Ilario Pantano

Ilario Gregory Pantano
Born	(1971-08-28) August 28, 1971 New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Former United States Marine Corps officer, author, television analyst, deputy sheriff
Years active	1990s–present
Known for	Military service in Gulf War and Iraq War; involvement in 2004 Fallujah incident; 2010 Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives
Notable work	Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy

Ilario Gregory Pantano (born August 28, 1971) is a former second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, an author, a television analyst, and a past deputy sheriff in Wilmington, North Carolina. He ran as the Republican candidate for the US House of Representatives in the 2010 election cycle.

Pantano's military service includes participation in the Persian Gulf War during Operation Desert Storm and later in the Iraq War as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He became nationally known after facing allegations of premeditated murder for killing two Iraqi detainees near Fallujah, Iraq, in April 2004. An article 32 hearing found no substantial evidence to support prosecution, leading to all charges being dismissed. After receiving threats linked to terrorism against his family, Pantano chose to resign his commission and was honorably discharged. His combat experiences are recounted in his memoir, Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy.

Early life, education and business career

Pantano was born in New York City and raised in Manhattan’s Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. His father, Benito, immigrated from Italy, while his mother, Merry, worked as a literary agent from Kansas. He attended Horace Mann High School on a scholarship before enlisting in the Marine Corps and serving during the Gulf War.

Following his military tenure, Pantano obtained an economics degree from New York University. He then pursued a career as an energy trader at Goldman Sachs and contributed to the founding team of Constellation Power, an electricity trading enterprise later acquired by FPL for $11 billion. Subsequently, he transitioned into film production with New York’s The Shooting Gallery and co-established Filter Media, a company focused on interactive television. Pantano is married to Jill Chapman, a fashion model and businesswoman who has appeared in Vogue Italia. The couple lives in North Carolina with their two sons.

Initial enlistment

During the Persian Gulf War, Pantano served as a TOW missile gunner in the U.S. Marine Corps. He completed training as a Scout Sniper, attained the rank of Sergeant, and served until 1993.

Return to the Marines

After the events of September 11, Pantano reentered the Marine Corps. Residing near a fire station where eleven firefighters—including four former Marines—lost their lives during the attacks, he was admitted to Officer Candidate School and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

Regarded as a well-liked officer, his superiors praised him as the top platoon commander within his battalion. His platoon valued his demanding training regimen that improved their combat effectiveness. According to Time Magazine, Pantano’s leadership resulted in his platoon experiencing fewer casualties than many newly deployed units over more than 40 combat missions.

In February 2004, Pantano deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, engaging in heavy combat during Operation Vigilant Resolve around Fallujah that April.

Incident, hearing and aftermath

On April 15, 2004, Lieutenant Pantano, acting on intelligence obtained from captured insurgents, led his platoon in an operation targeting a compound near Mahmudiyah. Upon reaching the location, they intercepted a vehicle carrying two Iraqi men, whom Pantano detained while his unit secured the compound. The site was abandoned but contained a weapons stockpile, including "multiple mortar aiming stakes, a flare gun, three AK47 rifles, 10 AK magazines with assault vests and IED components."

After instructing Sergeant Daniel Coburn and Corpsman George Gobles to maintain vigilance for threats, Pantano freed the detainees from their restraints to conduct a more detailed vehicle inspection. Suspecting the Iraqis posed a danger due to their conduct and communication patterns, Pantano issued verbal commands to halt; when these were disregarded, he opened fire. He later explained that he discharged two magazines to deliver a strong deterrent message.

In June 2004, Sergeant Coburn—who had been demoted by Pantano previously—lodged a complaint that initiated an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. On February 1, 2005, Pantano faced formal charges of two counts of premeditated murder and was at risk of receiving the death penalty if found guilty.

Pantano sought to waive his entitlement to an Article 32 pretrial hearing in April 2005 with the goal of accelerating the court martial process and compelling evidence disclosure; however, this motion was denied. The hearing took place on April 26, 2005.

Initially, the Department of Defense stated that conducting post-mortem examinations was unfeasible because the burial site was outside American control. Nevertheless, the bodies were exhumed shortly before the hearing. The subsequent autopsy report supported Pantano's version that he fired on the men as they advanced.

Pantano's statements

Pantano acknowledged placing a sign on a vehicle above the deceased reading, "No better friend, No worse enemy," but removed it after a fellow Marine considered it inappropriate. This phrase serves as the motto for his Marine Corps battalion and encapsulates their combat ethos, popularized by Lieutenant General James Mattis, then commanding general of the 1st Marine Division. In a March 2005 interview with the BBC, Pantano remarked, "As a New Yorker affected deeply by 9/11, I believe our role as Marines is to project violence worldwide to prevent similar attacks."

