THE SUICIDE FILES:

DEATH IN THE MILITARY

A reprint of a series published in the Philadelphia Inquirer

from December 19 to December 22, 1993

First of four parts:--------(PRESS HERE)

The facts contradict death rulings.

Grief and shock. Thats what 40 families felt when they were told their relatives in the military died of self-inflicted wounds. Their pain deepened, though, when their search for answers hit a wall of secrecy.

Second of four parts:--------(PRESS HERE)

First came doubt, then outright disbelief.

Their sons were dead. Personal effects were missing. When families tried to track down the belongings, they came to question the military's entire account of how the men died.

Third of four parts:-----------(PRESS HERE)

How preconceived notions built faulty investigations.

A psychological autopsy mistakenly portrayed the USS Iowa blast as a suicide attempt. Despite having to publicly apologize, the Navy still uses the controversial method to close the books on suspicious deaths.

Last of a series of four:----------(PRESS HERE)

Tangled investigations leave trail of questions

The brother of Col. James Sabow hired his own experts and concluded that a killer is on the loose. He sees military bungling--and a blatant coverup. Other families wonder too, if justice will be served.