</ref>
*9 August, a RAF Hawker Typhoon strafed units of the British Columbia Regiment and the Algonquin Regiment, [[4th Canadian Armoured Division]], near Quesnay Wood during [[Operation Totalize]], causing several casualties. Later that day, the same units were mistakenly fired upon by tanks and artillery of the [[1st Polish Armoured Division]], resulting in more casualties.
*12 August, RAF Hawker Typhoons fired rockets at Shermans of 'A' Company, US 743rd Tank Battalion, near Mortain, France, causing damage to one tank and badly injuring 2 tank crewmen.<ref>''The View from the Turret: The 743rd Tank Battalion During WWII'', William Folkestad,P.58 ISBN 978-1-57249-192-2</ref>
*13 August, 12 British soldiers of 'B' Company, 4th [[Wiltshire Regiment|Wiltshire]]s, [[43rd Wessex Division]], were killed and 25 others wounded when they were hit by rockets and machine gun attacks by RAF Typhoons near [[La Villette, Calvados]], France.<ref>P.80, Essame, Hubert. The 43rd Wessex Division at War:1944–1945 (London: William Clowes & Sons Ltd. 1952)</ref>
*14 August, RAF heavy bombers hit Allied troops in error during [[Operation Tractable]] causing about 490 casualties including 112 dead. The bombings also destroyed 265 Allied vehicles, 30 field guns and two tanks. British anti-aircraft guns opened fire on the RAF bombers and some may have been hit.
*17 August, RAF fighters attacked the soldiers of the [[British 7th Armoured Division]], resulting in 20 casualties, including the intelligence officer of [[8th King's Royal Irish Hussars|8th Hussars]] who was badly injured. The colonel riding along was badly shaken when their jeep crashed off the road.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Desert Rats: The History of the 7th Armoured Division, 1938 to 1945|last= Verney|first= G. L. (Gen.)|authorlink= Gerald Lloyd-Verney|year= 2002|origyear=1954 |publisher= Greenhill|location= London|isbn= 1-85367-521-0 |page= |pages= }}</ref>
*14–18 August, the [[South Alberta Regiment]] of the [[4th Canadian Armoured Division]] came under fire six times by RAF [[Spitfires]], resulting in over 57 casualties. Many vehicles were also set on fire and the yellow smoke used for signalling friendlies was ignored by Spitfire pilots. An officer of the South Alberta demanded that he wanted his Crusader AA tanks to shoot at the Spitfires attacking his Headquarters.<ref>{{cite book |title= South Albertas: A Canadian Regiment at War|last= Graves|first= Donald E.|authorlink= Donald Graves|year= 1998|publisher= Robin Brass Studio|location= Toronto|isbn= 1-896941-06-0|page= |pages= }}</ref>
*On 27 August, a minesweeping flotilla of [[Royal Navy]] ships came under fire. At about noon of the 27th, HMS [[HMS Britomart (J22)|''Britomart'']], [[HMS Salamander (J86)|''Salamander'']], [[HMS Hussar (J82)|''Hussar'']] and [[HMS Jason (J99)|''Jason'']] came under rocket and cannon attacks by [[Hawker Typhoon]]s of [[No. 263 Squadron RAF]] and [[No. 266 Squadron RAF]]. HMS ''Britomart'' and HMS ''Hussar'' took direct hits and were sunk. HMS ''Salamander'' had her stern blown off and sustained heavy damage. HMS ''Jason'' was raked by machine gun fire, killing and wounding several of her crew. Two of the accompanying [[Naval trawler|trawlers]] were also hit. The total loss of life was 117 sailors killed and 153 wounded. The attack had continued despite the attempts by the ships to signal that they were friendly and radio requests by the [[John Robert Baldwin|commander of the aircraft]] for clarification of his target. In the aftermath the surviving sailors were told to keep quiet about the attack. The subsequent court of enquiry identified the fault as lying with the Navy, who had requested the attack on what they thought were enemy vessels entering or leaving Le Havre, and three RN officers were put before a court martial. The commander of the ''Jason'' and his crew were decorated for their part in rescuing their comrades. At the time reporting of the incident was suppressed with information not fully released until 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwent_at_war/4318596.Friendly_fire_massacre_revealed |title=Friendly fire massacre revealed – 75 years on|publisher=Southwalesargus.co.uk |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halcyon-class.co.uk/FriendlyFire/daily_telegraph.htm |title=Halcyon Class Ships, Daily Telegraph, 29th Aug 1994|publisher=Halcyon-class.co.uk |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.halcyon-class.co.uk/FriendlyFire/friendly_fire.htm |title=Sinking of Hms Britomart And Hms Hussar By Friendly Fire |publisher=Halcyon-class.co.uk |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>
*12 September, a group of RAF Hawker Typhoons destroyed two Sherman tanks of the [[Governor General's Foot Guards]], 4th Canadian Armoured Division in the vicinity of [[Maldegem]], [[Belgium]], killing 3 men and injuring 4. One Canadian soldier from the 4th Canadian Armored Division wounded recalled this incident saying "...&nbsp;while so deployed the tanks were suddenly attacked, in mistake, by several Typhoon aircraft. Lt. Middleton-Hope's tank was badly hit, killing the gunner Guardsman Hughes, and the tank was set on fire. Almost immediately Sgt. Jenning's tank was similarly knocked out by Typhoon rockets. Meanwhile the Typhoons continued to press home their attack with machine guns and rockets, and, while trying to extricate the gunner, Lt. Middleton-Hope was killed after his tank was blown off. In this tragic encounter, Guardsmen Scott was also killed and Baker, Barter, and Cheal were seriously wounded."<ref>''South Albertas: A Canadian Regiment at War'', Donald Graves,ISBN 978-1-896941-06-6</ref>
*19 September, RAF Sergeant Bernard McCormack, a gunner in a Lancaster bomber, was returning along with other RAF aircrews from a night time raid over Nazi Germany. As they returned to RAF Woodall in [[Lincolnshire]], Sgt McCormack saw a plane flying in the same formation as he was. Believing that it was a German [[Junkers Ju 88]], he attacked the plane, bringing it down over the Dutch town of [[Steenbergen]]. Two of the occupants were killed. It was found out by RAF intelligence officers that it was actually a British [[de Havilland Mosquito|Mosquito]] flown by [[Commanding officer|CO]] [[Guy Gibson]], who previously took part in Operation Chastise, and his navigator Jim Warwick. Wracked with guilt, McCormack taped a confession, which he entrusted to his wife Eunice when he died in 1992.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2047476/Dambusters-legend-Guy-Gibson-shot-BRITISH-airman.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |title=Revealed after 70 years: Dambusters legend was shot down by BRITISH airman who mistook him for German |publisher=Dailymail |date=11 October 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
*In October, Soviet troops liberated the city of [[Niš]] from occupying German forces and advanced on [[Belgrade]]. At the same time, the [[U.S. Army Air Forces]] was bombing German-Albanian units entering from Kosovo. The U.S. planes mistook the advancing Soviet tanks as enemies (probably due to a lack of communications) and began attacking them, whereupon the Soviets then called in for air support from Nis airport and a five-minute [[dogfight]] ensued, ending after both the U.S and Soviet commanders ordered the planes to retreat.{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}}
*Canadian artillery units were rushed in to support the retreating American forces as a counterattack against the advancing German Army during the early stages of the [[Ardennes Offensive]]. When American troops were making a retreat north of the [[Ardennes]], the Canadians mistook them for a German column. The Canadian artillery guns opened fire on them, resulting in 76 American deaths and many as 138 wounded.<ref>''Hell Frozen Over: The Battle of the Bulge'' by Marilyn Estes Quigley</ref>
*Major [[George E. Preddy]], commander of the 328th Fighter Squadron, was the highest-scoring US ace still in combat in the European Theater at the time when he died on Christmas Day in Belgium. Preddy was chasing a German fighter over an American anti-aircraft battery and was hit by their fire aimed at his intended target.
*Operation Wintergewitter (Winter Storm) – Italian Front:<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/Winter.html]</ref> American forward observer [[John R. Fox]] called down fire on his own position to stop a German advance on the town of Sommocolonia, Italy. In 1997 he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for this action.

