--- title: "The Navy actually had a training video on how to not kill your friends" date: "2019-01-28" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Harold C. Hutchison" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/haroldhutchison.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/the-navy-actually-had-a-training-video-on-how-to-not-kill-your-friends/" categories: - "History" - "Navy" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # The Navy actually had a training video on how to not kill your friends ![]() One of the single worst things that plagues military forces is the phenomenon known as "friendly fire." Some instances of friendly fire have been momentous, like the time [Stonewall Jackson]() was shot by Confederate troops who mistook him for a Union general. --- ![]() There have been tragic, modern instances as well – like the case of Army Cpl. Pat Tillman. ![]() *Former Arizona Cardinals football player Pat Tillman. (Photo from U.S. Army)* This was also a problem in World War II — reference the disastrous [friendly fire incident off Sicily]() in July, 1943. In trying to prevent these terrible instances, the Navy put forth a very unique training film, featuring the fictional "Ensign Dilbert." No, this isn't the same Dilbert that's made Scott Adams very rich, although, Adams admits that the suggestion of the name was, in fact, [inspired by a Navy character](). This Dilbert is, well… an idiot. A real big one. The type whose sole purpose in life is to be a warning to others. ![]() The film was called, aptly, *Don't Kill Your Friends.* In the film, the main character, training to be a fighter pilot in the Grumman F4F Wildcat, looks friendly and likable enough, but he repeatedly makes bone-headed mistakes that could get people killed. It even features one disastrous incident with a supposedly "safe" dummy cartridge, which can do some very serious harm when it falls from a fighter plane. Check out the film below, complete with a supposedly likable "Dilbert" and the chain of disasters he causes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNOKAd560wc ([Jeff Quitney]() | YouTube) ## Author WATM contributor Harold Hutchison was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national web sites. ## More - [The Navy said her son died by suicide. This mother pushed back fiercely for the truth]() - [Marine and M\*A\*S\*H Star Mike Farrell reflects on his career in Hollywood and how the Corps influenced his life]() - [How to train your core like you’re about to go into the ring with Ivan Drago]() - [Navy veteran Bradley Snyder is a Paralympic Gold Medalist, author, and now, film producer]() - [New WWII exhibit opens in Miami Beach]() - [WWII Veteran Frank Herbert broke new ground in science fiction with the ‘Dune’ books]() - [World War II airman Alan Magee survived a 22,000-foot fall without a parachute]() - [Japan’s invasion of Alaska and the only World War II land campaign on American soil]()