[29], Following the battle, the U.S. Central Command conducted an investigation on what had occurred, led by US Army General Guy Swan. Chris Cordova with actors who portrayed him and medics under his command. My soldiers and I had been sharing stories since Oct. 3, 2009, when our 53 cavalry scouts fought off more than 300 Taliban fighters bent on overrunning Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan. [36], On 11 February 2013, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, a survivor of the battle. Martina Skokova. Something had to be done to bring Nuristan on to the American side. Sgt. Given its proximity to Pakistan, Combat Outpost Keating was part of a counter-insurgency strategy. Keating saw these programs as producing mixed results. Yes. [10][27][28], On October 5 and 6, Coalition troops conducted operations in the area in an attempt to locate and destroy the Taliban forces responsible for the attack on the outposts. Benjamin D. Keating (31 May 1979-26 November 2006) was a US Army Captain who served in the US 61st Cavalry Regiment during the Afghanistan War. This letter was written in Pashto and signed "Mujahideen". The movie was filmed in 2018 on a set created at the base of a mountain in Bulgaria, not far from the city of Sofia. [18], At about 3:00a.m. on October 3, over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area. These groups could clash violently over water rights, pasture, and religious beliefs. Lurie, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, listened to what I had to say and agreed to let me visit the set. Military commanders had already decided to close the base the previous summer, but delayed doing so because of other operations. 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. There was an element of ABLE Troop 3-71 CAV 2nd Platoon still left on the PZ after the crash that worked relentlessly to recover the bodies of their 10 comrades and destroy sensitive equipment in the wreckage. Despite overwhelming odds and volume of injuries, MAJ (R) Cordova was able to . "[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. Several of the surviving soldiers were technical advisors on the film, including Medal of Honor recipient Ty Carter, who is played by Caleb Landry Jones. 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). Over the years, I have learned that sharing the experience allowed many of us to put our emotions into words. Yes. The climate of the area has hot summers, a monsoon season in the summer, and cold winters of ice and snow extending down into the valleys. 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. Those guys were amazing. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. The note was signed "Mullah Omar". "Needed force protection improvements were not made because of the imminent closure of the outpost. Other veterans also acted in the movie, including Henry Hughes. [35] Capt. While there are numerous accounts of bravery that day, two Medals of Honor and nine Silver Stars (two have since been upgraded) were awarded. After an investigation, four officers in the chain of command were disciplined for their failure to adequately support the base. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Despite recommendations not to drive the large supply vehicle, First Lieutenant Ben Keating took the wheel while returning an armored supply truck to the Naray FOB. He began building a consensus of village elders in support of the Afghan government. A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in September 2019. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. 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. "The investigation concluded that critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets which had been supporting COP Keating had been diverted to assist ongoing intense combat operations in other areas," the report said. The Outpost true story reveals that the soldiers were surrounded by more than 300 Taliban fighters, many of whom were rushing in from Pakistan, which was only 14 miles from COP Keating. This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 06:49. When the battle was over, 16 tons of bombs had been dropped. 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. . 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. In the movie, he dies almost immediately after landing at the bottom of the cliff. ", Yes. AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. Here's what else we covered in this week's newsletter. The battle is also the main focal point of the 2020 film The Outpost, which was in-turn based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper. The other two mountains that surrounded the actual outpost were inserted with CGI. The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. Soldiers with 1st Plt., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. [31] 3 soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and 18 others the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. "It doesn't really take a lot to sort of trigger the emotions again," said Beth Keating. Clint Romesha, portrayed by Scott Eastwood in the film. Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. Another example of his leadership failure was his failure to tell his troops why he was banning hot meals at the base. He decided that American soldiers' "battle rattle" war gear gave the impression of soulless killing machines. Leaving aside the wisdom of a fictional admiral cutting her CAG and most experienced pilot out of the loop while she plans a small craft evacuation, the US Army follows a doctrine known as Mission Command, which relies on the commander keeping their subordinates informed not just of their orders but the. Second, the search for Bowe Bergdahl, in June 2009, had used up so many resources none were available to address the base's unsuitable location. 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 Afghan contractors were unable to keep the narrow mountain road in safe condition, and convoys were subject to constant ambush from the surrounding mountains that lined the route. Ground resupply became almost impossible due to the area's limited roads and the threat of insurgent attacks. Additionally, 20 Afghan troops, two Latvian soldiers and a dozen Afghan security guards were at Keating. [7]:298304, By October 2007 the elders and mullahs of the Kamdesh area had been inspired by Rahman to gather at Kamdesh for a mass meeting, or shura to plan the future of Nuristan. 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. In the process, the truck rolled over him and ended up almost fully submerged in the river. It was only then that I truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the healing process. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. Enemy forces controlled the landing zone, which prevented the wounded from being lifted out. |. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. 3-71 Cavalry conducted many successful combat missions in the area surrounding the camp and repelled various attacks on the base. "As evening fell on the night of 3 October 2009, COP Keating remained solidly under US control, and enemy forces had suffered severe tactical defeat," according to the Army report, although "eight American soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice defending their outpost and their fellow soldiers." The outpost itself also needed to be accessible by road since most of the helicopters were being used in Iraq and were unavailable. (The main aid station was too heavily damaged to remain in operation.). 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. Actor Milo Gibson, the son of Mel Gibson, portrays Capt. Meanwhile, Sgt. Gul Mohammed Khan, the government administrator for Kamdesh District, lived at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers. ", Yes. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. [2], The attackers overran Keating's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Kamdesh village and most of Nuristan is located in the Hindu Kush. In Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming, Jonathan Shay calls this form of catharsis the communalization of grief, in which trauma survivors tell their stories and listeners can listen, believe and remember. This is when the circle of healing is complete. