In the first full interview after it was revealed that Brian Williams misreported his involvement in an Iraq fire fight, the NBC anchor explained that his faulty memories stemmed from being afraid during his "first engagement of the war." "It was like landing on the surface of the moon," he told Stars and Stripes on February 4. "And I’m going to have a far different recollection than the professionals." He added: "All I knew is we had been fired upon." Williams also expressed frustration that the controversy could overshadow the Army unit he was with.
