Timothy McVeigh

==Military career==

==Military career==

[[File:Timothy McVeigh Army yearbook.jpg|thumb|Timothy McVeigh Army yearbook]]

[[File:Timothy McVeigh Army yearbook.jpg|thumb|Timothy McVeigh Army yearbook]]

In May 1988, at the age of 20, McVeigh enlisted in the United States Army and attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at the [[United States Army Infantry School|U.S. Army Infantry School]] at [[Fort Benning]], Georgia.Linder, Douglas O. [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcveigh/mcveighaccount.html "The Oklahoma City Bombing & The Trial of Timothy McVeigh,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223000407/http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcveigh/mcveighaccount.html |date=February 23, 2011 }}, online posting, [[University of Missouri–Kansas City]], Law School faculty projects, 2006, accessed August 7, 2006, feb 17; cf. ''[https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/pitn/date/2001-06-09/segment/00 People in the News: Timothy McVeigh: The Path to Death Row]'', transcript of program broadcast on [[CNN]], June 9, 2001, 11:30 p.m. ET. While in the military, McVeigh used much of his spare time to read about firearms, [[Sniper#Tactics|sniper tactics]], and explosives.Michel, Herbeck 2002 p. 61 While in the military McVeigh joined the [[Ku Klux Klan]], although he claimed he was not aware of most of their beliefs, and had been impressed with one of their pamphlets on gun rights. They offered a "[[White Power]]" T-shirt with membership, which McVeigh wanted because he felt there was a double-standard whereby black servicemen could wear "[[Black Power]]" T-shirts around a military installation (primarily Army). He later came to believe that the Klan was primarily racist rather than anti-government, and chose not to renew his membership at the end of the first year.Michel, Herbeck 2002 pp. 87–88 His future co-conspirator [[Terry Nichols]] was his platoon guide. He and Nichols quickly got along with their similar backgrounds as well as their views on gun collecting and survivalism. The two were later stationed together at [[Fort Riley]] in [[Junction City, Kansas]], where they met and became friends with their future accomplice, [[Oklahoma City bombing#Michael and Lori_Fortier|Michael Fortier]].

In May 1988, at the age of 20, McVeigh enlisted in the United States Army and attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at the [[United States Army Infantry School|U.S. Army Infantry School]] at [[Fort Benning]], Georgia.Linder, Douglas O. [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcveigh/mcveighaccount.html "The Oklahoma City Bombing & The Trial of Timothy McVeigh,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223000407/http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcveigh/mcveighaccount.html |date=February 23, 2011 }}, online posting, [[University of Missouri–Kansas City]], Law School faculty projects, 2006, accessed August 7, 2006, feb 17; cf. ''[https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/pitn/date/2001-06-09/segment/00 People in the News: Timothy McVeigh: The Path to Death Row]'', transcript of program broadcast on [[CNN]], June 9, 2001, 11:30 p.m. ET. While in the military, McVeigh used much of his spare time to read about firearms, [[Sniper#Tactics|sniper tactics]], and explosives.Michel, Herbeck 2002 p. 61

While in the military McVeigh sent $20 for a trial membership of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], although he claimed he was not aware of most of their beliefs, and had been impressed with one of their pamphlets on gun rights. They offered a "[[White Power]]" T-shirt with membership, which McVeigh wanted because he felt there was a double-standard whereby black servicemen could wear "[[Black Power]]" T-shirts around a military installation. While he claimed to have never worn the shirt, he made no apologies for buying it. He later came to believe that the Klan was primarily racist rather than anti-government, and chose not to renew his membership at the end of the first year.{{Cite book |last=Herbeck |title=American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing |last2=Michel |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2002}}

McVeigh was a top-scoring gunner with the [[M242 Bushmaster|M242 25mm cannon]] of the [[Bradley Fighting Vehicle]]s used by the [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]] and was promoted to sergeant. After being promoted, McVeigh earned a reputation for assigning undesirable work to black servicemen and using derogatory language. He was stationed at Fort Riley before being deployed on [[Operation Desert Storm]].{{cite web |title=Timothy McVeigh |url=https://www.cnn.com/2001/US/03/29/profile.mcveigh/ |website=CNN |access-date=September 16, 2024 |date=March 29, 2001}}

His future co-conspirator [[Terry Nichols]] was his platoon guide. He and Nichols quickly got along with their similar backgrounds as well as their views on gun collecting and survivalism. The two were later stationed together at [[Fort Riley]] in [[Junction City, Kansas]], where they met and became friends with their future accomplice, [[Oklahoma City bombing#Michael and Lori_Fortier|Michael Fortier]].

