U.S. Rep. Mac Collins succeeded in securing compensation for the families of American personnel who were killed in a case of friendly fire over Iraq.

His bill was incorporated into the appropriations bill recently signed by the president.

The bill will provide compensation to Americans who were riding with foreign personnel on two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters over Iraq April 14, 1994. Without warning, two U.S. Air Force F-15's attacked after mistakenly identifying the helicopters as Iraqi.

In the wreckage of the two helicopters were found 14 American soldiers, one American Foreign Service officer, and 11 foreign personnel. Collins objected to the fact that the U.S. Government gave $100,000 settlements to the foreign personnel and none to its own citizens. One victim, Capt. Patrick McKenna, was from Columbus, Ga.

“I worked to support the families of 15 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice serving their country,” said the Hampton Republican.

“Rather than honor the memories of the Americans whose lives were cut tragically short, our government has focused its concern and resources on the foreign victims of the incident.”

Collins, who represents Fayette, added, “The families of foreign victims of this disaster received not only great attention and responsiveness from our government, but also received unprecedented compensation from the U.S. Treasury. The American families, whose loved ones sat side by side on the same humanitarian mission with the foreign nationals, received no such consideration or compensation.”