Operation Red Wings: Difference between revisions
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Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were sixteen American [[special forces|Special Operations Forces]] soldiers whose [[helicopter]] 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.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html | title=The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor | publisher=[[Washington Post]] | first=Laura | last=Blumenfeld | date=[[2007-06-11]] | page=A01 }}</ref> |
Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were sixteen American [[special forces|Special Operations Forces]] soldiers whose [[helicopter]] 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.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html | title=The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor | publisher=[[Washington Post]] | first=Laura | last=Blumenfeld | date=[[2007-06-11]] | page=A01 }}</ref> |
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[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American |
[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American sailor, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL. |
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==The firefight== |
==The firefight== |
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In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout against [[Pakistani]] police in the [[Northwest Frontier Province]]. |
In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout against [[Pakistani]] police in the [[Northwest Frontier Province]]. |
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Additionally, June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of |
Additionally, June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of sailors killed overseas were honored at a [[San Diego Padres]] game.<ref name="famonline">{{cite web |date=30 June 2008|url = http://www.famonline.org/component/content/article/17-operation-never-forget/8917-operation-never-forget|title = Operation: Never Forget|format = HTML |publisher = pub| accessdate = 2008-12-14 | last=Families of American Military, Inc. |quote=}}</ref> In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the [[POW/MIA]] flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game. |
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A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [[Cupertino Memorial Park]], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=11/19/2008|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|format = HTML |publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14 | last=Matt Wilson |quote=}}</ref> |
A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [[Cupertino Memorial Park]], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=11/19/2008|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|format = HTML |publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14 | last=Matt Wilson |quote=}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:41, 17 July 2009
| 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. | |||||||
| |||||||
| 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 Night Stalkers additional helicopter crews 2 MH-47 Chinook 2 UH-60 Black Hawk 2 AH-64D Apache helicopters | 50[2]-200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down[3] | 35[2]-130[4] | ||||||
Operation Red Wing was a failed counter-insurgent mission in Kunar province, Afghanistan, involving four members of the United States Navy SEALs , which took place on June 28, 2005.
Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were sixteen American Special Operations Forces soldiers whose helicopter 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.[5]
Marcus Luttrell, the only surviving American sailor, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL.
The firefight
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, a Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers,"[2] west of Asadabad.[6][7]
After an initially successful infiltration, local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,[8] Murphy asked the team what should be done with them. Axelson reportedly voted to kill the Afghans, and Dietz didn't offer an opinion, causing Murphy to state that he would vote the same as Luttrell, who said the herders should be set free.[9]
Shortly after the goatherders disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 50-200 strong,[2] causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position.[10][11]
The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope.[2][12] After 45 minutes of fighting, Dietz abandoned the cover of the forest and ran into the open intent on placing a distress call for immediate support from Bagram Air Base, but was shot in the hand.[2]
Murphy then moved into the open himself, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his cell phone. He was shot in the stomach during the conversation.[2][11] Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.
After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, although he was lying unconscious behind a ridge where he had been knocked by the blast of a rocket-propelled grenade.[2][12]
Failed rescue
Two MH-47D helicopters, 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 MH-47 helicopters, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight 160th Nightstalkers, was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a ravine, killing all sixteen on board.[13]
Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield."[14]
Search and rescue
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. Driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked vertabrae,[2] he traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the day.[1] He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Gulab[15], who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.[1][12] The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them.
Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team,[16] and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.[13] A spokesman for the Taliban, Mofti Latifollah Hakimi, confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.[17]
Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2,[2] the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached First Lieutenant Matt Bartels with his information.[18]
With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since Vietnam".[12] As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.
Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.[13]
American casualties
SEAL Team:
- LT Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, New York
- STG2 (SEAL) Matthew Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, CA [19]
- GM2 (SEAL) Danny Dietz, 26, of Littleton, Colorado[19]
The service members killed aboard the helicopter include:[3]
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
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.
In April 2008, Ahmad Shah, who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout against Pakistani police in the Northwest Frontier Province.
Additionally, June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of sailors killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres game.[20] In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.
A statue entitled The Guardians stands in the Cupertino Memorial Park, in Cupertino, California. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.[21]
References
- ^ a b c Luttrell, Marcus (2006). Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Back Bay Books. ISBN 0316067598.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j p. 145-146 - Bahmanyar, Mir & Chris Osman. Seals: The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force (October 21, 2008 ed.). Osprey Publishing. p. 256. ISBN 1846032261.
- ^ a b "Helicopter crash victims identified" (HTML). CNN News. July 4, 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ Luttrell, Lone Survivor. Luttrell states that he saw his team kill approximately 100 of the Taliban pursuing them and learned from local villagers later that another 30 or so were killed by airstrikes.
- ^ Blumenfeld, Laura (2007-06-11). "The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor". Washington Post. p. A01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Naylor, Sean D. (2007-06-18). "Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission". Army Times. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Matt Dupee (April 17, 2008 12:43 PM). "Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout" (HTML). long war journal. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ West, Diane (August 17, 2007). "Death by rules of engagement". TownHall.com.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Naylor, Sean D. (2007-06-18). "Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission". Army Times. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Interview with Luttrell". Pritzker Military Library. May 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ a b April Drew (October 17, 2007). "Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero" (HTML). irishabroad.com. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ a b c d Blumenfeld, Laura (2007-06-11). "The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor". Washington Post. p. A01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Rocky Mountain News, "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005
- ^ Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit (Dec. 27, 2005). "An interview with a Taliban commander" (HTML). msnbc. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Tim Mcgirk (Jul. 11, 2005). "How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL" (HTML). time. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul (July 10, 2005). "Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden" (HTML). Times Online. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ IntelCenter. IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000-2007 (April 24, 2008 ed.). Tempest Publishing, LLC. p. 646. ISBN 0966543785.
- ^ Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.
- ^ a b "U.S. military searches for missing SEAL" (HTML). CNN News. July 7, 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ Families of American Military, Inc. (30 June 2008). "Operation: Never Forget" (HTML). pub. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ Matt Wilson (11/19/2008). "Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women" (HTML). Cupertino Courier. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)