Antonio Taguba
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Antonio Taguba | |
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Born October 31, 1950 | |
Major General Antonio Taguba |
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Place of birth | Manila, Philippines |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1972-2007 |
Rank | Major General |
Commands held | 2d Brigade, 2d Armored Division |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) |
Major General Antonio Mario Taguba[1] (born October 31, 1950), became known worldwide when a classified report he wrote about cases of torture at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq was published in 2004.[2] Taguba is the second and latest Filipino American to attain General Officer rank in the U.S. Army.[2][3]
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[edit] Background
He was born in Sampaloc, Manila, the Philippines, a city to which his family had moved from their home province of Cagayan. His father was a soldier in the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Division (Philippine Scouts), who fought in the Battle of Bataan (January-April 1942), and later survived the Bataan Death March during World War II. Taguba was raised by his mother and grandmother. At the age of 11 his family moved to Hawaii, U.S..
[edit] Education
Taguba graduated from Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Hawaii Class of 1968. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Idaho State University in 1972,[4] and graduated from the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the College of Naval Command and Staff, and the Army War College.
He has received three master's degrees; for public administration at Webster University, for international relations from Salve Regina College, and for national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.
[edit] Military career
Taguba became a 2nd lieutenant in 1972.[5]
In South Korea Taguba served in the 1st Battalion, 72d Armor, 2d Infantry Division, Eighth Army.
At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA, he commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Staff and Faculty Battalion, Field Artillery School/Center.
Taguba worked for three years in Germany, and commanded a tank company of a mechanized infantry division at Mainz, Company B, 4th Battalion, 69th Armor Division.
Back in Korea he commanded the 1st Battalion, 72d Armor, 2d Infantry Division at Camp Casey; and was the executive officer of the Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command in Yongsan.
At the Pentagon he served as a Material System Analyst, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army.
At Fort Hood, Texas, USA, he commanded the "St. Lo", 2d Brigade, 2d Armored Division. When the division was reflagged to the 4th Infantry Division, Colonel Taguba then became the commander of the "Warhorse", 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division from June 1995 until he relinguished command in June 1997.[6]
At Fort McPherson, Georgia, USA, he was the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army reserve Command.
At Fort Jackson, South Carolina, USA, he was the Assistant Division Commander-Forward, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Deputy Commanding General (South), First U.S. Army.
In Alexandria, Virginia, USA, he was promoted to brigadier general, and commanded the United States Army Community and Family Support Center.
Major General Taguba served for ten months as the Deputy Commanding General for Support, Third U.S. Army, U.S. Army Forces Central Command, Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC), based in Kuwait. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Acting Director of the Army Staff, Headquarters, Department of the Army, The Pentagon under Gen. Eric K. Shinseki.[7].
In 2004 Taguba was assigned to report on prisoner abuse in the Abu Ghraib military prison in Iraq. In May of that year he published an extremely critical report that was leaked to the public.[8]
Later that May Major General Taguba was reassigned to the Pentagon to serve as deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness, training and mobilization in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.[7]
In January of 2006, Taguba was instructed by General Richard A. Cody, the Army’s Vice-Chief of Staff, to retire by January of 2007. No explanation was given.[8] Taguba's retirement, effective January 1, 2007 ended a 34 year career of military service.[5]
[edit] Decorations
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
- Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
- Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
- Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
- Army General Staff identification badge
[edit] References
- ^ General officer biographies index. United States Army center of military history. United States Army (2006-11-06). Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
- ^ a b Sullivan, Laura; David Greene (2004-05-08). Fil-Am general praised for report. The Baltimore Sun. ABS-CBN news. Archived from the original on 2004-11-24. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Eljera, Bert (1997-08-01). Army appoints its second Fil-Am general. AsianWeek. Pan Asia Venture Capital Corporation. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Major General Antonio M. Taguba. United States Army (2003-12-10). Archived from the original on 2004-06-11. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ a b General who authored Abu Ghraib report retires. Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
- ^ Commanders past and present. United States Army. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ a b Douglas Jehl. "Head of Inquiry On Iraq Abuses Now in Spotlight", New York Times, 2004-05-11.
- ^ a b Hersh, Seymour (June 25, 2007). The General’s Report. Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
[edit] External links
- Taguba is called a straight arrow - Baltimore Sun
- U.S. Army report on Iraqi prisoner abuse - Executive summary of Article 15-6 investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade by Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba
- Taguba Report on Wikisource
- The General’s Report: How Antonio Taguba, who investigated the Abu Ghraib scandal, became one of its casualties - by Seymour Hersh published in The New Yorker.
- General Says Prison Inquiry Led to His Forced Retirement
- Taguba's Revenge
- Taguba calls troops "sorry soldiers"