Witnesses

Navy Corpsman George Gobles was present but did not witness any immediate threat as he had been instructed to observe outwardly. He later saw the Iraqis attempting to escape. Sergeant Coburn reportedly stated, "The moment I turned away, Lt. Pantano unleashed roughly 45 rounds." The defense challenged Coburn’s reliability due to his recent demotion by Pantano.

Despite directives to remain silent, Coburn gave several media interviews. An investigating officer identified "inconsistencies and contradictory statements" in his testimony, suggesting his accusations might be influenced by prior performance issues.

At Pantano’s hearing, Corporal "O" recounted interviewing the detainees and observing Marines searching the vehicle thoroughly—including seat removal. He described finding the bodies face down with knees bent beneath them, indicating they were shot while kneeling and characterized the scene as "unusual."

In closing arguments, Pantano’s attorney underscored that civilian legal norms cannot be applied within combat environments:

It is crucial to understand that civilian standards do not translate into combat zones. This is not Chicago; this is Iraq—Indian country....

Recommendations

Major Winn advised Major General Richard Huck, who commanded Lieutenant Pantano's division, to dismiss the murder charges and instead hold Pantano responsible for the desecration of corpses, considering Sergeant Coburn's testimony unreliable.

Lt. Col. Mark E. Winn suggested to General Huck that pursuing criminal charges was unnecessary but criticized Lieutenant Pantano’s decision to halt the vehicle and concentrate on the two individuals. He recommended nonjudicial punishment, citing the excessive number of rounds fired. Lieutenant Edwards reported that General Huck declined to impose nonjudicial discipline.

Forensic findings from exhumations and autopsies corroborated Pantano’s account.

Second Lt. Barry Edwards stated, "The preliminary evidence supported Second Lieutenant Pantano’s version of events," without providing further elaboration.

Under U.S. military law, General Huck held exclusive authority over court-martial proceedings and ultimately dismissed all charges against Pantano.

Support

Pantano received considerable backing from military advocacy websites and talk radio hosts such as Michael Savage, who actively promoted awareness through interviews with Pantano and his family.

North Carolina's Third District U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones introduced House Resolution 167 to express support for Pantano and sent a letter to President Bush urging advocacy on his behalf.

On April 14, 2005, the Association for Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriffs formally endorsed House Resolution 167 in correspondence addressed to President Bush, further solidifying institutional support for Pantano.

Autobiography

Pantano’s memoir, Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy, was published on June 12, 2006 by Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. He promoted the book during an appearance on The Daily Show on July 10, 2006.

In November 2011, Simon & Schuster released an updated edition entitled Warlord: Broken by War, Saved by Grace, which included the letter from Mr. Rodriguez.

2010 congressional campaign

According to the Fayetteville Observer, Pantano was the first contender to mount a significant challenge against incumbent Mike McIntyre in his initial seven Congressional bids.

Endorsements

• Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and vice presidential nominee
• Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City.

2012 congressional campaign

On December 15, 2011, Pantano announced his intention to once again challenge incumbent Representative Mike McIntyre during an appearance on Fox & Friends. Following redistricting after the 2010 census, the district became more favorable to Republican candidates. Pantano and Randy Crow were defeated in the Republican primary by North Carolina legislator David Rouzer, who subsequently lost to McIntyre in the general election held in November.

State government role

In 2013, Pantano took on the position of assistant secretary within the North Carolina State Division of Veterans Affairs.

See also

• Charles Gittins, Pantano's legal representative in civilian matters.

External links

• Official Pantano for Congress website
• Official website of Ilario Pantano
• Life on the Front Lines, Time Magazine (May 10, 2004)
• Re-enlistment Resulted in Combat and Murder Allegations, New York Times (February 12, 2005)
• "Did He Cross the Line?", Time Magazine (February 28, 2005)
• A Warrior Confronts His Greatest Challenge, The New York Daily News (March 6, 2005)
• Euphoric Reality blog entries regarding the Pantano case (February 15, 2005 – June 11, 2006)
• Murder or self-defense? "N.C. Marine charged over Iraq killings", Winston-Salem Journal (March 7, 2005)
• "Goldman Sachs Employee 'Shot Iraqis in Back'", Sunday Times (April 26, 2005)
• Opening of Pantano hearing, Jacksonville Daily News (April 27, 2005)
• N.Y. MARINE CLEARED; KILLING IRAQI TERRORISTS DEEMED JUSTIFIED: INVESTIGATION, New York Post (May 14, 2005)
• "Investigation Finds Marine's Shooting Justified", Washington Post (May 15, 2005)
• Rush to Judgment – Haditha 'Facts' Become More Confusing, New York Post (June 13, 2006)