The report concluded that it was the lack of adequate defenses that made Keating "an attractive target" for the Taliban. Sgt. According to army records, the Taliban commander of the attack on Keating, Abdul Rahman Mustaghni, was killed by the following drone strike along with thirteen other insurgents. [39] The Netflix documentary series, Medal of Honor, includes an episode detailing the actions of Clinton Romesha and Ty Carter.[40]. Daniel Rodriguez, who took part in the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, portrays himself in the movie. Meanwhile, Sgt. So if you see the film when it comes out over the Fourth of July weekend, know that you are not just watching a war movie. Enemy forces controlled the landing zone, which prevented the wounded from being lifted out. Using the 120mm mortar means the base can command the entire valley. Formalized as "The Commitment of Mutual Support" the agreement also provided the Shura would provide local security in return for an end to uninvited American military searches of local towns and mosques. Two days before the attack, I was en route to a mountaintop observation post when the helicopter I was flying in was hit by enemy fire. Years later, I still feel guilty for not getting there until nightfall, even if the circumstances were out of my control. The veterans who served as technical advisors on the film said that the set was eerily similar to the real outpost, which no longer exists. Urdu and Pashtun HIG warriors brought arms and ammunition from Pakistan. He assumed command of CO Keating following the death of Captain Robert Yllescas in a Taliban IED attack in December 2008, and he almost immediately acquired a negative reputation among his new command, who called him "Broward the Coward" for planning . Sylvanius Broward in the movie is a fictional name for a real captain, Mel Porter. Porter had already done two tours in Iraq and even before he was deployed to COP Keating, his superior officer Lieutenant Colonel Brad Brown and the men of his company thought he was "spent". On the day of our visit, the cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the aid station. But the courage of the Americans who fought there will never be forgotten. 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. Haji Yunus, a village elder of Gawardesh and contractor for an electric plant, was kidnapped and murdered. [3] Romesha was critical of the choice of site for the base, describing it as "like being in a fishbowl or fighting from the bottom of a paper cup. Benjamin D. Keating was born in Sanford, Maine on 31 May 1979, and he served as Chair of the Young Republicans at the . 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. Let's get back on topic please. Because the reports had not been verified by other intelligence sources, such as electronic intelligence, the reports were discounted. From November through January 2008 members of the Shura traveled the villages of the Kamdesh area, informing the residents of the support agreement and stating that the era of holy war was over, and that local government would bring peace and prosperity. "[5], On November 9, 2018, the Netflix series Medal of Honor featured two separate episodes for both Romesha and Carter's personal accounts of the events that took place at COP Keating during the Battle of Kamdesh. 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. Much of this is the result of the real-life Battle of Kamdesh veterans who were involved in the film, both as technical advisors and actors. Keating's November 26, 2006 death deeply affected his platoon, who wanted to honor his sacrifice and his selfless care for them. [2] Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009. . Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. |. Brown would also note that it was a failure of leadership on Porter's part because of Porter's absolute refusal to explain to his troops why the mortars were being limited. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. Without air support, I dont think we would have made it, considering the number against us and the area we were in, McMurtrey said. It's true that some of the Taliban fighters casually strolled through the camp, believing they had won. Air Force Staff Sgt. The report found that a "mindset of imminent closure" led the unit to not improve the outpost's defenses despite intelligence reports that warned of a possible attack by "a large enemy force.". Thomas Rasmussen fought back and was knocked off his feet by a rocket-propelled grenade. [9], Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron "Destroyers", 61st Cavalry Regiment manned COP Keating. prosthetic makeup effects technician: Millennium FX. The first soldier to arrive had profuse bleeding from the skull. Over the years, I have learned that sharing the experience allowed many of us to put our emotions into words. Hutto had worked for years on COIN campaigns in Central America. Yes. JT: First Lieutenant Ben Keating, who is the namesake of the camp, he was, he had Pressfield's book with him, and he was reading it, and it was a lesson to him. 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. Keating's story was in the news again earlier this year; he was portrayed in the movie "The Outpost," which tells the story of one of the bloodiest battles in the war in Afghanistan. Lardner, Richard (Associated Press), "Command Failures". [8] US Army soldiers at both outposts had been ordered to prepare to evacuate the outposts and had informed local Afghan leaders of their intention to do so. Basically, the air support was leaving and coming back. Located along a riverbank in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, the base was surrounded by steep mountains. [7]:95,268. Scott Eastwood, right, in a scene from The Outpost. The film tells the story of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan. The landing zone was placed on the other side of the river on a rocky peninsula jutting into the river near Urmul. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Combined with difficult conditions for air supply, and little support from the local population, supply to what was renamed Camp Keating on November 26, 2006, was wholly inadequate. 