====1945====
*[[Operation Bodenplatte]] (Baseplate): 900 German fighters and fighter-bombers launched a surprise attack on Allied airfields. Approximately 300 aircraft were lost, 237 pilots killed, missing, or captured, and 18 pilots wounded – the largest single-day loss for the Luftwaffe. Many losses were due to fire from Luftwaffe anti-aircraft batteries, whose crew members had not been informed of the attack.
*On 23 January, a group of [[Royal Air Force]] fighters strafed the assault gun platoon (105mm Sherman tanks) of US 743rd Tank Battalion, near Sart-Lez-St.Vith, [[Belgium]], killing 6 men and wounded 15.<ref>''The View from the Turret: The 743rd Tank Battalion During WWII'' William Folkestad, P.88 ISBN 978-1-57249-192-2</ref>
*In April, the [[Royal Air Force]] who were attacking military targets in [[Rangoon]], [[Burma]], bombed a jail in the belief that it was a [[command center]] for the Japanese Army. Unfortunately, the jail was actually not a Japanese command center but full of Allied [[prisoners of war]]. Over 30 Allied POWs were killed.<ref>{{cite web |title=For Your Tomorrow: Canadians and the Burma Campaign, 1941-1945 |author=Robert H. Farquharson |date=September 7, 2004 |page=295 |publisher=[[Trafford Publishing]]}}</ref>
*[[The March (1945)]] – On 19 April, at a village called [[Gresse]], a flight of [[RAF]] [[Hawker Typhoon|Typhoons]] [[Strafing|strafed]] a column of Allied POWs during the [[death march]] after mistaking them as retreating German troops, killing 30 and fatally injured 30 more.
*[[Cap Arcona]] incident – Although it did not involve troops in combat, this incident has been referred to as "the worst friendly-fire incident in history".<ref name = RJW>White-Harvey, Robert (18 April 2007). [http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1176152828674 "The Friendly Fires of Hell"]. Jerusalem Post.</ref> On 3 May, the three ships [[SS Cap Arcona (1927)|''Cap Arcona'']], [[SS Thielbek (1940)|''Thielbek'']], and the {{SS|Deutschland|1923|6}} in [[Lübeck|Lübeck Harbour]] were sunk in [[Cap Arcona#Sinking|four separate, but synchronized attacks]] with bombs, rockets, and cannons by the [[Royal Air Force]], resulting in the death of over 7,000 [[Jewish]] [[concentration camp]] survivors and [[Russians|Russian]] [[prisoners of war]], along with POWs from several other allies.<ref name = RJW/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://resources.ushmm.org/Holocaust-Names/List-Catalog/display/details.php?type=nlcat&id=99224 |title=US Holocaust Museum Name Lists Catalogue |publisher=Resources.ushmm.org |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref> The British pilots were unaware that these ships carried POWs and concentration camp survivors,<ref>Duncan, Gl. [http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/maritime-1b.html Maritime Disasters of World War II]. p. 3, 1944 & 1945.</ref> although British documents were released in the 1970s that state the [[Swedish government]] had informed the [[RAF]] command of the risk prior to the attack.<ref>Noel Till, Report on Investigations, WO 309/1592</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/raf-pilots-tricked-into-killing-10000-camp-survivors-at-end-of-war-634445.html | work=The Independent | location=London | title=RAF pilots tricked into killing 10,000 camp survivors at end of war | first=Max | last=Arthur | date=16 October 2000 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref>
*14 May - Several days after the German surrender, U-boat ace [[Wolfgang Luth]] was shot and killed by a sentry while walking after dark at the German naval base at Flensburg-Marwik.

===Arab-Israeli war 1948===
*10 June 1948: [[Mickey Marcus]], Israel's first general, was shot and killed by a sentry while returning at night to his headquarters.

===Korean War===
*On 3 July 1950, eight [[North American P-51 Mustang|P-51]]s of [[No. 77 Squadron RAAF]] [[strafe]]d and destroyed a train carrying thousands of American and [[Republic of Korea Army|South Korean]] soldiers who were mistaken for a North Korean convoy in the main highway between [[Suwon]] and [[Pyongtaek|P'yongtaek]], resulting more than 700 casualties. Before the attack, the Australian pilots had been assured by the United States [[5th Air Force]] Tactical Control Centre that the area under attack was in North Korean hands. However, 20 minutes prior to an attack, the 5th Air Force Tactical Control Centre received intelligence that the area might be under American hands and told the Australian pilots to hold their fire. One Australian pilot ignored the order, believing the train was carrying North Korean forces. The pilot then strafed the train and his squadron followed the lead as well.<ref>''Official History of Australia in the Korean War, Volume II: Combat Operations'' Page 305.</ref>
*On 23 September 1950, [[Battle of Hill 282|Hill 282]] was attacked by 1st Battalion, [[Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders]], part of the [[27th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|British 27th Infantry Brigade]] in the [[United Nations]] force. Having captured it and facing strong [[North Korea]]n counter-attacks, the Argylls, devoid of artillery support, called in an Allied air-strike. A group of [[U.S. Air Force]] [[North American P-51 Mustang|F-51 Mustang]]s of the [[18th Fighter Bomber Wing]] circled the hill. The Argylls had laid down yellow air-recognition panels correctly in accordance with that day's planning, but the North Koreans imitated similar panels on their own positions in white. The Mustangs, confused by the panels, mistakenly [[napalm]]-bombed and [[strafe]]d the Argylls' hill-top positions. Despite a desperate counter-attack by the Argylls to regain the hill, for which Major [[Kenneth Muir (VC)|Kenneth Muir]] was awarded a posthumous [[Victoria Cross]], the Argylls, much reduced in numbers, were forced to relinquish the position. Over 60 of the Argylls' casualties were caused by friendly air-strike.
*During the [[Battle of Wawon]], fleeing soldiers of the South Korean [[II Corps (South Korea)|II Corps]] were mistaken by the [[Turkish Brigade]] as Chinese which led to an exchange of fire. As a result 20 South Korean soldiers were killed and 4 others wounded with 14 Turkish deaths and 6 wounded.{{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}

===Cyprus Emergency===
*December 12, 1955: On the [[Troodos mountains]] near the village of [[Spilia, Cyprus|Spilia]] during the [[Battle of Spilia]], British units from the north and ones from the south, unable to see the fog and in the belief that they were surrounded by [[EOKA]] fighters, engaged each other in an eight hour firefight involving [[airstrikes]], artillery [[bombardment]]s, and heavy weapons. This firefight caused over 250 casualties, making it the deadliest friendly fire incident of the war.

