Brian Williams’ Helicopter Lie Turns Into Amazing Twitter Meme

Brian Williams is under fire this week for lying about being on a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq. The NBC News anchor apologized, saying he misremembered. Twitter — doing what it does best — has taken Williams to town. After all, if he could forget something as major as being shot out of the sky, what else might he have forgotten?  For years, Williams has said that he was on a helicopter that was shot down by ground fire while covering the Iraq War in 2003. He repeated the claim last week in an event honoring Command Sgt. Major Tim Terpak, who Williams credited with protecting the helicopter fleet after they were grounded.  The men who actually did get shot down disputed Williams’ account to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. The soldiers, who are obviously pretty pissed, say the reporter was actually about an hour behind them, though he was a part of the group and spent time with Terpak on the ground after the attack. Williams eventually recanted the claim. 

“I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” Williams said. “I want to apologize.” The incident has spawned some real backlash from veterans, and a lot of funny trolling on Twitter under the hashtags #brianwilliamsmemories, #brianwilliamsmisremembers and #brianwilliamswarstories. The tweets poke Photoshopped fun at the NBC anchor, placing Williams in situations he couldn’t possibly have witnessed. Here are a few of our favorites.

Nice tights, B.W.

Who wielded it better? (Chris Hemsworth.)

Houston, we have a problem.

And, now, a late breaking story: War has erupted between England and France.

Stay tuned for the latest #take on the Last Supper, courtesy of your favorite NBC News apostle.

"Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year."