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.". According to one account, Hill without hesitation picked up a Latvian sniper rifle and eliminated the target at a distance of over 300 meters., 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann, de facto ground commander, worked to slow the fire in the operations center and salvage equipment. Clint Romesha and Ty Carter, portrayed by Scott Eastwood and Caleb Landry Jones, were not present when Benjamin Keating died. The Nuristanis had resisted Islam as late as the year 1895 and before that had been considered a Hindu nation (Islamic invaders called them "Kaffir" or heathen) with a long tradition of violently resisting outsiders and their beliefs. . He wanted to avoid risking the lives of his men while traveling on an unstable road subject to ambush with an overweight vehicle. Justin Gallegos' Silver Star was later upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. Yes. Without adequate support, they were left to fight for their lives against overwhelming odds. Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. These subgroups were in turn divided into clans and sects, depending on lineages and the interpretations of individual religious leaders. In 2018, I flew on my own dime to Sofia, Bulgaria, to witness the making of the film based on Jake Tappers book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Chris Cordova, an old friend and another veteran of the battle, came with me. 8 killed 27 wounded[5] 4 killed 10 wounded. Capt. Area of Operations. 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. Given that her reticence led to her subordinates acting on their own initiative resulting in her plan failing, not really. [7][8] The former of which is based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by journalist Jake Tapper. At one point, the insurgents even controlled the ammunition supply point. 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. As the sun rose on Oct. 3, 2009, about 300 Taliban launched a surprise attack on COP Keating. The growling soon escalated into outright hostility, which deeply frightened the boy. Originally built to engage the locals in community development projects, Combat Outpost Keating located at the bottom of three steep mountains just 14 miles from the Pakistani border faced . Tears were streaming down his face. Captain Melvin Porter, 4th Infantry Division, US Army, said: "We're sitting in a bowl so we are constantly under observation." This is how the war went at COP Keating: a few pot shots from. One of the casualties was a bright young specialist named Stephan Mace, whom Cordova kept alive for nine hours by transfusing fresh blood from other soldiers, himself included. Action at the Aid Station 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. The movie details Keating's November 2006 death, which occurred when his truck fell from a clifftop road during a convoy run. For the most part, yes. Rob Yllescas of Nebraska, in "The Outpost," which tells the story of real-life combat events from the War in Afghanistan. Email us at atwar@nytimes.com. In the end, as part of an effort by General Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, such remote outposts were closed so that more troops could be used to protect civilians in populated areas. The Allies hoped that extending these bases into Nuristan, one of the most remote and isolated eastern provinces in Afghanistan, they could demonstrate to the entire Afghan population the government's credibility and power. As soon as they left, the insurgents would come back.. I only watched the trailer. I'd have to look more into the specific situation to know more but from the general impression of the situation. Regrouping there, they pushed out teams to retake much of the outpost. It involved a small force of 54 U.S. soldiers (Bravo Troop 3-61), in addition to their Afghan and Latvian allies, at the remote Combat Outpost Keating in northeastern Afghanistan near the town of Kamdesh. Once we got overhead the target, the biggest thing that struck me was how much of Keating was on fire. American troops in Nuristan found themselves directly in opposition to the HIG forces. Christopher Cordova, the squadrons physician assistant, was manning the aid station where there was no power. "It doesn't really take a lot to sort of trigger the emotions again," said Beth Keating. Additionally, 20 Afghan troops, two Latvian soldiers and a dozen Afghan security guards were at Keating. A commander who has no trust for or from his subordinates, keeps them in the dark, and fails to make the intent of his orders clear is making it harder for everyone else to do their jobs and jeopardizing mission success. Ty M. Carter pauses during a patrol outside Combat Outpost Keating, Afghanistan, where he was deployed with the 61st Cavalry Regiment in 2009. Five languages and various dialects are spoken by these groups, rendering translators from other areas of Afghanistan useless. That was our troopers advantage up there. Given its proximity to Pakistan, Combat Outpost Keating was part of a counter-insurgency strategy. He jumped up undeterred and ran through heavy fire to get more ammunition. 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. Provide clean water by installing gravity fed pipelines. [8] In addition, Afghan national forces manned checkpoints and roadblocks at various locations around the area. "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. Villagers and clans who were left out of these projects were resentful, and quick to turn against the Americans. At one point, he and his men came under heavy sniper fire. During and after the battle, some of the Afghan soldiers stole items, including digital cameras and protein drinks, belonging to American soldiers at the base. The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. After dispensing with the enemy, QRF continued their descent and entered the outpost at approximately 7:00pm. On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. The outpost's depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed on October 6 by a B-1 bomber in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind. On Oct. 3, 2009, the camp and its 53 soldiers were attacked by some 400 Taliban fighters. ", Yes. Clint Romesha rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, "We're taking this bitch back. And appearing Holdo's subordinates were well aware of the plain. Not exactly, but in researching The Outpost's historical accuracy, we learned that a similar incident happened the year prior, in 2008, involving more than just one dog. [18], At about 3:00a.m. on October 3, over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area. Unlike Donahue, Nicholson was a supporter of COIN in addition to seeing Kamdesh as a decisive control point. [1] Plans were drawn up in the summer of 2006 by the US Army's 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Mountain Lion. Lieutenant Keating, first commander of the Kamdesh PRT, was determined to make COIN a success in the region. