Operation Red Wings

For the 1956 series of US nuclear tests, see Operation Redwing.

Operation Red Wing
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
Matthew G. Axelson; Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Lt. Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.
Date June 28, 2005 Location Kunar province, Afghanistan Result Taliban victory; operational failure.
Belligerents
United States	Taliban insurgents
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen † 1 Lt. Michael P. Murphy  †	Ahmad Shah
Strength
12 Navy SEALs 8 Nightstalkers 2 MH-47 Chinook 2 UH-60 Black Hawk 2 AH-64D Apache helicopters	180-200
Casualties and losses
19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down	~100

Operation Red Wing was a failed counter-insurgent mission in Kunar province, Afghanistan, involving four members of the U.S. Navy SEALs, which took place June 28, 2005. Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were sixteen American Special Operations Forces soldiers whose helicoptor was shot down while flying to provide support to the team. It was the largest loss of life for American forces since the invasion began.

The fourth American SEAL was protected by local villagers, who sent an emissary to the American military base with instructions to retrieve their wounded soldier.

The firefight

File:Three Dead Navy SEALs in Operation Redwing.PNG

The bodies of Murphy, Dietz and Axelson shortly after the battle ended.

The SEAL team, led by Lt. Michael P. Murphy and consisting of petty officers Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell, was on a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah (nom de guerre Mohammad Ismail), a key Taliban leader, west of Asadabad, who ultimately died in a firefight some two years later. After an initially successful infiltration, local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place and alerted local Taliban forces. They were surrounded by the Taliban and a firefight ensued.

Lt. Murphy was shot in the stomach while phoning Bagram Air Base for back-up on a cell phone, since the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountain. The three remaining SEALs were forced to lower ground, and after two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive.

Afghan fighters approach the plateau on which the Americans died.

Two MH-47 Chinook helicopter's, four UH-60 Blackhawks and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. One of the Chinook helicopters carrying eight US Navy SEALs and eight 160th Nightstalkers was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade shot through the open rear ramp killing all sixteen on board.

Luttrell's escape and rescue

Main article: Marcus Luttrell § Operation Red Wing

The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He was discovered by an Afghan shepherd. Shortly afterwards, more Afghan men showed up armed with AK-47 rifles. The men took the wounded Luttrell and carried him to the village of Sabray-Minah. The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and even protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them.

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate Luttrell. Finally, the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from a Marine outpost several miles away. With this information, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans. According to Lt. Col. Steve Butow, the plans were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since Vietnam". As the rescue teams closed in upon the village, Luttrell aided by some of the villagers was moving from one hiding place to another and came across one of the rescue teams. He was taken from the villagers at this point and his escape completed.

American casualties

File:Kunar-booty-from-Op Red Wing.OGG

An Afghan fighter displays the GPS, laptop, night goggles, field radio and other equipment seized from the Navy SEALs during the operation.

SEAL Team:

• Lt. Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, New York
• STG2(SEAL) Matthew Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, CA
• GM2(SEAL) Danny Dietz 26, of Littleton, Colorado

The service members killed-in-action on the crashed helicopter include:

Nightstalkers:

• Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio
• Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
• Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Florida
• Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Indiana
• Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tennessee
• Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Connecticut.
• Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Virginia
• Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida

SEALs:

• FCC(SEAL/SW) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, Louisiana
• ITCS(SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, New Hampshire
• Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, California
• ET1(SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Oregon
• Lt. Michael M. McGreevy, Jr., 30, of Portville, New York
• QM2(SEAL) James E. Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Florida
• HM1(SEAL/FMF) Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, West Virginia
• MM2(SEAL) Shane E. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nevada

Aftermath

File:Kunar-Navy -Hard Drives.OGG

An Afghan fighter investigates the hard drive pulled from a laptop seized during the attack.

On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the Navy Cross in a ceremony at the White House. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle. Additionally, June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of those killed were honored at the San Diego Padres game. In addition, the Navy Leapfrogs brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag, the San Diego Padres flag. Lutrell and the family members were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

The story of the rescued SEAL would later become an a TIME Magazine article, titled "How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL."

A statue commemorating the operation stands in the Cupertino Memorial Park, in Cupertino, California, the former residence of Axelson.

References

• Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson (2007) Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0316067591
• http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html