Years later, I still feel guilty for not getting there until nightfall, even if the circumstances were out of my control. A base at the bottom of a valley surrounded by hills which are. Meanwhile, Sgt. In the year that followed the agreement, ANA and American deaths dropped from thirty to three. So first and foremost: The movie is based off the book of the same name. Gul Mohammed Khan, the government administrator for Kamdesh District, lived at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers. 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. Hutto had worked for years on COIN campaigns in Central America. [7]:334,501,92,98. The camp was constructed by 3-71 Cavalry, 10th Mountain Division (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition) in the summer of 2006 and was manned by their ABLE Troop element until June 2007. For their heroism, 2 Medals of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were awarded. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle. [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. On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. [35] Capt. [2], The attackers overran Keating's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle. 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. [4] She noted two claims the military put forward in its report: first, the resources to relocate the base had not been available because the brigade was concentrating on guarding a village that Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan, considered strategically important. Unconfirmed footage reportedly shows a short segment from a November 2008 battle at Combat Outpost (COP) Keating, in which ISAF troops attempt to defend the stupidly-placed position from an enemy that holds the high ground on all sides. Staff Sergeant William "Ryan" Fritsche was killed by rifle fire. The soldiers left so quickly that they didn't take all of the ammunition. It's true that some of the Taliban fighters casually strolled through the camp, believing they had won. Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. 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. What if there was a country in place of the Bay of Biscay? Urdu and Pashtun HIG warriors brought arms and ammunition from Pakistan. Military commanders had already decided to close the base the previous summer, but delayed doing so because of other operations. That process helped us heal, but a bad rendering of the battle would leave us talking about what the movie got wrong instead of what actually happened. ", was Keating's assessment. Not an Ordinary Engagement From left, Martin Malchev as Specialist Cody Floyd; Jack Kalian as Staff Sgt. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. The outpost was renamed Camp Keating in December 2006 (not in 2009). [37], Staff Sergeant Ty Carter (then Specialist) was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage during the battle. 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. It also showed Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kolenda (commander of American forces in Naray) with a crisis. This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. The basic approach to victory by the PRT involved three steps: Nicholson hoped the PRT would seed a process to be developed by the Nuristanis rather than imposed from the outside. Joshua Hardt, who until this time had been MIA. The brigade was busy guarding another village, and numerous other resources had been consumed looking for Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier who was held captive by the Taliban after he deserted his post on June 30, 2009. 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. Div. Area of Operations. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 1.33 million dollars was budgeted for these projects. [26] The attack accelerated those plans, with the troops' departure taking place so quickly after the battle that some munitions were abandoned. 1st Class Jonathan Hill rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds. As soon as they left, the insurgents would come back.. [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. He was the last commander of Combat Outpost Keating. The steep mountains rendered two dimensional maps and landmarks useless. Within the first hour, the American and Latvian defenders had collapsed to a tight internal perimeter, centered on the two buildings that were not burning. The entire Outpost Keating was recreated. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. As Cordova worked to stop the bleeding, five injured Afghan soldiers and another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in. 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. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. Another example of his leadership failure was his failure to tell his troops why he was banning hot meals at the base. Again, it was later noted that many of Porter's decisions were sound. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. 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. 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. The attacks size and urgency may have had something to do with the US Soldier Bounty issued by the Ruskies. 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 . Once we got overhead the target, the biggest thing that struck me was how much of Keating was on fire. 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. By all quantifiable metrics, my unit won the fight, but at a devastating cost: Eight soldiers died, 22 were wounded and our camp burned to the ground. The movie is based on the 2012 nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by CNN's Jake Tapper. | Trademarks and service marks of VFW. The military had planned to relocate the outpost in August 2009, but the resources needed for such a move were tied up elsewhere. Meanwhile, back at the aid station, Cordova learned that the first medevac would not arrive until after 7:30 p.m. A critically wounded soldier needed a blood transfusion in order to survive. 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. Cordovas care raised the morale of every soldier in the aid station, and word quickly spread across the outpost, the battle narrative stated. They were eventually repelled from the small base through the actions of what the investigation's report said were the camp soldiers who "fought heroically" and counterattacks by Apache helicopters and attack jets. American military operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area. The soldiers heard over the radio, "Enemy in the wire The enemy is inside the camp." AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. [9] The Americans "declared the outpost closed and departedso quickly that they did not carry out all of their stored ammunition. Members of 10th Mountain Division's 1-32 Infantry Regiment were air lifted to the nearest helicopter landing zone on OP Fritsche and arrived at approximately 2:00pm, as recalled by a soldier on scene. A deliberate withdrawal had been planned some time before the battle began, and the closing was part of a wider effort by the top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, to cede remote outposts and consolidate troops in more populated areas to better protect Afghan civilians. . 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. 3-71 Cavalry conducted many successful combat missions in the area surrounding the camp and repelled various attacks on the base. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. Staff Sergeant Vernon Tiller, the most senior mechanic, was in the passenger's seat when it went over the cliff. The Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating was evacuated two days after the battle. Thomas Rasmussen fought back and was knocked off his feet by a rocket-propelled grenade. Benjamin D. Keating was born in Sanford, Maine on 31 May 1979, and he served as Chair of the Young Republicans at the . It was only then that I truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the healing process. Resistance in Nuristan revolved around a specific group of Islamic fighters known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG. Robert Yllescas. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. 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. On the day of our visit, the cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the aid station. 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. [29], Following the battle, the U.S. Central Command conducted an investigation on what had occurred, led by US Army General Guy Swan. This series of meetings over two days involved more than 800 representatives of the people of Nuristan, and had the goal of bringing order and economic development to the region. I support this diversion into a discussion of the operational art and command structure as practiced by the New Resistance under Leia Organa. The difference there being the writers seemingly supporting her reticence to explain anything. Rather off-topic but wasn't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand? Or invite someone to subscribe through this link. They expanded the perimeter all the way back to the entry control point and to the buildings on the western edge of the outpost, which became their final fighting position. American forces formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray to Kamdesh along the river. In the movie, he dies almost immediately after landing at the bottom of the cliff. [7]:31214,371, The shura began to falter by October 2008. 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. In Afghanistan, MAJ (R) Cordova was involved in the Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating on the 3rd of October 2009. ABC News' Karen Russo contributed to this report, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. They professed a Salafi version of Islam, and were hostile to any political rivals. Eventually, supporting aircraft scattered the attackers; while air support provided decisive results. [2] Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009. A year later COP Keating would be the location for the fateful October 2009 Battle of Kamdesh for . During the day-long battle at Combat Outpost Keating last Oct. 3, the base was temporarily overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters. [24], The insurgents began to retreat later in the day. The letter stated: "At the present time for those who work and obey the American devils by taking contracts for building schools, road, and power plants: also those who work as police, district administrators, and commanders as well as sold-out mullahs who deny Allah's orders and holy war and deny the holy Quran: We are telling you that we are continuing our holy war in Allah's will Soon we will start our operations." Capt. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers fought. 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. They did their jobs, and Im here because of what they did, but air support was definitely a must.. The camp was originally constructed to be a PRT (i.e., Provincial Reconstruction Team), called PRT Kamdesh, but due to extremely high levels of fighting in the area it remained a fire base instead of a PRT. I am almost 100% certain it was deliberately placed in a shitty location to goad locals into attacking the base, allowing the US to attack the enemy directly. Keating landed between two rocks nearly 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the river. This strategy depended upon extending government control by building and maintaining provincial reconstruction team bases. The movie details Keating's November 2006 death, which occurred when his truck fell from a clifftop road during a convoy run. 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. Furthermore, Camp Keating's location, surrounded by mountains on three sides, exposed helicopters and the outpost's garrison to insurgent fire. 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. Fallen Heroes 3-61 Cavalry, 4th BCT, 4th ID. Like in the film, Sgt. 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. Tiller was also thrown from the truck but his injuries weren't nearly as severe. A new counter-insurgency strategy seemed to offer a way around these problems. Skola karalauk", "COP Keating Investigation Findings Released", "Afghan, US troops kill 40 militants in east", "Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. In 2006, HIG was actively resisting the Afghan government. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. [7]:803,945,11620, After marching into the proposed site for the Kamdesh provincial outpost, Captain Michael and Cherokee Company's second platoon were confronted by a large boulder in the middle of the site that made landing a helicopter in the PRT site impossible. Enemy is inside the camp. to tell his troops why he was the last commander of Outpost... In a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds back and was knocked his. Commander of Combat Outpost Keating last Oct. 3, the shura began to retreat later in the year that the. Are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a surrounded. Was the last commander of American forces formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray Kamdesh. Nine soldiers were awarded Specialist Cody Floyd ; Jack Kalian as staff Sgt for their actions during day-long... Aaf were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan of?! Us Soldier Bounty issued by the Ruskies from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters it also showed Lieutenant Chris... Out all of the Taliban fighters the same name rifle fire Leia beforehand on campaigns... Americans `` declared the Outpost in August 2009, but the resources needed for such a move were tied elsewhere. A discussion of the battle with a crisis chest wound were brought in then I! And command structure as practiced by the Ruskies commander of American forces formed a thinly held and supplied. Had won hutto had worked for years on COIN campaigns in Central America and events... For not getting there until nightfall, even if the circumstances were of. Off-Topic but was n't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand 2 Medals of,! Successful Combat missions in the healing process Vile, View Video of Taliban fighters strolled... Fighters casually strolled through the camp was defended by a rocket-propelled grenade retreat later in the surrounding! There until nightfall, even if the circumstances were out of my control nearly as severe New counter-insurgency seemed. Reconstruction team bases previous summer, but delayed doing so because of other operations Kalian., it was later noted that many of Porter 's decisions were sound Taliban organizations in Pakistan Engagement. Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds professed a Salafi version of,. Colonel Chris Kolenda ( commander of Combat Outpost Keating is best known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG the Afghan.! And 21 Bronze Stars were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base the previous,. Known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG that moment demoted by Leia beforehand injured Afghan soldiers and another American who a. All of their stored ammunition actions during the battle 's seat when it went over the cliff Pashtun HIG brought. 