===Vietnam War===
[[Image:PointWelcome002sm.jpg|right|thumb|Aft view of the bridge of the {{USCGC|Point Welcome|WPB-82329|6}} after the friendly fire incident of 11 August 1966.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Point_Welcome.asp|title=USCGC ''Point Welcome''|publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office|accessdate=19 April 2011}}</ref>]]

It has been estimated that there may have been as many as 8,000 friendly fire incidents in the [[Vietnam War]];<ref name="Shrader"/><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/030408-friendlyfire01.htm|publisher=GlobalSecurity.org|title=Accusations fly over lack of action on friendly fire deaths.|work=The Guardian|date=8 April 2003|accessdate=19 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1004597,00.html?promoid=googlep|author=Bower, Amanda|title=Misfiring in the Fog.|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=7 April 2003|accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carlisle.army.mil/USAWC/parameters/1995/steinweg.htm|author=Steinweg, K. K.
|title=Dealing Realistically with Fratricide|work=[[Parameters (journal)|Parameters]]|date=Spring 1995|accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref> one was the inspiration for the book and film ''[[Friendly Fire (1979 film)|Friendly Fire]]''.

*2 January 1966, in Bao Trai in the [[Mekong Delta]] during joint Australian/American forces fighting the [[Vietcong]], a [[USAF]] [[Cessna O-1 Bird Dog]] flying at low level accidentally flew through Australian and New Zealand artillery fire. The aircraft tail was blown off and the aircraft dived into the ground, killing the pilot instantly.<ref name="Breen">Bob Breen, Bob (1988) ''First to Fight: Australian Diggers, NZ Kiwis and US Paratroopers in Vietnam, 1965–66'', Allen and Unwin, Sydney; ISBN 0-89839-126-1</ref>
*3 January 1966, near Bao Trai, at midnight, Sergeant Jerry Morton from 'C' Company, the [[1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment]] had called in marker white phosphorus rounds ahead of the company from the supporting New Zealand gun battery on a suspected enemy position. However, due to the bad coordinates given by Morton, the rounds instead landed on the Australian forces. Morton along with another Australian soldier were killed and several others wounded.<ref name="Breen"/>
*3 January 1966, two rounds fired by [[Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery|161 Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillery]] accidentally landed on the [[173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team|US 173rd Airborne Brigade]], killing three paratroopers and wounding seven during Operation Marauder.<ref name="Breen"/><ref>McGibbon, Ian (2010) ''New Zealand's Vietnam War: A History of Combat, Commitment and Controversy'', Auckland, New Zealand: Exisle Publishing; ISBN 978-0-908988-96-9</ref>
*11 August 1966, while supporting [[Operation Market Time]], {{USCGC|Point Welcome|WPB-82329|}} was attacked by USAF aircraft, resulting in the deaths of two Coast Guardsmen.<ref>Paul C. Scotti, ''Coast Guard Action in Vietnam: Stories of Those Who Served'', Hellgate Press, Central Point, OR, 2000, p. 110 ISBN 978-1-55571-528-1</ref>
*6 February 1967, twelve rounds from New Zealand artillery accidentally landed on the Australian 'D' Company [[6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment]], killing four and thirteen injured in west of Song Rai river between [[Nui Dat]] and [[Xuyên Mộc]] District.<ref>Ashley Ekins, ''Death Due to Friendly Fire: The Life and Death of WO Jack Kirby'', Wartime, Issue 21, p. 37</ref>
*19 November 1967, a U.S. [[F4 Phantom]] aircraft dropped a {{convert|500|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bomb on the command post of the 2nd Battalion (Airborne) 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade while they were in heavy contact with a numerically superior NVA force. At least 45 paratroopers were killed and another 45 wounded. Also killed was the Battalion Chaplain Major [[Charles J. Watters]], who was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor.
*5 February 1969, [http://www.virtualwall.org/dg/GriffithTL01a.htm Sgt. Tony Lee Griffith], of [[Company E, 52nd Infantry (LRP) (United States)|H Co. 75th Infantry (Ranger)]], led his five-man long-range reconnaissance team through thick fog and dense, short brush between An Loc and the Cambodian border. Hearing wood being chopped not far off a trail they were assigned to surveil, he had his team set ambush. But members of the North Vietnamese Army had also detected the team. At dawn several enemy soldiers stole through the fog and flung a grenade into the middle of the team, who were spread in line by the trail, in sight of each other. The grenade exploded next to the front scout, Cpl. Richard E. Wilkie, showering him with shrapnel. As the enemy opened fire, the two team members on Wilkie's left panicked and fired in the direction of the grenade's blast. Caught in an intense crossfire, Wilkie, a Special Forces veteran, was shot five times––once by the enemy, twice by his team, and twice by bullets that passed through him. Miraculously, he survived. So, too, did the assistant team leader, Lewis D. Davidson, who was hit twice in the leg. Tony Griffith's luck, however, ended that morning, when he was hit by multiple gunshots to the chest.<ref>Robert C. Ankony, ''[http://www.robertankony.com/lurps/ Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri],'' revised ed., Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Lanham, MD (2009), p.257.</ref>
*11 May 1969, during the [[Battle of Hamburger Hill]], Lt. Col. Weldon Honeycutt directed helicopter gunships, from an Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) battery, to support an infantry assault. In the heavy jungle, the helicopters mistook the command post of the 3/187th battalion for a Vietnamese unit and attacked, killing two and wounding thirty-five, including Honeycutt. This incident disrupted battalion command and control and forced 3/187th to withdraw into night defensive positions.
*1 May 1970, on military operations in [[Phước Tuy Province]] a burst of machine gun fire followed by a calls for the Medic split the night, an Australian machine gunner opened fire on soldiers of the [[8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment]] without warning, killing two and wounded two other soldiers.<ref>Neil Sheehan's, A Bright Shining Lie</ref>
*20 July 1970, patrol units of 'D' Company 8th Battalion, [[1st Australian Task Force]] outside the wire at [[Nui Dat]] called in a New Zealand battery fire mission as part of a training exercise. However there was confusion at the gun position about the fire corrections issued by the inexperienced Australian officer with the patrol. The result was two rounds fell upon the patrol, killing two and wounding several others.<ref>Incident 161 (NZ) Field Battery, 21 July 1970 Combat Battalion, p.176.</ref>
*24 July 1970, New Zealand artillery guns accidentally shelled an Australian platoon, 1 Australian Reinforcement Unit, (1 ARU), killing two and wounding another four soldiers.<ref>Chamberlain, 'The Digger in Asia', p. 37</ref>
*10 May 1972, a [[Vietnam People's Air Force|VPAF]] [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|MiG-21]] was shot down in error by a North Vietnamese [[surface-to-air missile]] near [[Tuyen Quang]], killing a pilot.<ref>p.45, Air War over North Viet Nam: The Vietnamese People's Air Force 1949–1977, Istvan Toperczer, Squadron-Signal, 1998</ref>
*2 June 1972, a VPAF [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19|MiG-19]] was shot down in error by a North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile near [[Kep Province]], killing a pilot.<ref>p.46, Air War over North Vietnam: The Vietnamese People's Air Force 1949–1977, Istvan Toperczer, Squadron-Signal, 1998</ref>

===1974 Turkish Invasion of Cyprus===
*The Turkish destroyer [[USS Harwood (DD-861)|D-354 ''Kocatepe'']] was sunk by Turkish warplanes after being mistaken for an enemy ship.
*A flight of Greek [[Nord Noratlas]] aircraft transports carrying reinforcements from Greece was mistaken for a flight of Turkish aircraft by the defenders of Nicosia International Airport, who opened fire. Heavy Greek casualties were sustained.

