
A photo of Shihab Mansour Hussein during his time as a interpreter for the US military is held by his brother. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption
It was the worst Marine-on-Marine friendly fire incident in modern history. But it's not in the history books. An explosion in Fallujah, Iraq left three dead, a dozen wounded, and – for high-ranking officials – a dilemma. So, why were the families of the deceased lied to? Why did the reports mysteriously disappear? And why do survivors still have to wonder about what happened on the worst day of their lives? Taking Cover, an NPR investigative series from the Embedded podcast, isn't just a show about unraveling blue-on-blue tragedy during the Iraq war. It's about what happens when we send our young to war. It's a story of betrayal, brotherhood, and what's owed – to families, the wounded and to the American public.
A photo of Shihab Mansour Hussein during his time as a interpreter for the US military is held by his brother. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption
Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal (right) testifies while flanked by Navy Adm. James Stavridis (center) and Air Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser (left) during his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on June 2, 2009. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption
With four different versions of the JAGMAN investigation in hand, plus additional information uncovered through the course of reporting, NPR was able to piece together a complete picture of what happened on April 12, 2004. Emily Bogle, Chris Haxel and Alyson Hurt/NPR hide caption
David Costello stands in his parents' home near Cleveland, Ohio. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption
Elena Kennison-Zurheide and a photo of her and husband Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Zurheide Jr., who was killed in 2004. Graham Smith/NPR hide caption
Marines share descriptions of the horrors of treating and evacuating more than a dozen men — all in the middle of a massive firefight that kicked off after the explosion in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. Angelica Alzona for NPR hide caption
Crosses honoring fallen Marines stand at the top of Horno Ridge at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Graham Smith/NPR hide caption