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. 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. Operation Deep Strike began on May 5, 2006. Zorias Yunger), most of what unfolds in the movie is largely accurate. The AAF responded to this advance with a well-organized ambush on July 26, 2007, in the river valley at Saret Koheh. The Outpost real story confirms that rocket-propelled grenades and mortars caused the camp to catch fire. Through the summer and fall of 2008, Captain Joey Hutto, COP Keating's new commander, expanded this initiative. Read more from At War here or follow us on Twitter. ", was Keating's assessment. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. The idea was to stop the insurgents' supply lines coming in from Pakistan. The growling soon escalated into outright hostility, which deeply frightened the boy. Based there were 53 U.S. soldiers primarily with B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. Relief had been slowed in reaching COP Keating due to a lack of available aircraft and density of terrain. They professed a Salafi version of Islam, and were hostile to any political rivals. [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. [20] Observation Post Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. Who plays Nia on the outpost? Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. The attacks size and urgency may have had something to do with the US Soldier Bounty issued by the Ruskies. It's a solid 10/10 read: No hot food, No fire support. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32km) away from Kamdesh. These bases were a key element of the American counterinsurgency strategy. These troops were ambushed on the Naray-Kamdesh road and shot up badly enough to prevent their arrival in Kamdesh. 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.". As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Air Force Staff Sgt. By now, Porter had strained relations with nearly all of his subordinate leaders. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. Shane Courville; Cordova; George Arvidson as Cordova. The true story confirms that the Afghan National Army soldiers, who were fighting alongside the U.S. troops, either fled the outpost after the attack began or hid in cowardice. American troops in Nuristan found themselves directly in opposition to the HIG forces. [26] The attack accelerated those plans, with the troops' departure taking place so quickly after the battle that some munitions were abandoned. 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. They performed heroically and bravely.. It also showed Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kolenda (commander of American forces in Naray) with a crisis. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. Tears were streaming down his face. Action at the Aid Station As they filmed one take after another, Cordova clenched his jaw and swallowed back tears, reliving the most traumatic day of his life. ' The Outpost ' is a 2020 war drama which tells the story of 53 US soldiers who battled some 400 enemy insurgents in north-eastern Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom. Some who fled even handed their weapons to Taliban fighters. [17], 27 soldiers were awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. On that day, then-1LT Bundermann's leadership and heroic actions in orchestrating the defense of Combat Outpost Keating, helped prevent it from falling into the hands of a Taliban force of more than 400 fighters. This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. The Soviets had to contend with a rebel group known as the Dawlet of eastern Nuristan. [7]:12930 1345,156. (U.S. Army) The Counterattack: "We're Taking this Bitch Back" With more and more Taliban soldiers now inside the base, an important decision was needed. The movie does a good job of capturing the nerve-racking tension of being posted at Combat Outpost Keating. 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. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers fought. [The airspace above] Keating was packed full of jets, so we knew this was not an ordinary engagement, Kulish told Air Force Magazine. The following day, insurgents kidnapped and murdered Fazal Ahad, an elder from Badmuk who was attempting to end the Kom/Kata tribal disagreements by arranging a meeting in Kamdesh. What if there was a country in place of the Bay of Biscay? Tiller was also thrown from the truck but his injuries weren't nearly as severe. Clint Romesha rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, "We're taking this bitch back. On the day of our visit, the cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the aid station. As seen in the movie, the road in Kamdesh collapsed underneath the truck, throwing Keating from the vehicle as it rolled over a cliff, sending both himself and the truck down toward the Landay-Sin River. "whatever you think of their ideology, these are fierce and smart fighters. The Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating was evacuated two days after the battle. [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. Omar was the top Taliban leader, but U.S. Intelligence stated that HIG had done the killing, crediting Omar to instil more fear due to Omar's greater reputation. 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. Tim Quinton. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle. Unlike Donahue, Nicholson was a supporter of COIN in addition to seeing Kamdesh as a decisive control point. Capt. 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. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. The report, released to the public in June 2011, concluded "inadequate measures taken by the chain of command" facilitated the attack, but praised the troops fighting at the base for repulsing the attack "with conspicuous gallantry, courage and bravery. When Captain Aaron Swain of Cherokee Co. had sounded out Afghan Border Police Commander Ahmed Shah about setting up near Kamdesh, he was told that HIG insurgents tried to blow up Shah's jeep on his last trip there and it was a bad place. Div., at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province on Aug. 6, 2009. [19] At 6:00 a.m, the fighters opened fire from all sides of the outpost with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,[10] immediately putting the Americans' mortar pit out of action. 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. As a result of the battle, COP Keating was partially overrun and nearly destroyed. The movie details Keating's November 2006 death, which occurred when his truck fell from a clifftop road during a convoy run. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. Died of his wounds after his legs were hit by RPG shrapnel. The transfusion was a radical move that brought Mace back to consciousness. aircraft.[5]. 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. Loss of life was inevitable and the government. Plans were drawn up in the summer of 2006 by the US Army's 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Mountain Lion. As I neared the camp that evening, Cordovas voice crackled through my radio and asked for more blood donors. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/magazine/the-outpost-afghanistan-movie.html. 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. Like in the movie, the quick reaction force (QRF) coming down the mountain to help were shocked by the firey devastation. Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan, as recreated on the set. 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. [32] Staff Sgt. Captain Sylvanius Broward (Kwame Patterson), whom the men refer to as "Broward the Coward," shoots the dog to appease the elder and calm the situation. To make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin.
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