===1982 Falklands War===
*A [[Dassault Mirage III]] was shot down by [[Argentine]] Anti-Aircraft and small arms fire at [[Port Stanley]] while an [[A-4 Skyhawk]] was downed by a 35mm antiarcraft battery near [[Goose Green]]. Both aircraft belonged to the [[Argentine Air Force]].
*Companies A and C of the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, British Army engaged each other in an hour-long firefight in the Falkland Islands involving heavy weapons and artillery strikes, resulting in eight casualties.
*2 June – A friendly fire incident took place between the SAS and the Special Boat Squadron (SBS). An SBS patrol had apparently strayed into the SAS patrol's designated area and were mistaken for Argentine forces. A brief firefight was initiated during which one of the SBS patrol, Sergeant Ian Hunt, was killed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/history/falklands/ |title=SAS – History – Falklands |publisher=Eliteukforces.info |date=27 October 2007 |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>
*[[1982 British Army Gazelle friendly fire incident]] – Due to a lack of communication between the Army and the Navy, the destroyer {{HMS|Cardiff|D108|6}} shot down a British Gazelle helicopter over the [[Falkland Islands]], killing four British soldiers.
*Two nights before the [[Battle of Two Sisters]], British units of [[45 Commando]] [[Royal Marine]]s on [[reconnaissance]] [[Patrolling|patrol]] were mistaken for Argentine units in the dark and the British [[Mortar (weapon)|mortar]] group opened up on them, only to be met with a withering hail of fire from the 45 Commando in return. In the confusion, five British troops died, including the mortar troop sergeant, and two were wounded.<ref>{{cite book |title=War in the Falklands: The Full Story |date=November 1982 |author=[[Insight (Sunday Times)|Sunday Times of London Insight Team]] |page=264 |publisher=[[Harper Collins]] |isbn=0-06-015082-3 |accessdate=19 July 2013}}</ref>
*June 11 – A British Royal Navy frigate, [[HMS Avenger (F185)|HMS ''Avenger'' (F185)]], fired a 4.5 inch explosive shell into a house while shelling a [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|port in Stanley]], killing three British civilian women and wounding several others. They are the only British civilian casualties of the war.<ref>{{cite book |title=Ethics and War: An Introduction (Cambridge Applied Ethics) |date=February 13, 2012 |author=Steven P. Lee |page=33 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=0-521-72757-X |accessdate=19 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18135404 |work=BBC |title=Falklands War memorial unveiled at National Arboretum |date=20 May 2012 | accessdate=19 July 2013}}</ref>

===1991 Gulf War===
{{Main|Gulf War#Friendly fire}}
*During the [[Battle of Khafji]], 11 [[American Marines]] were killed in two major incidents when their [[LAV-25|light armored vehicles (LAV's)]] were hit by missiles fired by a [[USAF]] [[A-10]].
*An American [[Boeing AH-64 Apache]] attack helicopter fired upon [[US Army]] [[Bradley Fighting Vehicles]] during night operations, killing two US Army soldiers.
*A British officer was severely injured when his [[Warrior tracked armoured vehicle|FV510 Warrior]] vehicle was attacked by a [[Challenger 1]] tank of the [[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]].
*An American A-10 during [[Operation Desert Storm]] attacked British Warrior MICVs, resulting in nine British dead and numerous casualties.
*During the [[Battle of Phase Line Bullet]], American [[M1 Abrams]] tanks in the rear fired in support of American troops facing dug-in Iraqi troops. American [[Infantry Fighting Vehicle]]s were hit by fire from the tanks, resulting in two fatalities.
*Several friendly fire incidents took place during the [[Battle of 73 Easting]], wounding 57 American soldiers, but causing no fatalities.
*One American soldier was killed by friendly fire during the [[Battle of Medina Ridge]].
*Two soldiers from 10 Air Defence Battery, [[Royal Artillery]], were badly injured when two [[FV103 Spartan]] from which they had dismounted were fired upon by [[Challenger 1]] tanks from [[14th/20th King's Hussars]] with thermal sights beyond the range of unaided visibility (about 1500 m). The rearmost vehicle was hit and burst into flames. The other vehicle was also damaged in the ensuing fire.
*A large number of friendly fire incidents took place during the [[Battle of Norfolk]], resulting in 5 American casualties.
*A Challenger 1 tank fired several rounds at the British artillery position. At least 4 casualties.
*In the [[1994 Black Hawk shootdown incident]], two [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] [[F-15C]]s involved with [[Operation Provide Comfort]] shot down two [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] helicopters over northern [[Iraq]], killing 26 military and civilian personnel.

