William B Hunsaker and his family are from Warrensburg, Missouri. Hunsaker enlisted in the United States Army as an infantryman in 2001 and served in Korea as well as doing a tour in Iraq. During his time of service, Hunsaker attended Army Ranger school and earned the rank of specialist (E-4) as a parachutist in the elite 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles) at Fort Campbell, KY.
Hunsaker began his tour in Iraq 7 Aug 2005. During a mission named "Iron Triangle," SPC Hunsaker and three other soldiers (SSGT Girouard, PFC Clagett, SPC Graber) were given an illegal order which resulted in the death of three al-Qaida detainees. Hunsaker was charged and convicted of two counts of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He received an 18 year sentence as a result of a plea bargain and is now serving that sentence at Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, KS.
The colonel who gave the rules of engagement, the order to "KILL ALL MILITARY AGE MALES," was not charged because he exercised the fifth amendment right and did not testify against himself. Another soldier who asked, in reference to the detainees, "why are they still alive?" (and gave the order to kill the male detainees) was currently under investigation for war crimes. The charges against him have been dropped, and he is now with his family and serving in Germany.
The goal of this petition is to gain enough signatures to request a clemency hearing for a war hero serving a prison sentence for following an illegal order given by a superior officer while serving his country in Iraq.
William Hunsaker stepped up to defend our freedom. Now is your chance--please step up for him and sign this petition. Thank you and God bless!
