Antonio Mario Taguba (born October 31, 1950) is a retired major general in the United States Army. He was the second American citizen of Philippine birth to be promoted to general officer rank in the United States Army.
Taguba is best known for authoring the Taguba Report, an internal United States Army report on abuse of detainees held at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The report was leaked, then published, in 2004.
Early life
Taguba was born in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines, the city to which his family had moved from their home province of Cagayan. His father was a soldier in the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Division (Philippine Scouts), who fought in the Battle of Bataan (January–April 1942) during World War II and, after capture by the Japanese, survived the Bataan Death March.
Education
Taguba graduated from Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Hawaii, in 1968. and graduated from the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the College of Naval Command and Staff, and the Army War College.
In addition, Taguba holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Webster University, a Master of Arts degree in international relations from Salve Regina College, and a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies from the College of Naval Command and Staff at the Naval War College. He served in Dongducheon, Republic of Korea, less than ten miles from North Korea in the Combat Support Company as the mortar platoon leader in 1974–1975 of the 1st Battalion, 72d Armor, 2nd Infantry Division, I Corps, Eighth Army.
At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Taguba commanded the headquarters and headquarters battery, staff and faculty battalion, Field Artillery School/Center. He then served for three years in Germany, commanding a tank company in a mechanized infantry division at Mainz (Company B, 4th Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment).
At Fort McPherson, Georgia, Taguba was chief of staff of the United States Army Reserve Command. At Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was assistant division commander-forward of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Deputy Commanding General (South), First United States Army.
At Alexandria, Virginia, Taguba was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the United States Army Community and Family Support Center.
Major General Taguba served for ten months as deputy commanding general for support of the Third United States Army, United States Army Forces Central Command, Coalition Forces Land Component Command, based in Kuwait. Earlier, he was at the Pentagon as acting director of the Army Staff, Headquarters, Department of the Army, under General Eric K. Shinseki.
In 2004, Taguba was assigned to report on abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. In May of that year, he published an extremely critical report that was leaked to the public. Later that month, Major General Taguba was reassigned to the Pentagon to serve as deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness, training and mobilization in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. was leaked to the public and published to national attention. In it, he accused the Bush administration of committing war crimes and called for the prosecution of those responsible. He wrote, "There is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes. The only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account."
Decorations
Badges
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File:United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png|Army Staff Identification Badge
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Medals and ribbons
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|Army Distinguished Service Medal
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|Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters
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|Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
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|Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
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|Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
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|National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars
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|Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
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|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
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|Korea Defense Service Medal
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|Army Service Ribbon
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|Army Overseas Service Ribbon
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References
External links
- Taguba is called a straight arrow – The Baltimore Sun
- U.S. Army report on Iraqi prisoner abuse – Executive summary of Article 15-6 investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade by Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba
- Taguba Report on Wikisource
- The General’s Report: How Antonio Taguba, who investigated the Abu Ghraib scandal, became one of its casualties – by Seymour Hersh published in The New Yorker.
- General Says Prison Inquiry Led to His Forced Retirement
- Taguba's Revenge
- Taguba calls troops "sorry soldiers"(See )