Hero Pat Tillman

Lifetime high-achiever Pat Tillman died a hero, yet not exactly in a heroic way.

Tillman, 5'11" and 200 pounds, was of pretty nearly perfect physique, with granite features to match. He had been a football standout and honor student at Arizona State University and was playing safety for the Arizona Cardinals at the time of the 9/11 attacks.

Wanting to serve his country, he gave up a $3.6 football contract for the life of a $18,000 a year soldier. With his brother Kevin, a baseball standout, he enlisted in the Army and went through parachute school and Ranger training.

The brothers fought in Iraq, after which Pat was assigned to a unit in Afghanistan.

On a patrol in April 2004 near the Pakistani border, his unit ran into trouble. Exactly what happened is unclear, but Tillman and an Afghani soldier were killed and two other Rangers were wounded.

Tillman's appearance was such that he made the perfect "poster boy" for the Rangers. Army brass, or perhaps their civilian higher-ups, gave the media misleading information, saying that Tillman had been killed by enemy fire.

Later, it came to light that the official version had been a pack of lies, done for PR and/ or recruiting value. Instead, he had been killed accidentally by "friendly fire" from other U.S. troops.

Tillman was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and a Purple Heart and was promoted to Corporal from Specialist. Also, the Cardinals and Arizona State retired his jersey numbers.