McVeigh was a top-scoring gunner with the [[M242 Bushmaster|M242 25mm cannon]] of the [[Bradley Fighting Vehicle]]s used by the [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]] and was promoted to sergeant. After being promoted, McVeigh earned a reputation for assigning undesirable work to black servicemen and using derogatory language, leading to talk around the base that he was a racist. He was stationed at Fort Riley before being deployed on [[Operation Desert Storm]].{{cite web |title=Timothy McVeigh |url=https://www.cnn.com/2001/US/03/29/profile.mcveigh/ |website=CNN |access-date=September 16, 2024 |date=March 29, 2001}}

In an interview before his execution, McVeigh said that he hit an Iraqi tank more than 500 yards away on his first day in the war and then the Iraqis surrendered. He also decapitated an Iraqi soldier with cannon fire from 1,100 yards away. He said he was later shocked to see [[Highway of Death|carnage on the road]] while leaving [[Kuwait City]] after U.S. troops routed the Iraqi Army. McVeigh received several service awards, including the [[Bronze Star Medal]]{{cite book |last1=Gill |first1=Paul|title=Lone-Actor Terrorists: A behavioural analysis|date=2015 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9781317660163|page=141}} [[National Defense Service Medal]],{{cite web |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/the-radicalization-of-timothy-mcveigh/article_49b91161-74c7-538f-8183-e5f957f45aa1.html |title=The Radicalization Of Timothy McVeigh |last=Jacobs |first=Sally |date=June 10, 1995 |publisher=tulsaworld.com |access-date=November 18, 2014}} [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]],{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-28-mn-59919-story.html |title=Investigators Believe Bombing Was the Work of 4 or 5 People: Terrorism: Father, son are under scrutiny. FBI says 3 witnesses can place McVeigh near blast scene. Arizona town emerges as possible base for plotters. |last1=Willman |first1=David |last2=Ostrow |first2=Ronald J. |date=April 28, 1995 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=4 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221131349/http://articles.latimes.com/1995-04-28/news/mn-59919_1_material-witness/4 |archive-date=December 21, 2014 |url-status=live }} [[Army Service Ribbon]], and the [[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)|Kuwaiti Liberation Medal]].

In an interview before his execution, McVeigh said that he hit an Iraqi tank more than 500 yards away on his first day in the war and then the Iraqis surrendered. He also decapitated an Iraqi soldier with cannon fire from 1,100 yards away. He said he was later shocked to see [[Highway of Death|carnage on the road]] while leaving [[Kuwait City]] after U.S. troops routed the Iraqi Army. McVeigh received several service awards, including the [[Bronze Star Medal]]{{cite book |last1=Gill |first1=Paul|title=Lone-Actor Terrorists: A behavioural analysis|date=2015 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=9781317660163|page=141}} [[National Defense Service Medal]],{{cite web |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/the-radicalization-of-timothy-mcveigh/article_49b91161-74c7-538f-8183-e5f957f45aa1.html |title=The Radicalization Of Timothy McVeigh |last=Jacobs |first=Sally |date=June 10, 1995 |publisher=tulsaworld.com |access-date=November 18, 2014}} [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]],{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-28-mn-59919-story.html |title=Investigators Believe Bombing Was the Work of 4 or 5 People: Terrorism: Father, son are under scrutiny. FBI says 3 witnesses can place McVeigh near blast scene. Arizona town emerges as possible base for plotters. |last1=Willman |first1=David |last2=Ostrow |first2=Ronald J. |date=April 28, 1995 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=4 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221131349/http://articles.latimes.com/1995-04-28/news/mn-59919_1_material-witness/4 |archive-date=December 21, 2014 |url-status=live }} [[Army Service Ribbon]], and the [[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)|Kuwaiti Liberation Medal]].

==Oklahoma City bombing==

==Oklahoma City bombing==

{{Main|Oklahoma City bombing}}

{{Main|Oklahoma City bombing}}

[[File:Oklahomacitybombing-DF-ST-98-01356.jpg|thumb|220px|The [[Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building]] two days after the [[Oklahoma City bombing]]]]

[[File:Oklahomacitybombing-DF-ST-98-01356.jpg|thumb|220px|The [[Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building]] two days after the [[Oklahoma City bombing]]]]

Working at a lakeside campground near McVeigh's old Army post, he and Nichols constructed an [[ANFO]] [[explosive device]] mounted in the back of a rented Ryder truck. The bomb consisted of about {{convert|5,000|lb|kg}} of ammonium nitrate and [[nitromethane]].

Working at a lakeside campground near McVeigh's old Army post, he and Nichols constructed an [[ANFO]] [[explosive device]] mounted in the back of a rented Ryder truck. The bomb consisted of about {{convert|5,000|lb|kg}} of ammonium nitrate and [[nitromethane]].