On Oct. 3, 2009, the odds were against U.S. troops at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province, located just 10 miles from the Pakistan border. American forces had already planned to pull out of the area as part of a plan to move forces to more densely populated areas, so closure of the base was imminent when the attack occurred. [30] In the report released to the public, the U.S. Army concealed the names of the four disciplined officers. Feb. 5, 2010— -- A military investigation of a Taliban attack last fall on a remote U.S. army outpost that left eight American soldiers dead and 22 wounded has resulted in administrative punishments for two commanders blamed for "inadequate measures taken by the chain of command.". Those guys were amazing. And he was becoming disillusioned with the possibility of what he thought. Located near the border with Pakistan in the Afghan province of Nuristan, COP Keating was the scene of a coordinated attack by as many as 300 Taliban fighters who stormed the exposed base. Furthermore, Camp Keating's location, surrounded by mountains on three sides, exposed helicopters and the outpost's garrison to insurgent fire. "The little bastards keep shooting at us every day. [33] 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann's Silver Star was upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross as well. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. Among these U.S. troops were men of great mettle. Because the reports had not been verified by other intelligence sources, such as electronic intelligence, the reports were discounted. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. In Afghanistan, MAJ (R) Cordova was involved in the Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating on the 3rd of October 2009. The punishments reflect a recent trend in Afghanistan to hold military commanders accountable for battlefield failures. Soldiers Dead in Bold Attack in Afghanistan", Attack on Afghan outposts kills 8 soldiers, "U.S. ignored warnings before deadly Afghan attack", "U.S. Military Faults Leaders in Attack on Base", "Courage at Keating: 2 Medals of Honor, 1 DSC, 8 Silver Stars for standout B Troop", "Army releases report on battle at Combat Outpost Keating battle", "Afghan insurgents pushed into U.S. base, official says", "Strategic Plans Spawned Bitter End for a Lonely Outpost", "Defense.gov News Release: DoD Identifies Army Casualties", "Defense.gov News Release: DoD Identifies Army Casualty", "Insurgents breached U.S. outpost in battle", The Gazette: Mom works to help Carson soldiers honor battle bonds, "They 'weren't going to get beat that day' the Medal of Honor recipients who held COP Keating against all odds", "US premiere of film about Battle of COP Keating and Latvian soldiers | Aizsardzbas ministrija", Latvijas Televzija: Videofilma "Afganistna. [7]:363383[13], COP Keating became increasingly isolated in the summer of 2009. The first of these would be "Operation Mountain II", an effort to extend a series of observation posts west to control the villages between COP Keating and the Afghan village of Saret Koheh. . A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in. A year later COP Keating would be the location for the fateful October 2009 Battle of Kamdesh for . I highly recommend picking up a copy as it goes into far far greater detail about the history and events leading up and during the battle. It seemed that it would get extremely intense, with a lot of fire, a lot of RPGs hitting the wall, and then it would die, McMurtrey told Air Force Magazine in 2011. Lurie, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, listened to what I had to say and agreed to let me visit the set. The soldiers heard over the radio, "Enemy in the wire The enemy is inside the camp." ", was Keating's assessment. "But it is very difficult for us when people who weren't there and weren't involved, question the decision of leadership in a fight, but sometimes it is also necessary.". He decided that American soldiers' "battle rattle" war gear gave the impression of soulless killing machines. Plans were drawn up in the summer of 2006 by the US Army's 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Mountain Lion. -The Outpost book. Mace survived long enough to be evacuated to a nearby medical facility. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. After Keating's death, a "Night Letter" appeared on the door of the Upper Kamdesh mosque on April 29, 2007. Other veterans also acted in the movie, including Henry Hughes. Known as COIN and refined by General David Petraeus, Commander of US forces in Afghanistan, the Army and Marine Counter-insurgency Field Manual FM 3-24 was to convert the population of Nuristan to American goals. [7]:21530, The closeness of the action, and coordinated fire from both sides of the valley indicated that the attackers in this ambush were different from the groups that had been using sporadic, long range, harassing fire. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. Commanders of Camp Keating are disciplined for not taking proper measures that led to deaths of eight U.S. soldiers and the wounding of 22 others in a Taliban attack. One officer in Afghanistan who was familiar with the attack on COP Keating said he had mixed feelings about the criticism leveled against the camp's commanders. Jayson Souter, and 1st Lt. Cason Shrode, including attack helicopters, A-10s, a B-1 bomber, and F-15 fighters, destroyed the local mosque, where much of the insurgents' heaviest fire originated. The report said that there were as many as 47 attacks in the five months prior to the deadly assault, 10 in the 30 days prior to the mass attack. The entire Outpost Keating was recreated. The report said the heroic action of American and Afghan soldiers contributed to a "severe tactical defeat for the Taliban" that resulted in as many as 150 Taliban fighters being killed. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, On August 8, 2006, 19 days after the first American landing, the PRT was attacked for the first time. Like in the film, Sgt. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. The note was signed "Mullah Omar". The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. Some who fled even handed their weapons to Taliban fighters. ABC News' Karen Russo contributed to this report, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Gul Mohammed Khan, the government administrator for Kamdesh District, lived at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers. Scott Eastwood, right, in a scene from The Outpost. The film tells the story of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan. Clint Romesha rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, "We're taking this bitch back. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. A base at the bottom of a valley surrounded by hills which are. Towards the end, resupply flights were limited to moonless nights when near total darkness offered some protection to helicopter crews and their craft. [5] Within two minutes of the beginning of the attack, American forces suffered their first casualty. Staff Sergeant William "Ryan" Fritsche was killed by rifle fire. Justin Gallegos' Silver Star was later upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. This strategy depended upon extending government control by building and maintaining provincial reconstruction team bases. Daniel Rodriguez, who took part in the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, portrays himself in the movie. [24], The insurgents began to retreat later in the day. [5] The U.S. military estimated that 150 Taliban insurgents were also killed as a result of repulsing the assault. In my moment of being the listener to a war story I previously told, I realized that The Outpost was as honest as any war story. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32 km) away from Kamdesh. ", Yes. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Army.When the battle ended after more than 12 hours, eight U.S. soldiers were killed and another 22 wounded. In this December 2012 interview, MAJ Melvin Porter, US Army, Signal; discusses his deployment to Afghanistan as a company commander for 3-61 Cavalry (CAV) in 2009 through 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Lieutenant Keating, first commander of the Kamdesh PRT, was determined to make COIN a success in the region. "Reviewing and examining and improving are part of our process and when we do it from within, it is embraced," said the officer who asked not to be identified. The soldiers left so quickly that they didn't take all of the ammunition. I stood silently in the corner and watched a rendition of the story I previously told through sympathy letters to the families of the fallen, in award write-ups for my soldiers and during lectures for military leaders. Quick reaction forces (QRF) from 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment did not reach the outpost until 7:00pm that day, while insurgents remained in parts of the outpost as late as 5:10pm. As the sun rose on Oct. 3, 2009, about 300 Taliban launched a surprise attack on COP Keating. American military operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area. Roller attended his next meeting with village leaders dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. Another example of his leadership failure was his failure to tell his troops why he was banning hot meals at the base. While there are numerous accounts of bravery that day, two Medals of Honor and nine Silver Stars (two have since been upgraded) were awarded. They made sustained attacks over a two-day period, drawing American support forces and widespread air forces into the battle. "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. Air Force Staff Sgt. Despite the efforts of two Latvian military advisors, First Sergeant Jnis Lais and Corporal Mrti Dboli,[21] who tried to convince the Afghan National Army forces not to flee,[22] the Afghan defenders quickly broke and ran. Nine years earlier, Cordova and his medics toiled away in the aid station to treat the wounded and save the dying. These valley and road intersections combined with the political leadership in the area inspired the positioning of the Nuristan PRT. Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and 27 wounded; eight Afghan soldiers were wounded, along with two Afghan private security guards. The other two mountains that surrounded the actual outpost were inserted with CGI. Served with United States Army since 2008. He jumped up undeterred and ran through heavy fire to get more ammunition. Located along a riverbank in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, the base was surrounded by steep mountains. Troops, Amazon.com: The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor eBook: Tapper, Jake: Kindle Store, Wehrmacht wins at Dunkirk: Description of the battle that never was. It was treacherous and subject to enemy ambush. That doesnt mean anything should be taken from the guys on the ground. Five languages and various dialects are spoken by these groups, rendering translators from other areas of Afghanistan useless. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. Lardner, Richard (Associated Press), "Command Failures". On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. Tiller was also thrown from the truck but his injuries weren't nearly as severe. [14] At the time, Afghan national forces were supervised and trained by members of the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams. The wounded Americans condition immediately improved after the first unit of blood, as did the spirits of all those in the aid station. It took place while First Lieutenant Kaine Meshkin (not in the film) was leading a patrol to Observation Post Fritsche. Troops", "Outnumbered and With Taliban Overrunning the Base, Clinton Romesha Was Awarded MoH at the Battle of Kamdesh", "4th ID Soldier awarded Distinguished Service Cross", "Army vet honored with Distinguished Service Cross for combat heroics in Afghanistan", "Pilots receive Distinguished Flying Cross for valor", "Airmen honored by college for heroism in Afghanistan", "Army veteran Clinton Romesha receives Medal of Honor for Afghan fight", "Obama awards Ty Carter Medal of Honor for Afghan battle", "US soldiers hold back Taliban attack on COP Keating", COP Keating Report at DefenseTech.org: After Action Report, before and after photos, maps, analysis, Executive Summary - AR 15-6 Investigation re: Complex Attack on COP Keating - 3 Oct 09, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Kamdesh&oldid=1135532495, Served with United States Army since 2003 and Participated in, Killed by a single gunshot wound in the head, Served with United States Army since 2004 and Participated in, Killed by multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body, Served with United States Army since 2006 and Participated in, Served with United States Army since 2005. Keating's death, while mostly historically accurate, is pushed up in the film as a way to condense the storyline.Knowing the LMTV armored supply vehicle was too heavy for the road in Kamdesh, Keating volunteered against protocol to drive the truck, choosing to risk his own life instead of the lives of the men serving underneath him. But I never told the story from my own perspective. Keating was killed in November 2006 when he volunteered for a dangerous mission to drive an army truck loaded with supplies up to the camp, along treacherous 200-foot cliffs. Nicholson and officers of his command believed that much of the flow of weapons and troops from Pakistan could be stopped at Kamdesh. On July 20, 2006, 2:00 a. m. all of Cherokee Company and one platoon from Able Troop, 3-71 Cavalry Squadron dropped in two Chinooks on Landing Zone Warheit, a cornfield on a ridge near Kamdesh, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Howard to garrison the area. Michael Polidor and Capt. Colonel Pat Donahue, the former commander of the 3rd BCT, believed that the Nuristani population was essentially neutral, hostile to any outside groups, and so isolated that resources allocated to the region would be wasted. The 48N6 missiles of the S-400 (and why they were designed by flat-earthers), WI: Instead of a NATO pull-out, the bases/forces in Afghanistan are handed over to the UN Peacekeeping. These troops were ambushed on the Naray-Kamdesh road and shot up badly enough to prevent their arrival in Kamdesh. The fire was so intense they had to toss smoke grenades for concealment, just to get . It was one of many reasons Cordova was later awarded the Silver Star. Resistance in Nuristan revolved around a specific group of Islamic fighters known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG. On the whole the AAF was a broader based and more formidable force in 2007 than before the American invasion, and represented a significant escalation. I witnessed the making of The Outpost, a film about the day my unit fought off 300 Taliban fighters who tried to overrun our camp in Afghanistan. He worked throughout the battle, calling in strikes on enemy positions, even amidst a winter storm that blew in right at the height of the battle. Several days after the battle, U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained. When I learned that my U.S. Army cavalry troops war story was being made into a major motion picture, I worried that a Hollywood account of the battle would be inaccurate. [2] A day after, on October 7, Taliban fighters were seen among the ruins of the outpost. [39] The Netflix documentary series, Medal of Honor, includes an episode detailing the actions of Clinton Romesha and Ty Carter.[40]. He thought to helicopter crews and their craft from other areas of Afghanistan useless actual outpost were inserted CGI. 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