Categories: Home FeaturedNews

Brian Williams Admits He Wasn’t In Helicopter Shot Down In Iraq

Brian Williams, the NBC Nightly News anchor, admitted that his often-retold story of coming under fire while aboard a helicopter in Iraq is untrue.

Brian Williams Cops To False Story

The veracity of Williams’ story came into question last week following his latest retelling of the harrowing wartime event in a televised tribute to a retired soldier. He recalled that he was flying in a helicopter that was forced down after it was hit by enemy fire during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. NBC posted a video of the tribute on Facebook, where flight engineer Lance Reynolds refuted Williams’ story.

“Sorry dude, I don’t remember you being on my aircraft,” Reynolds wrote on Facebook. “I do remember you walking up about an hour after we had landed to ask me what had happened.”

Williams replied to Reynolds on Facebook, writing, “You are absolutely right and I was wrong.… The fog of memory over 12 years — made me conflate the two, and I apologize.” Apparently, Williams had been traveling on a helicopter flying behind the one that was hit, and re-watching the videos over the years muddled his memory about which chopper he had been in.

Wednesday evening, Williams decided to offer a more public apology during NBC Nightly News.

“After a ground fire incident in the desert during the Iraq war invasion, I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” he said. “It did not take long to hear from some brave men and women in the air crews who were also in that desert. I want to apologize.”

“I said I was traveling in an aircraft that was hit by an [rocket-propelled grenade] fire. I was instead in a following aircraft,” Williams added. “This was a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and, by extension, our brave military men and women, veterans everywhere, those who have served while I did not. I hope they know they have my greatest respect and also now my apology.”

As for Reynolds, he feels as though the anchor wrongfully piggybacked off a frightening, life-changing experience.

“It was something personal for us that was kind of life-changing for me. I know how lucky I was to survive it,” he told military newspaper Stars and Stripes.”It felt like a personal experience that someone else wanted to participate in and didn’t deserve to participate in.”

Chelsea Regan

Recent Posts

Influencer Matt Choi Banned From NYC Marathon For Having 2 Cameramen On E-Bikes Follow Him During Race Endangering Runners

While Choi’s behavior in the race was rightfully admonished, his honest apology serves as a…

12 mins ago

Elon Musk Says Jennifer Lopez Should Have Warned The Public About Ex Sean Combs

Combs and Lopez were romantically involved between 1999 and 2001.

54 mins ago

Tyler, The Creator Announces 2025 Concert Tour Dates – Setlist & Ticket Info

Born Tyler Gregory Okonma, the rapper, director, producer and designer is regarded as a pivotal…

16 hours ago

Ivanka Trump Joins Dad On Stage For Victory Speech After Distancing Herself From Him

Ivanka and Kushner were prominent advisers for Trump during his previous term from 2016 to…

18 hours ago

‘Gladiator II’ Premieres At Tokyo International Film Festival With Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen & Fred Hechinger

This highly anticipated sequel is not set to be released in North America until the…

19 hours ago

VIDEO: Quirky Macaw Helps ‘Organize’ Drawer

https://youtu.be/rfaW45NzQBQ Harley, a beloved macaw at the Cincinnati Zoo, helped staff “organize” a drawer at…

19 hours ago