Spc. William Hunsaker

Bill Hunsaker grew up in Warrensburg, Mo., and joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman in 2001. He served in Korea and Iraq, attend Army Ranger school and earned the rank of specialist (E-4) as a parachutist in the elite 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Hunsaker began his tour in Iraq on Aug 7, 2005. During a mission named “Iron Triangle,” Hunsaker, Staff Sgt. Raymond L. Girouard, Pfc. Corey R. Clagett and Spc. Juston R. 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, Kan.

The colonel who gave the rules of engagement, the order to “kill all military-age males,” was not charged because he exercised his Fifth Amendment right and did not testify against himself.

Prior to this incident, the first sergeant who asked, in reference to the detainees, “why are they still alive?” and gave the order to kill the male detainees, was under investigation for war crimes. Those charges have been dropped, and he is now with his family and serving in Germany.

You can write to Hunsaker at:

William B. Hunsaker
Reference #82476
1300 N. Warehouse Road
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027