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. Anyone can read what you share. Above their paygrade. Chris Cordova with actors who portrayed him and medics under his command. A bus carrying employees of an Afghan television station was bombed in Kabul on May 30. are assisting Somali soldiers fighting Al Shabab, and by a health care system that utterly failed him, The case has irritated U.S. relations with a crucial military ally. They professed a Salafi version of Islam, and were hostile to any political rivals. In the process, the truck rolled over him and ended up almost fully submerged in the river. When the battle was over, 16 tons of bombs had been dropped. Anthony Parker. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of 400 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. 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. Soldiers with 1st Plt., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. Does this give anyone else flashbacks to he purple hair admiral in The Last Jedi? As it became obvious that COP Keating was too isolated, indefensible, and impossible to supply, plans were made to close it beginning in December 2008. In 2006, HIG was actively resisting the Afghan government. This article is featured in the 2019 October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine. The Taliban surprised the outpost with mortar fire and a massive infantry assault which partly overran and nearly destroyed COP Keating, and, while the Americans and their allies held off several Taliban attacks on the base in the bloodiest battle in Afghanistan since the 2008 Battle of Wanat, the outpost was shut down shortly after and its depot [5] Within two minutes of the beginning of the attack, American forces suffered their first casualty. Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. The Outpost is a 2020 war film directed by Rod Lurie, based on the 2012 non-fiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper, about the Battle of Kamdesh in the war in Afghanistan.It stars Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Will Attenborough, and Taylor John Smith. The second incident happened in 2008 at Observation Post Fritsche. His wounds were severe and while he was initially in and out of consciousness, he died before they could get him back to the outpost. Between each take, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, who offered feedback to make the scene match his memory. In 2006, Allied commanders identified the Kamdesh area to be key to denying anti-coalition militia the required access to supply lines crossing into and out of nearby Pakistan. 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). Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and 27 wounded; eight Afghan soldiers were wounded, along with two Afghan private security guards. It took place while First Lieutenant Kaine Meshkin (not in the film) was leading a patrol to Observation Post Fritsche. The movie does a good job of capturing the nerve-racking tension of being posted at Combat Outpost Keating. Cordova continued to treat the wounded even after flames were within 10 feet of his location. It was this delay that proved fatal to some of the troops stationed at COP Keating. Loss of life was inevitable and the government. Harder, from Minnesota, just 29, was in charge of a small team of soldiers at the combat outpost, COP Keating. They made sustained attacks over a two-day period, drawing American support forces and widespread air forces into the battle. Tim Quinton. Such attacks are not news to men like Capt. During the day-long battle at Combat Outpost Keating last Oct. 3, the base was temporarily overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters. He decided that American soldiers' "battle rattle" war gear gave the impression of soulless killing machines. Several of the dogs that hung around the camp were with them, one of which supposedly bit an old woman working in a field. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. He was the last commander of Combat Outpost Keating. Like in the film, Sgt. 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. Then tragedy struck again. Please email thoughts and suggestions to atwar@nytimes.com. Melvin Porter of the Fourth Infantry Division, as Keating has been furiously and repeatedly attacked since it opened in 2006. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. (Multiple explosions near the ammo supply set off a series of fires at the post.). Colonel John W. Nicholson Jr., Commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, had observed that Kamdesh was located at a point where three of the valley systems from the Pakistan border in the north converged. It's at least the third time officers were disciplined after soldiers' deaths. [38], The battle of Kamdesh is documented in the 2017 book Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor by Clinton Romesha, a former United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle for Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan. The U.S. soldiers killed in the battle were: Amy Davidson Sorkin, writing in The New Yorker, tried to answer the question why the base had not been moved, when it was found to be unsuitable. The fighting at COP Keating, which is also known as the Battle of Kamdesh, involved an attack by over 400 insurgents against the combat outpost, which was slated to be dismantled. The PRT site resembled the bottom of a funnel. In real life, Keating had