===War in Afghanistan from 2001===
*In the [[Tarnak Farm incident]] of 18 April 2002, four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight others injured when U.S. Air National Guard Major Harry Schmidt, dropped a laser-guided {{convert|500|lb|kg|abbr=on}} bomb from his [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]] jet fighter on the [[Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry]] regiment which was conducting a night firing exercise near [[Kandahar]]. Schmidt was charged with negligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, and dereliction of duty. He was found guilty of the latter charge. During testimony Schmidt blamed the incident on his use of "go pills" (authorized mild stimulants), combined with the '[[fog of war]]'.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/04/18/afghanistan.canada/ | work=CNN | title=U.S.: Friendly fire pilot reported being fired upon | date=18 April 2002 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref> The Canadian dead received US medals for "bravery", but no apology.
*[[Pat Tillman]], a former professional [[American football]] player, was shot and killed by American fire in 22 April 2004. An [[Army Special Operations Command]] investigation was conducted by Brigadier General Jones and the [[U.S. Department of Defense]] concluded that Pat Tillman's death was due to friendly fire aggravated by the intensity of the firefight. A more thorough investigation concluded that no hostile forces were involved in the firefight and that two allied groups fired on each other in confusion after a nearby explosive device was detonated.
*On 6 April 2006, a British convoy in Afghanistan wounded 13 Afghan police officers and killed one, after calling in a US airstrike on what they thought was a Taliban attack.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/afghanistan/warlogs/89509D67-096E-4DCD-BC5F-0D6BBF0FF894 British convoy shoots 13 Afghan police in darkness]. The Guardian 25 July 2010</ref>
*In [[Sangin]] Province, an [[RAF]] [[British Aerospace Harrier II|Harrier]] mistakenly strafed British troops missing the enemy by 200 metres during a firefight with the Taliban on 20 August 2006. This angered British Major James Loden of [[3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment|3 PARA]], who in a leaked email called the RAF, "Completely incompetent and utterly, utterly useless in protecting ground troops in Afghanistan".<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1529620/Major-attacks-useless-RAF-in-leaked-e-mails.html Major attacks 'useless' RAF in leaked e-mails]. The Telegraph. 23 September 2006</ref>
*Canadian soldiers opened fire on a white pickup truck, about 25 kilometres west of Kandahar, killing an Afghan officer with 6 others injured on 26 August 2006.<ref>[http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20061023/military_probe_061023/ Probe clears Canadians in Afghan police death]</ref>
*[[Operation Medusa]] (2006): 1 – Two U.S. [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10 Thunderbolts]] accidentally [[strafing|strafed]] NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, killing Canadian Private [[Mark Anthony Graham]].
*On 5 December 2006, an [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18C]] on a [[Close Air Support]] mission in [[Helmand Province]], Afghanistan, mistakenly attacked a trench where British Royal Marines were dug-in during a 10-hour battle with Taliban fighters, killing one Royal Marine.<ref>Bruce Rolfsen, "F/A-18C Linked to British Marine's Death," Navy Times Online, 8 December 2006, accessed at http://www.navytimes.com/legacy/new/1-292925-2412022.php on 11 January 2007.</ref>
*[[Lance Corporal#United Kingdom|Lance Corporal]] Matthew Ford, from Zulu Company of [[45 Commando Royal Marines]], died after receiving a gunshot wound in Afghanistan on 15 January 2007, which was later found to be due to friendly fire. The final inquest ruled he died from NATO rounds from a fellow Royal Marine's machine gun. The report added there was no "negligence" by the other Marine, who had made a "momentary error of judgment".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Inquiry-Into-Friendly-Fire-Death-Of-LCpl-Mathew-Ford-In-Afghanistan-Finds-Poor-Training-Methods/Article/200808315079446 |title=Inquiry Into Friendly Fire Death of LCpl Mathew Ford in Afghanistan Finds Poor Training Methods|publisher=News.sky.com |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Royal-Marine-died-in-friendly.4755591.jp |title=Royal Marine died in friendly fire during battle with Taliban |publisher=Yorkshire Post |date= |accessdate=4 January 2011}}</ref>
*Canadian troops mistakenly killed an Afghan National Police officer and a homeless beggar after their convoy was ambushed in Kandahar City.<ref>[http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20070219/kandahar_ambush_070219/ Canadian troops kill Afghan civilian, officer]</ref>
*Of two helicopters called in to support operations by the British [[Grenadier Guards]] and [[Afghan National Army]] forces in [[Helmand]], the British [[Westland WAH-64 Apache]] engaged enemy forces, while the accompanying American [[AH-64D Apache]] opened fire on the Grenadiers and Afghan troops.<ref>{{cite news|author=John Kay |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article688266.ece |title=New friendly fire shock: Brit hit |publisher=The Sun |date=15 January 2008 |accessdate=4 January 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
*23 August 2007: A [[USAF]] [[F-15]] called in to support British ground forces in Afghanistan dropped a bomb on those forces. Three privates of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment, were killed and two others were severely injured. It was later revealed that the British [[forward air controller]] who called in the strike had not been issued a noise-cancelling headset, and while he supplied the correct target co-ordinates, in the confusion and stress of the battle incorrectly confirmed one wrong digit mistakenly repeated by the pilot, and the bomb landed on the British position 1000 metres away from the enemy.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1269291/UK-soldiers-killed-US-friendly-Afghanistan-equipment-shortage.html Ross Kemp captured the moment 'friendly fire' bomb killed three British soldiers]</ref> The coroner at the soldiers' inquest stated that the incident was due to "flawed application of procedures" rather than individual errors or "recklessness".<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8645456.stm | title = 'Flawed' actions led to fatal 'friendly fire' bombing | accessdate =15 February 2011 | date = 26 April 2010 | publisher = BBC}}</ref>
*British soldiers in operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, fired [[FGM-148 Javelin|Javelin anti-tank missiles]] at [[Denmark|Danish]] soldiers from the [[Royal Life Guards (Denmark)|Royal Life Guards]], killing two.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3070875.ece | work=The Times | location=London | title=Danish soldiers killed by British friendly fire | first=Michael | last=Evans | date=19 December 2007 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref> It is also confirmed from Danish forces that the British fired a total of 6–8 Javelin missiles, over a 1½ hour period and only after the attack was completed did they realize that the missiles were British, based upon the fragments found after the incident.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/nov/27/military.world | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=British friendly fire kills Danes | date=27 November 2007 | accessdate=3 May 2010 | first=Richard | last=Norton-Taylor}}</ref>
*On 12 January 2008, two Dutch soldiers and two allied Afghan soldiers were shot dead by fellow Dutch soldiers in [[Uruzgan]], Afghanistan.<ref>[http://www.thestar.com/news/article/293725--dutch-friendly-fire-leaves-four-dead Dutch-friendly-fire-leaves-four-dead ] ''Toronto Star''</ref>
*In the night on 14 January 2008 in [[Helmand Province]], British troops saw some Afghans "conducting suspicious activities". Visibility was too bad for rifle-fire and they were too far away to call in mortar strikes. The squad decided to use a [[FGM-148 Javelin|Javelin anti-tank missile]] they were carrying. British soldiers fired their missile on the nearby roof but the victims were their own Afghan army sentries. One Afghan soldier was killed.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/afghanistan/warlogs/D768124F-8A98-4C24-BB14-C517BCE008E5 | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Heat-seeking Javelin missile kills Afghan soldier | date=25 July 2010 | accessdate=25 July 2010}}</ref>
*On 9 July 2008, nine British soldiers from the [[2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment]] were injured after being fired upon by British Army Apache helicopter while on patrol in Afghanistan.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/nine-british-soldiers-injured-in-friendly-fire-865043.html Nine British soldiers injured in 'friendly fire]</ref>
*A statement issued jointly by the American and the Afghan military commands said a contingent of Afghan police officers fired on United States forces on 10 December 2008 after the Americans had successfully overrun the hide-out, killing the suspected Taliban commander and detaining another man. The US forces after securing the hideout came under heavy small arms fire and explosive grenades from the Afghan Police forces. "Multiple attempts to deter the engagement were unsuccessful," and the US forces returned fire. Afghan police have stated that they came under fire first and that the initial firing on the US forces came from the building next to the police station. This has led the US forces to conclude that the Afghan police forces might have been compromised. Initial reports indicate that this was a tragic case of mistaken identity on both parts.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/world/asia/11afghan.html?ref=world | work=The New York Times | first=Kirk | last=Semple | title=U.S. Forces Kill 6 Afghan Police Officers by Mistake | date=11 December 2008}}</ref>
*Captain Tom Sawyer, aged 26, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, and Corporal Danny Winter, aged 28, Zulu Company 45 Commando Royal Marines, were killed by an explosion on 14 January 2009. Both men were taking part in a joint operation with a Danish Battle Group and the Afghan National Army in a location north east of Gereshk in central Helmand Province. The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] subsequently confirmed that two men died from friendly fire when they were hit in error by a Javelin anti-tank missile fired by British troops.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5586166.ece Many deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq down to human error, says Armed Forces chief] ''The Sunday Times''</ref>
*A [[Royal Military Police|British Military Police]] officer was shot dead by a fellow British soldier while on patrol.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/21/military-police-friendly-fire-death | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Military police officer killed by British 'friendly fire' in Afghanistan | first=Peter | last=Walker | date=21 December 2009 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref> It was reported that no charges are to be brought against a British army sniper who killed a British Military Policeman because he was allowed to open fire if he believed that his life was in danger.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/14/sniper-escapes-friendly-fire-death-charges | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Sniper escapes prosecution over friendly fire death| first=Jamie | last=Doward | date=14 November 2010 | accessdate=24 February 2011}}</ref>
*Lance Corporal Christopher Roney from [[The Rifles|3rd Battalion The Rifles]] was shot and killed by a [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|U.S. Apache]] helicopter during a firefight with the Taliban in December 2009. The incident happened when a firefight was going on between British soldiers of [[The Rifles|3rd Battalion The Rifles]] and the insurgents in [[Sangin|Sangin Province]]. Senior British officers were watching a [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drone's]] grainy images of the fight from [[Camp Bastion]], about 30 miles from the battle at Patrol Base Almas. The officers mistook the soldiers' mud-walled compound for an enemy position and called down a U.S. Apache airstrike on the base. Roney was fatally shot in the head after a helicopter gunship opened fire on the base. He died later the next day after being taken to Camp Bastion. Eleven other British soldiers were wounded in the attack. The coroner criticised the British commanders for the fact Patrol Base Almas was not marked on military maps, for the 'unprofessional' use of grainy images and for insisting there were no friendly forces in the area to the Apache crew.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2199706/British-soldier-killed-US-Apache-helicopter-friendly-Afghanistan-died-result-mistaken-beliefs-cumulative-failures.html Officers' errors 'killed soldier in friendly fire gunship attack': Coroner condemns 'unprofessional' use of grainy images from drone aircraft]</ref>
*German soldiers killed six Afghan soldiers in a friendly fire incident on their way to attack a group of Taliban. Afghan soldiers were traveling in support of other Afghan troops in the area. The German Patrol opened fire killing six.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1263239/Six-Afghan-soldiers-killed-wounded-friendly-accident.html#ixzz17F2Jlj2f |title=Six Afghan soldiers killed and several wounded in 'friendly fire' accident|publisher=Dailymail.co.uk |date= 3 April 2010|accessdate=4 January 2011 |location=London}}</ref>
*[[Sapper#Commonwealth of Nations|Sapper]] Mark Antony Smith, age 26, of the 36 Engineer Regiment, [[Royal Engineers]], was killed by a smoke shell fired upon by British troops in [[Sangin]] Province, Afghanistan. The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] is investigating his death and said a smoke shell, designed to provide cover for soldiers working on the ground, may have fallen short of its intended target.<ref>[http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Afghanistan-British-Soldier-Killed-In-Explosion---MoD-Says-Sangin-Blast-Death-May-Be-Friendly-Fire/Article/201007415671470?f=rss British Soldier 'Killed By Friendly Fire]</ref><ref>[http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/july/28/named_the_lovable,_scruffy.aspx Video: Funeral for The 'lovable, scruffy' Kent hero killed in Afghanistan]</ref>
*[[2011 NATO attack in Pakistan|Friendly fire between ISAF and Pakistan]] on 26 November 2011. ISAF forces opened fire on Pakistani forces killing 24 Pakistani soldiers and causing a great diplomatic standoff between U.S. and Pakistan. ISAF forces argue they were there to hunt down militants at the AF-PAK border. Pakistan has stopped transit of goods through its territory to ISAF in Afghanistan because of the incident. U.S. has to apologise to resume the transit route.
*Two New Zealand soldiers were wounded by friendly fire from a 25mm gun mounted on an armored LAV during a 12 minute firefight with insurgents in [[Bamyan Province]] on 4 August 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8673963/findings-of-soldier-deaths-probe-due NZ soldiers wounded in friendly fire |title=NZ soldiers wounded in friendly fire |publisher=[[MSN]] NZ |date=13 June 2013|accessdate=20 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/788541.shtml#.UcM9iNjhdYE |title=New Zealand troops cleared of causing 'friendly fire' casualties in Afghanistan |publisher=[[Global Times]] |date=13 June 2013|accessdate=20 June 2013}}</ref>
*A British female soldier and a Royal Marine was mistakenly killed by another British unit on patrol after her unit opened fire on an Afghan policeman assuming he was a Taliban insurgent. The British unit who killed a female soldier and a Royal Marine assumed they were under attack after the firing happened.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/9634690/Friendly-fire-kills-British-woman-soldier-in-Afghanistan.html 'Friendly fire' kills British woman soldier in Afghanistan]</ref>