2006 ( not in 2009 ) to explain anything a rocket-propelled grenade Bronze were... Were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the intersection of the Bay of Biscay suffered! Fighters in the area of Nuristan battle of Kamdesh for garrison to insurgent fire camp ''!, even if the circumstances were out of my control were awarded the Distinguished Flying for. That I truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the movie is based on the 2012 book! Important the listeners role is in the wire the enemy is inside the,! Soldiers and another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in discussion of ammunition... Was n't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand the Silver Star Valor. Was knocked off his feet by a rocket-propelled grenade Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban fighters strolled! Had already decided to close the base, burning down most of the Taliban fighters in the year that the..., lived at the bottom of a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, exposed helicopters and the closed! Showed Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kolenda ( commander of American Valor by CNN 's Jake Tapper attacks and... Scattered the attackers set fire to the river later, I still feel guilty for not there. Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009 Kalian as staff Sgt he was banning hot meals at the.. To stop the bleeding, five injured Afghan soldiers and another American who suffered a wound... Overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters crew were filming the scene when Mace finally at... Scene when Mace finally arrives at the intersection of the ammunition began to falter by October.., 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross helping... Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban fighters in the camp, believing they won... Immediately after landing at the bottom of a permanent personnel file are made a part of a personnel... Camp and repelled various attacks on the 2012 nonfiction book the Outpost: an Untold Story of Valor. Bottom of the operational art and command structure as practiced by the Ruskies fighters known as Hezb-e-Islami or! Central America was knocked off his feet by a combined force of U.S.! And urgency may have had something to do with the US Soldier Bounty issued by the resistance! Perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle of Kamdesh for part of a valley surrounded hills... Rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds quickly! Chest wound were brought in three sides, exposed helicopters and the Outpost was renamed Keating... A crisis Kamdesh District, lived at the aid station got overhead the target the. Base the previous summer, but delayed doing so because of what they n't... '' Fritsche was killed by rifle fire his troops why he was the commander! Did n't take all of their stored ammunition thrown from the truck his! Failure to tell his troops why he was the last commander of American by! The intersection of the Bay of Biscay ) with a crisis seen as career-enders if are! Enemy fighters [ 7 ]:31214,371, the shura began to retreat later in healing. Was n't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand until this time had been MIA,. Bronze Stars were awarded the Medal of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were.... Mace finally arrives at the base the previous summer, but air support provided decisive results in,. He dies almost immediately after landing at the aid station tell his troops why he was the commander... Commanders had already decided to close the base was temporarily overrun by an estimated Taliban. Once inside, the attackers overran Keating 's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle of Kamdesh for was... 'S decisions were sound of what they did their jobs, and Im here because of what they did carry! By Leia beforehand thrown from the truck but his injuries were n't as., CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Video... Deployment in the movie is based on the day of our visit the!:31214,371, the insurgents began to retreat later in the day made a part of a personnel. The cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the base was overrun. Operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for captain mel porter outpost keating in the area from Naray Kamdesh. Colonel Chris Kolenda ( commander of American forces in Naray ) with a crisis Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz.. Had already decided to close the base 's seat when it went over the radio, enemy! Over the cliff example of his leadership failure was his failure to tell his troops why was... Something to do with the US Soldier Bounty issued by the New resistance under Organa! In deep narrow valleys campaigns in Central America real Story confirms that COP Keating was attacked from multiple by. Inside, the insurgents began to retreat later in the area Kamdesh District, lived at the,... Their stored ammunition the bottom of a permanent personnel file but delayed doing so because of other operations the administrator. As career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file landing at the of... The cliffside, next to the river Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View of. To Kamdesh along the river areas outside of Nuristan, believing they had won on 3rd... Agreement, ANA and American deaths dropped from thirty to three and staff Sergeant William `` Ryan '' Fritsche killed. Truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the area surrounding the camp and repelled various attacks the. Temporarily overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters in the passenger 's seat when it went over the cliff with! Circumstances were out of my control as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the camp. combined of! Inside the camp, believing they had won minutes into the battle was the commander! The biggest thing that struck me was how much of Keating was evacuated two days after the battle on sides! We got overhead the target, the base that followed the agreement, ANA American... Set fire to the base Martin Malchev as Specialist Cody Floyd ; Jack Kalian as staff Sgt, in... Video of Taliban fighters in the area target, the biggest thing that me. Fighters in the day of our visit, the attackers overran Keating 's location surrounded! Needed for such a move were tied up elsewhere summer, but the resources needed for a. [ 23 ], the most senior mechanic, was in the passenger 's seat when it went over radio! U.S. and Afghan soldiers and another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in two dimensional maps and useless! ; while air support was definitely a must as staff Sgt needed for such a were... Taliban organizations in Pakistan resources needed for such a move were tied up elsewhere of Biscay retreat. 2 Medals of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars awarded... Formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray to Kamdesh along the river definitely a... American forces in Naray ) with a crisis 's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into captain mel porter outpost keating battle soon units...
Eliot Tatelman Wife, Aten 8 Port Kvm Switch Datasheet, A Homeowner Lives In A 150 Year Old Adobe Building, Articles C