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Operation Red Wings

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

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Operation Redwing
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
DateJune 28, 2005
Location
Kunar Province, Afghanistan
Result Taliban victory
Belligerents
 United States Afghanistan Taliban insurgents
Commanders and leaders
LCDR 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		 150[2]
Casualties and losses
19 killed, 1 wounded,
1 Chinook helicopter shot down[3]		 93 (unconfirmed)[2]

Operation Red Wings (also referred to as Operation Redwing and 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 other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and Night Stalker pilots) whose helicopter was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.[4]

Marcus Luttrell, the only surviving American SEAL, 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 map given to the Navy SEALs detailing their mission.

The SEAL team, led by LT Michael P. Murphy and consisting of petty officers Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell, were 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.[5][6]

After an initially successful infiltration, local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,[7] 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. Luttrell later wrote, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f--ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit." [5]

Shortly after the goat herders disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 150-200 strong,[2] causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position.[8][9]

The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope.[2][10] After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, 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 abdomen during the conversation.[2][9] 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 out by the blast of a rocket-propelled grenade.[2][10]

Failed rescue

Matthew G. Axelson, Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.

One MH-47D helicopter, four UH-60 Blackhawks and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. The MH-47 helicopter, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight 160th Night Stalkers, 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 [11] - the largest single loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II.

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."[12]

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,[13] who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.[1][10] 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,[14] and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.[11] 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.[15]

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.[16]

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".[10] 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 as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.[11]

American casualties

Name Age Action Hometown
SEALs
LT Michael P. Murphy 29 Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush Patchogue, New York
STG2 Matthew Axelson 29 Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush Cupertino, CA [17]
GM2 Danny Dietz 25 Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush Littleton, Colorado[17]
FCC Jacques J. Fontan 36 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down New Orleans, Louisiana
ITCS Daniel R. Healy 36 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Exeter, New Hampshire
LCDR Erik S. Kristensen 33 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down San Diego, California
ET1 Jeffery A. Lucas 33 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Corbett, Oregon
LT Michael M. McGreevy, Jr. 30 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Portville, New York
QM2 James E. Suh 28 killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Deerfield Beach, Florida
HM1 Jeffrey S. Taylor 30 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Midway, West Virginia
MM2 Shane E. Patton 22 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Boulder City, Nevada
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [3]
SSgt. Shamus O. Goare 29 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Danville, Ohio
CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature 35 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby 21 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Pompano Beach, Florida
SFC Marcus V. Muralles 33 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Shelbyville, Indiana
MSgt. James W. Ponder III 36 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Franklin, Tennessee
Maj. Stephen C. Reich 34 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Washington Depot, Connecticut.
SFC Michael L. Russell 31 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Stafford, Virginia
CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach 40 Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down Jacksonville, Florida
Army plaque in memory of the fallen Night Stalkers

Aftermath

LT Michael P. Murphy, Medal of Honor Recipient.

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 Wings, was killed during a shootout with Pakistani police in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.[18]

On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres game.[19] 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 Veterans Memorial Park, in Cupertino, California. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.[20]

Books

  • Luttrell, Marcus (2007). 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)
  • Darack, Ed (2009). Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers - the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan. Berkley Hardcover. ISBN 0425226190. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • Williams, Gary (2010). Seal of Honor: Operation Redwing and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1591149576. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

References

  1. ^ a b c Luttrell, Marcus (2007). 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)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. Cite error: The named reference "osman" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Helicopter crash victims identified". CNN News. July 4, 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b Naylor, Sean D. (2007-06-18). "Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission". Army Times. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  6. ^ Matt Dupee (April 17, 2008). "Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout". long war journal. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  7. ^ West, Diane (August 17, 2007). "Death by rules of engagement". TownHall.com.
  8. ^ "Interview with Luttrell". Pritzker Military Library. May 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  9. ^ a b April Drew (October 17, 2007). "Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero". irishabroad.com. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ a b c Rocky Mountain News, "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005
  12. ^ Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit (Dec. 27, 2005). "An interview with a Taliban commander". msnbc. Retrieved 2008-12-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Tim Mcgirk (Jul. 11, 2005). "How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL". Time. Retrieved 2008-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul (July 10, 2005). "Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden". Times Online. Retrieved 2008-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ IntelCenter. IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000-2007 (April 24, 2008 ed.). Tempest Publishing, LLC. p. 646. ISBN 0966543785.
  16. ^ Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.
  17. ^ a b "U.S. military searches for missing SEAL". CNN News. July 7, 2005. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  18. ^ http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php
  19. ^ Families of American Military, Inc. (30 June 2008). "Operation: Never Forget". pub. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  20. ^ Matt Wilson (2008-11-19). "Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women". Cupertino Courier. Retrieved 2008-12-14.

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