===Iraq War from 2003===
[[File:Friendly Fire Iraq.ogg|thumb|Video of the [[190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident|28 March 2003 friendly fire incident]], showing errors of identification]]
*In the [[Battle of Nasiriyah]], an American force of Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) and infantry under intense enemy fire were misidentified as an Iraqi armored column by two U.S. Air Force [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10]]s who carried out bombing and strafing runs on them. One U.S. Marine was killed and 17 were wounded as a result.
*A [[MIM-104 Patriot|U.S. Patriot missile]] shot down a British [[Panavia Tornado]] GR.4A of [[No. 13 Squadron RAF]], killing the pilot and navigator. Investigations showed that the Tornado's [[identification friend or foe]] indicator had malfunctioned and hence it was not identified as a friendly aircraft.<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/20/patriot_missile/ Patriot missile: friend or foe?] theregister.com</ref><ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article424174.ece Tornado crew shot down after friend-or-foe system failed] timesonline.co.uk</ref>
*Sgt [[Steven Roberts (British Army soldier)|Steven Roberts]], a tank commander of the [[2nd Royal Tank Regiment]], was killed when a fellow British soldier manning a tank-mounted machine gun mistakenly hit him while firing at a stone wielding Iraqi protester at a roadblock in [[Az Zubayr]] near [[Basra]] on 24 March 2003.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/dec/18/military.iraq Bureaucratic delay resulted in soldier's death] ''The Guardian''</ref> It was reported that no British soldiers were to be charged for his death.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/soldiers-escape-charges-over-death-of-sergeant-and-iraqi-475928.html Soldiers escape charges over death of sergeant and Iraqi] ''The Guardian''</ref>
*A British [[Challenger 2 tank]] came under fire from another British tank in a nighttime firefight. The turret was blown off and two of the crewmembers were killed.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2886715.stm | work=BBC News | title=UK soldiers killed by 'friendly fire' | date=26 March 2003 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/stoke/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8452000/8452586.stm | work=BBC News | title=Mum remembers Stafford soldier Trooper David Clarke' | date=12 January 2010 | accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref>
*[[190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident|190th Fighter Squadron/Blues and Royals friendly fire incident – 28 March 2003]]. A pair of American [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10]]s from the 190th attacked four British armoured reconnaissance vehicles of the [[Blues and Royals]], killing [[Lance-Corporal of Horse|L/CoH.]] [[Matty Hull]] and injuring five others.
*British [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] Christopher Maddison was killed when his river patrol boat was hit by missiles after being wrongly identified as an enemy vessel approaching a [[Royal Engineers]] checkpoint on the [[Al-Faw Peninsula]], Iraq.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6187414.stm | work=BBC News | title='Failings' behind death of marine | date=27 November 2006 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref>
*[[MIM-104 Patriot|U.S. Patriot missile]] batteries fired two missiles on a [[U.S. Navy]] [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18C Hornet]] {{convert|50|mi|km|abbr=on}} from [[Karbala]], Iraq.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56199-2004Dec10.html |title=Investigation Finds U.S. Missiles Downed Navy Jet|work=Washingtonpost.com |date=11 December 2004 |accessdate=11 May 2011}}</ref> One missile hit the aircraft of pilot Lieutenant Nathan Dennis White of [[VFA-195]], [[Carrier Air Wing Five]], killing him. This was the result of the missile design flaw in identifying hostile aircraft.<ref>[http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?id=3347&siteSection=1 Widow of U.S. Naval Pilot Shot Down by Friendly Fire in Iraq Sues Raytheon Company for Wrongful Death]</ref>
*American aircraft attacked a friendly Kurdish & [[U.S. Army Special Forces|U.S. Special Forces]] convoy, killing 15. [[BBC]] translator Kamaran Abdurazaq Muhamed was killed and BBC reporter Tom Giles and World Affairs Editor [[John Simpson (journalist)|John Simpson]] were injured. The incident was filmed.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3244305.stm | work=BBC News | title=In pictures – The Iraq friendly fire incident | date=7 November 2003 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref>
*[[Fusilier#United Kingdom|Fusilier]] Kelan Turrington, of the 1st Battalion, [[Royal Regiment of Fusiliers]], was killed by machine-gun fire from a British tank.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/fusilier-killed-by-friendly-fire-coroner-rules-420870.html Fusilier killed by friendly fire, coroner rules] ''Independent''</ref>
*American soldier [[Mario Lozano]] killed an Italian intelligence officer [[Nicola Calipari]] and is suspected of wounding Italian journalist [[Giuliana Sgrena]] in [[Baghdad]]. Sgrena was rescued from a [[Rescue of Giuliana Sgrena|kidnapping]] by Calipari, and it was claimed that the car they were escaping in failed to stop at an American checkpoint, whereupon U.S. soldiers opened fire. Video evidence shows the car was respecting speed limits and proceeding with its headlights on. The shooting commenced well before 50 meters, in contrast with what Lozano and other marines testified.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.tgcom.mediaset.it/mondo/articoli/articolo360981.shtml | work=Tgcom | title=Calipari,video di Lozano al Tg5 | date=8 May 2007 | accessdate=24 June 2010}}</ref>
*During a raid on 16 July 2006 to apprehend a key terrorist leader and accomplice in a suburb of North [[Basra]], Cpl John Cosby, of the [[Devonshire and Dorset Regiment]], was killed by a [[5.56 mm]] round from a British-issued [[SA80]]. It was ruled to be a case of friendly fire by the coroner. It was reported that the British forces who shot him were unclear about the rules of engagement.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1530895/Corporal-fighting-rebels-was-killed-by-a-British-bullet.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first1=Sean | last1=Rayment | first2=Simon | last2=Trump | title=Corporal fighting rebels was killed by a British bullet | date=8 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-cruellest-sacrifice-revealed-88-casualties-of-mods-failures-399905.html | location=London | work=The Independent | date=11 November 2007 | title=The cruellest sacrifice: Revealed: 88 casualties of MoD's failures}}</ref>
*An American airstrike killed eight [[Kurds|Kurd]]ish Iraqi soldiers. Kurdish officials advised U.S. [[helicopters]] hit the men who were guarding a branch of the [[Patriotic Union of Kurdistan]] (PUK) in [[Mosul]]. The U.S. military said the attack was launched after soldiers identified armed men in a bunker near a building reportedly used for bomb-making, and that American troops called for the men to put down their weapons in [[Arabic]] and [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] before launching the strike.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6346901.stm | work=BBC News | title=US air strike kills Iraqi troops | date=9 February 2007 | accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref>
*[[Dave Sharrett, II]] was shot and killed in a firefight with insurgents near the village of Bichigan, north of Baghdad in January 2008, during Operation Hood Harvest. The incident has since been described as friendly fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/david-sharretts-family-still-wants-justice-for-friendly-fire-death-in-iraq/2012/02/22/gIQA097ScR_story.html |title=David Sharrett's family still wants justice for friendly fire death in Iraq |last=Jackman |first=Tom |date=26 February 2012 |accessdate=23 April 2012 |publisher=''[[The Washington Post]]''}}</ref>

