Thank you Aaron Fairbairn RIP

For who of you who were following twitter yesterday, you may have noticed the top trending topic of #thankyouaaron. Who who follow #tcot know that David M Masters (@davidmmasters), had passed along devastating news that his son, Aaron, was one of two American soldiers killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan on
July 4th. To make things even worse, some idiots are passing along a “hoax theory” regarding Aaron Fairbairn death and David M Master’s announcement. However, according to North Shore Journal – Two International Security Assistance Force service members were killed in an improvised explosive device strike that occurred in eastern Afghanistan yesterday morning. The official announcement has not yet been released. It appears that Aaron was one of the two soldiers killed in a large Taliban attack on a base in Paktika. That is just a “maybe” until DoD releases the info. They hold it back a couple of days so that the families can all be notified.

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July 5, 2009 · Filed Under Afghanistan


Comments

  • Barbara

    We aren’t ‘idiots’ for investigating a possible hoax. Fox News had exactly the same doubts, and did much of the same research. As it turns out, the father was Tweeting incorrect information with a lot of holes in his story which led people to suspect it wasn’t true. He claimed body was flying home 2/3 days before it arrived today. He also Tweeted son had left for Afghanistan on March 3, when wife’s blog said it was 2 weeks ago. He apparently was using this news to gain attention for himself all over the Internet, including Social Media sites. Not normal grieving behavior. Including a very dramatic ‘blog’ with incorrect information. The suicide truck did not kill the 2 US troops, it didn’t even make it on base. The driver was killed beforehand the the truck exploded on its own OFF base. The driver ‘did not breach the perimeter and push a button’. That was David Master’s embellishment. Also-the 2 US Troops were actually killed by Taliban ammo fire, as reported extensively in major news sources. The Afghanistan KIA did not return to the US until TODAY, Wednesday! 2/3 days after David Masters Tweeted it was enroute by air. He said twice, two days apart, his family was in Dover waiting for the body. Apparently they were standing on an AFB tarmac for about 18 hours for a body that did not arrive until today. Sure. The guy embellished the situation, and gave out incorrect information in order to gain attention on the Internet. He also made it a ‘Trending Topic’ knowing it would get him more Media exposure. What a Dad.

  • Barbara

    “”However, according to North Shore Journal – Two International Security Assistance Force service members were killed in an improvised explosive device strike that occurred in eastern Afghanistan yesterday morning”"

    That was a different incident. Aaron Fairbairns was Army, Private First Class. And he was killed apparently by Taliban Ammo fire. Not a suicide truck. Do the research, inform yourself with real news before spreading ignorant comments about people and inaccurate info!

    Oh and BTW-that “North Shore” article was simply a copy of David Master’s Tweets. It is some weird, privately owned rinky-dink newspaper that could have been staged by anyone. Not a legitimate News source, as most of us recognized immediately. Better to research legit Media such as Reuters, AP, Fox News, MSNBC, etc.

  • http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=172806367&blogId=499529020 David M Masters

    For those of you who have suggested that I would use my son’s ultimate sacrifice as a way to promote myself if rediculous. Certainly, if I had could do it all over again, I would have not emotionally exposed myself before the world, had I any inclination that I would be under such a severe attack (and certainly, I could have been more politically correct in the words that I used, even though they were much more restrained than the actual outcries that I was surrounded with).
    About the inacuracies in data released by myself, keep in mind that I was only relating the information as it was passed to me by the military. My first report(s) reflect the reports that were relayed to me in realtime.
    The reports did change as new data was revealed.
    Our first visit by the Army chaplain reflected the information that we had received at that time.
    Hours later, on the 4th, my wife, son and daughter were transported by a US Army Casualty Assistance Officer to await the arrival of Aaron’s remains in Dover.
    They did stay in Dover, along with Justin’s mother and sister for several days waiting for the flight to arrive.
    Many stories have prolifereated the media depicting the events taht took place on teh Independence Day attack.
    After talking to Aaron’s Commanding Officer, they all have some accurate information. None of it reflects an accurate step-by-step accounting of the events that took place in that attack.
    Shelley and I now know the truth, and it is far more horrifying than any official press release.
    I am not certain why there are so many indescrepencies in what is considered, “official,” release of information in this manner.
    If I had it to do again, I would not have. I especially am regretful that I released any information about the attack, specifically naming my son. I was under the impression that the military delays the release of information for notification of the next-of-kin. I found out later, that it is also for th preservation of the scene of the attack. By releasing my son’s name, the enemy can determine what base was hit, and take advantage of it’s weakend condition. They delay specific information for at least 72 hours, allowing the area attacked to re-tool there defenses.