served with the 3/71 CAV, not the 3/61 CAV (the unit he's part of in The Outpost movie). Who plays Nia on the outpost? The outpost was manned by 54 American personnel from B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, who faced greater than seven-to-one odds in the battle. Capt. The elder considers this to be a bad omen and demands that there be retribution. The smaller U.S. force ultimately beat back the attack after a fierce hours-long battle where Apache helicopters, that raced to assist the besieged soldiers, made all the difference. Shot in the head by a Taliban sniper after being wounded by RPG fire. Avalos began directing indirect support to help the defense of COP Keating. In December 2006, it was renamed Camp Keating after the death of ABLE Troop 3-71 Cavalry 10th Mountain Division's Executive Officer Benjamin Keating, who died November 26, 2006, while conducting combat operations south of the camp. Within moments of entry, members of the QRF discovered and confirmed the death of Sgt. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. A recreated Red Platoon barracks bunk bed. (The main aid station was too heavily damaged to remain in operation.). [7]:327328 The nearest attack helicopters were located in Jalalabad, a thirty-minute flight away. The Distinguished Flying Cross was given to 7 aviators who assisted in defending the base. Defense officials confirm that three other Army officers face disciplinary action for their role in the attack on the military outpost in Wanat in July, 2008 that led to nine dead U.S. soldiers and 27 wounded. 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. An after-action report stated that within less than a few minutes of fighting, the Afghan soldiers serving at Keating, as well as the Afghan security guards, had fled their positions, allowing the enemy to quickly overrun the post. 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. American outpost in Nuristan, Afghanistan, List of post-Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients, "Latest Medal of Honor brings COP Keating battle back into spotlight", "A Medal of Honor recipient's ongoing burden", "COP Keating battle begins, Medal of Honor nominee Romesha takes action", "This Netflix series will tell the stories of Medal of Honor recipients", "The Battle of Kamdesh, which netted two Medals of Honor, is coming to the big screen twice", "Sony Enlists Director Daniel Espinosa, George Clooney's Smokehouse For 'Red Platoon', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Combat_Outpost_Keating&oldid=1137949129, Military installations of the United States in Afghanistan, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 06:20. [7]:363383[13], COP Keating became increasingly isolated in the summer of 2009. 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. Several days after the battle, U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained. In 2009, Combat Outpost Keating was positioned perilously close to Taliban forces, in the sandy hills of Afghanistan, and vulnerable to attack. Staff Sergeant William "Ryan" Fritsche was killed by rifle fire. David Porter (February 1, 1780 - March 3, 1843) was an officer in the United States Navy in the rank of captain and the honorary title of commodore.Porter commanded a number of U.S. naval ships. The assassin was later found in Urmul and appeared to have the assistance of one of the Afghan day laborers at Camp Keating and the acquiescence of Urmul's elders. It looked just like our outpost on the day of the battle. [15], The Allies planned to close COP Keating by August 2009, but the move was delayed because of other military operations in a nearby district. The combination of volatile weather and rugged mountains make any kind of travel and life in general difficult and challenging. Aaron Dove, pilot and weapon systems officer of one of the F-15E aircraft coordinating close air support, were also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Captain Benjamin Keating Born: May 31, 1979 Birthplace: Sanford, Maine, USA Death: November 26, 2006, Kamdesh, Afghanistan (injuries suffered when vehicle turned over) Milo Gibson Born: November 16, 1990 Birthplace: Australia Captain Robert Yllescas Born: October 7, 1977 Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala [20] Observation Post Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. [7]:229,256,26380[12], The Battle of Saret Koheh made good on the threats of the "Night Letter". The movie is based on the 2012 nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by CNN's Jake Tapper. To a man, they all felt they had an obligation to help out in those areas where they saw Portar as failing, but upon hearing their recommendations, the captain consistently told them, point blank, that he was the commander, not them. Towards the end, resupply flights were limited to moonless nights when near total darkness offered some protection to helicopter crews and their craft. Of the 53 U.S. soldiers who fought in the Battle of Kamdesh at Outpost Keating, 45 survived, 8 lost their lives, and 27 were wounded. A common misconception is that the Taliban are primitive fighters who lack the necessary skills to be effective in battle. Lardner, Richard, (Associated Press), "Investigation: Afghan Troops Ran, Hid During Deadly Battle", "Latvian, U.S. soldiers reunite after deadly battle", "Eight U.S. Nicholson was a small team of soldiers at the aid station where there was no power entry, members the. News to men like Capt of Kamdesh, Afghanistan, the insurgents even controlled the supply... Film ) was captain mel porter outpost keating a patrol to Observation Post Fritsche 7 aviators who assisted in defending the was! Was attacked from Multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters subgroups were in turn divided into and., Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban fighters Carter, by... From Multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters Army Commendation Medal with `` ''! Afghan soldiers nonfiction book the Outpost Saret Koheh made good on the threats of the Taliban station was too damaged... The river on a rocky peninsula jutting into the battle of Saret Koheh made good on other! 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