workingclasshistory:

On this day, 3 July 1988, the United States Navy shot down Iran Air flight 655, a civilian passenger plane with 290 people on board, all of whom were killed. The victims included 66 children, and an entire family of 16 who were on their way to a wedding in Dubai.
The incident took place during the war between Iran and Iraq, which was led by Saddam Hussein and backed by the US. It followed a catalogue of errors, including the naval officer in charge of firing the missile aboard the USS Vincennes hitting the wrong key no fewer than 23 times before it was eventually fired. The US military then claimed that the Vincennes was rushing to defend a merchant vessel under attack from Iran when an aircraft outside the commercial air corridor was descending in “attack mode” towards the ship – which was false on all three counts. They also tried to claim the ship was in international waters, and naval officials even deleted an Iranian island from the map they showed to Congress. In fact it was in Iranian waters, in clear violation of international law. Meanwhile, the US media backed up the official line, with the New York Times apportioning blame to the pilot, Mohsen Rezaian, and Iran.
In the aftermath, officers and crew of the Vincennes were welcomed home and decorated as heroes, receiving combat action ribbons and in one case a Commendation Medal for “heroic achievement” for “quickly and precisely complet[ing] the firing procedure.” The Captain was later awarded the Legion of Merit for “exceptionally meritorious conduct as a commanding officer.” Donations from the public to construct a monument honouring the USS Vincennes in Indiana also shot up following the incident, and the monument was constructed and dedicated the following year. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1752731011578708/?type=3