Michael Fumento

As it happens, in a syndicated column Oliver North did mention Maj. McClung although he couldn't use her name yet pending notification of kin. Remarkably, there is no mention that she was killed accompanying he and his crew.

"A proffered hot cup of coffee was gratefully accepted as the Major helped us load our backpacks, camera gear and satellite broadcast equipment aboard a dust-encrusted Humvee," he wrote in a Dec. 8 column. "Just hours later, this widely respected and much admired Marine officer and two brave U.S. Army soldiers were dead, killed by an IED -- an improvised explosive device -- the insidious weapon of choice for terrorists in Iraq."

She helped load his gear and later died. That's it.

In my case, when somebody risked his life because he thought I was hurt even though I had just hit the ground to avoid machine fire, I gave him full credit.

That's the way it should be done. In this case, somebody did die trying to help North. Three somebodies. Oliver North should acknowledge that. So should Newsweek.