===Gaza War===
*On 1 June 2009 an Israeli tank fired on a building occupied by Israeli troops after mistaking them for enemy fighters, killing three soldiers and wounding 20.<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3651165,00.html Gaza: 3 soldiers killed, 24 injured in friendly fire incident]</ref>


==Other incidents==
==Other incidents==

Revision as of 17:42, 20 December 2013

For other uses, see Friendly Fire.

Friendly fire is an attack by a military force on friendly forces while attempting to attack the enemy, either misidentifying the target as hostile, or due to errors or inaccuracy. Such attacks often cause injury or death. Fire not intended to attack the enemy, such as negligent or malicious discharge, or deliberate firing on one's own troops for disciplinary reasons, is not called friendly fire.[1] Nor is unintentional harm to civilians or structures, sometimes referred to as collateral damage.[2]

Use of the term "friendly" in a military context for allied personnel or materiel dates from the First World War, often for shells falling short.[3] The term friendly fire was originally adopted by the United States military. Many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) militaries refer to these incidents as blue on blue, which derives from military exercises where NATO forces were identified by blue pennants and units representing Warsaw Pact forces by orange pennants.

Addressing friendly fire

Friendly fire is often seen as an inescapable result of combat, and because it only accounts for a small percentage of casualties, can often be dismissed as irrelevant to the outcome of a battle. The effects of friendly fire, however, are not just material. Troops expect to be targeted by the enemy, but being hit by their own forces has a huge negative impact on morale. Forces doubt the competence of their command, and its prevalence makes commanders more cautious in the field.[4]

Attempts to reduce this effect by military leaders generally come down to identifying the causes of friendly fire and overcoming repetition of the incident through training, tactics and technology.[5]

Causes

Friendly fire arises from the "fog of war" – the confusion inherent in warfare. Friendly fire that is the result of apparent recklessness or incompetence may be improperly lumped into this category. The concept of a fog of war has come under considerable criticism, as it can be used as an excuse for poor planning, weak or compromised intelligence and incompetent command.[1]

Errors of position occur when fire aimed at enemy forces may accidentally end up hitting one's own. Such incidents are exacerbated by close proximity of combatants and were relatively common during the First and Second World Wars, where troops fought in close combat and targeting was relatively inaccurate. As the accuracy of weapons improved, this class of incident has become less common but still occurs.

Errors of identification happen when friendly troops are mistakenly attacked in the belief that they are the enemy. Highly mobile battles, and battles involving troops from many nations are more likely to cause this kind of incident as evidenced by incidents in the 1991 Gulf War, or the shooting down of a British aircraft by a U.S. Patriot battery during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[6] In the Tarnak Farm incident, four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight others injured when a U.S. Air National Guard Major dropped a 500 lb (230 kg) bomb from his F-16 onto the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry regiment which was conducting a night firing exercise near Kandahar.[7][8] Another case of such an accident was the death of Pat Tillman in Afghanistan, although the exact circumstances of that incident are yet to be definitively determined.[9]

During World War II, "invasion stripes" were painted on Allied aircraft to assist identification in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. Similar markings had been used when the Hawker Typhoon was first introduced into use as it was otherwise very similar in profile to a German aircraft. Late in the war the "protection squadron" that covered the elite German jet fighter squadron as it landed or took off were brightly painted to distinguish them from raiding Allied fighters.

A number of situations can lead to or exacerbate the risk of friendly fire. Poor terrain and visibility are major factors. Soldiers fighting on unfamiliar ground can become disoriented more easily than on familiar terrain. The direction from which enemy fire comes may not be easy to identify, and poor weather conditions and combat stress may add to the confusion, especially if fire is exchanged. Accurate navigation and fire discipline are vital. In high-risk situations, leaders need to ensure units are properly informed of the location of friendly units and to issue clear, unambiguous orders, but they must also react correctly to responses from soldiers who are capable of using their own judgement. Miscommunication can be deadly. Radios, field telephones, and signalling systems can be used to address the problem, but when these systems are used to co-ordinate multiple forces such as ground troops and aircraft, their breakdown can dramatically increase the risk of friendly fire. When allied troops are operating the situation is even more complex, especially with language barriers to overcome.[5]

Solutions

Training

Most militaries use extensive training to ensure troop safety as part of normal co-ordination and planning, but are not always exposed to possible friendly-fire situations to ensure they are aware of situations where the risk is high. Difficult terrain and bad weather cannot be controlled, but soldiers must be trained to operate effectively in these conditions, as well as trained to fight at night. Such simulated training is now commonplace for soldiers worldwide. Avoiding friendly fire can be as straightforward as ensuring fire discipline is instilled in troops, so that they fire and cease firing when they are told to. Firing ranges now also include 'Don't Fire' targets.[4]

The increasing sophistication of weaponry, and the tactics employed against American forces to deliberately confuse them has meant that while overall casualties have fallen for American soldiers in the late 20th and 21st centuries, the overall percentage deaths due to friendly fire in American actions have risen dramatically. In the 1991 Gulf War, most of the Americans killed by their own forces were crew members of armored vehicles hit by anti-tank rounds. The response in training includes recognition training for Apache helicopter crews to help them distinguish American tanks and armored vehicles at night and in bad weather from those of the enemy. In addition, tank gunners must watch under fire in drills for "friendly" robotic tanks that pop out on training courses in California's Mojave Desert. They also study video footage to help them recognize American forces in battle more quickly.[10]

Technology

Improved technology to assist in identifying friendly forces is also an ongoing response to friendly fire problems. From the earliest days of warfare, identification systems were visual and developed into extremely elaborate suits of armour with distinctive heraldic patterns. When radar was developed during World War II, IFF systems to identify aircraft developed into a multitude of radio beacons.

Correct navigation is vital to ensuring units know where they are in relation to their own force and the enemy. Efforts to provide accurate compasses inside metal boxes in tanks and trucks has proven difficult, with GPS a major breakthrough. Government contractors are rushing to perfect infra-red and carbon dioxide laser beacons that can be mounted on armored vehicles and that will identify themselves to their own forces.[10]

Other technological changes include hand-held navigational devices that use satellite signals, giving ground forces the exact location of enemy forces as well as their own. The use of infra-red lights and thermal tape that are invisible to observers without night-goggles, or fibres and dyes that reflect only specific wavelengths are still in their infancy, but may prove to be key identifiers for friendly infantry units at night.

There is also some development of remote sensors to detect enemy vehicles – the Remotely Monitored Battlefield Sensor System (REMBASS) uses a combination of acoustic, seismic vibration, and infrared to not just detect, but identify vehicles. [4]

Tactics

Some tactics make friendly fire virtually inevitable, such as the practice of dropping barrages of mortars on enemy machine gun posts in the final moments before capture. This practice continued throughout the 20th century since machine guns were first used in World War I, and the high friendly fire risk has generally been accepted by troops since machine gun emplacements are tactically so valuable, and at the same time so dangerous that the attackers wanted them to be shelled, considering the shells far less deadly than the machine guns.[4] Tactical adjustments include the use of "kill boxes", or zones that are placed off-limits to ground forces while allied aircraft attack targets, which goes back to the beginning of military aircraft in World War I.[10]

The shock and awe battle tactics adopted by the American military – overwhelming power, battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force – are employed because they are believed to be the best way to win a war quickly and decisively, reducing casualties on both sides. However, if the only people doing the shooting are American, then a high percentage of total casualties are bound to be the result of friendly fire, blunting the effectiveness of the shock and awe tactic. It is probably the fact that friendly fire has proven to be the only fundamental weakness of the tactics that has caused the American military to take significant steps to overturn a blasé attitude to friendly fire and assess ways to eliminate it.[4]

Other incidents

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Regan, Geoffrey (2002) Backfire: a history of friendly fire from ancient warfare to the present day, Robson Books
  2. ^ "Joint Forces Staff College" (PDF). Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  3. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. cites a 1925 reference to a term used in trenches during the war
  4. ^ a b c d e Office of Technology Assessment,. Who goes there : friend or foe?. Diane Publishing. Retrieved 4 January 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)[page needed] Cite error: The named reference "books.google.com.au" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Kirke, Charles M. (ed., 2012) Fratricide in Battle: (Un)Friendly Fire Continuum Books
  6. ^ The Economist Closing in on Baghdad 25 March 2003
  7. ^ Friscolanti, Michael. (2005). Friendly Fire: The Untold Story of the U.S. Bombing that Killed Four Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan. pp. 420–421
  8. ^ CBC News Online (6 July 2004). "U.S. Air Force Verdict."
  9. ^ "U.S. military probes soldier's death". Cnn.com. 1 July 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  10. ^ a b c Schmitt, Eric (9 December 1991). "U.S. Striving to Prevent 'Friendly Fire'". Middle East: New York Times. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
Look up friendly fire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Additional sources

  • Garrison, Webb B. (1999) Friendly Fire in the Civil War: More than 100 True Stories of Comrade Killing Comrade, Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN; ISBN 1-55853-714-7
  • Kemp, Paul. (1995) Friend or Foe: Friendly Fire at Sea 1939–45, Leo Cooper, London; ISBN 0-85052-385-0
  • Kirke, Charles M. (ed., 2012) Fratricide in Battle: (Un)Friendly Fire, Continuum Books; ISBN 978-1-4411-5700-3
  • Template:Fr icon Percin, Gen. Alexandre (1921) Le Massacre de Notre Infanterie 1914–1918, Michel Albin, Paris
  • Regan, Geoffrey (1995) Blue on Blue: A History of Friendly Fire, Avon Books, NY; ISBN 0-380-77655-3
  • Regan, Geoffrey (2004) More Military Blunders, Carlton Books
  • Shrader, Charles R. (1982) Amicicide: The Problem of Friendly Fire in Modern War, US Command & Staff College, Fort Leavenworth; University Press of the Pacific, 2005; ISBN 1-4102-1991-7
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