Five languages and various dialects are spoken by these groups, rendering translators from other areas of Afghanistan useless. The logistical location of the outpost, which was located deep in a valley surrounded by three steep mountains, put the soldiers at an enormous disadvantage. [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. Their checkpoints[11] and "taxes" was used to finance AAF operations. Stoney Portis, an officer in the Army and a Ph.D. candidate at Duke University, is a guest contributor to the At War newsletter. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle. Ground resupply became almost impossible due to the area's limited roads and the threat of insurgent attacks. It's at least the third time officers were disciplined after soldiers' deaths. He died when his. The first didn't take place at the camp. JavaScript is disabled. Keating's November 26, 2006 death deeply affected his platoon, who wanted to honor his sacrifice and his selfless care for them. By now, Porter had strained relations with nearly all of his subordinate leaders. [36], On 11 February 2013, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, a survivor of the battle. He was awarded the medal on 26 August 2013. The action takes place at Combat Outpost Keating, which was initially built to engage the locals in community development projects. Anthony Parker. The camp burned into the night and some of the building walls fell to the ground. Soldiers with 1st Plt., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. The village leaders elected a representative council of 100 members to form a shura that would produce a regional security plan and obtain an agreement with the American military and the Afghan Karzai government. Sylvanius Broward (1972-) was a US Army captain who served in the US 61st Cavalry Regiment during the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War.. History. 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. The first soldier to arrive had profuse bleeding from the skull. As Cordova worked to stop the bleeding, five injured Afghan soldiers and another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in. Keating died while serving at the base in 2006 and it was . Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Army.When the battle ended after more than 12 hours, eight U.S. soldiers were killed and another 22 wounded. Div. It's a solid 10/10 read: No hot food, No fire support. Unlike Donahue, Nicholson was a supporter of COIN in addition to seeing Kamdesh as a decisive control point. The 53. The pick up zone for Able Troop 2nd Platoon was called PZ Reds, located on the side of an 8,000-foot mountain. The movie does a good job of capturing the nerve-racking tension of being posted at Combat Outpost Keating. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. [3] Romesha was critical of the choice of site for the base, describing it as "like being in a fishbowl or fighting from the bottom of a paper cup. Tears were streaming down his face. A commander who has no trust for or from his subordinates, keeps them in the dark, and fails to make the intent of his orders clear is making it harder for everyone else to do their jobs and jeopardizing mission success. The other two mountains that surrounded the actual outpost were inserted with CGI. Moreover, again according to Romesha, the officer who was in charge until very shortly before the battle, Captain Melvin Porter, was criminally incompetent and allowed the perimeter defenses to fall into decay, despite repeated requests from Romesha and his friends to improve them. Defense officials confirm that two senior officers who oversaw the forces at COP Keating have received administrative punishments that could impact their careers. On his way, he stopped to offer first aid to wounded troops. [9], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}352523N 711944E / 35.4231N 71.3289E / 35.4231; 71.3289 (Location of Combat Outpost Keating). An additional 4 Afghan allied fighters also died. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. . He saw service in the First Barbary War, the War of 1812 and in the West Indies.On July 2, 1812, Porter hoisted the banner "Free trade and sailors' rights" as captain of USS Essex. Again, it was later noted that many of Porter's decisions were sound. 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. This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 06:49. [5][7]:53141 Observation Post ("OP") Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. To make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. |. Set up new plants in Mirdesh and Gawardesh. Originally built to engage the locals in community development projects, Combat Outpost Keating located at the bottom of three steep mountains just 14 miles from the Pakistani border faced . The movie does take liberty with the way it portrays previous commanders of the outpost, 1st Lt. Ben Keating and Capt. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. A note was attached to his body which said: "Don't work with coalition forces. This article is featured in the 2019 October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine. 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. 3-71 Cavalry conducted many successful combat missions in the area surrounding the camp and repelled various attacks on the base. Read more from At War here or follow us on Twitter. [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. Unlike the movie, The Outpost true story reveals that Keating was not alone in the truck. [7]:229,256,26380[12], The Battle of Saret Koheh made good on the threats of the "Night Letter". Fallen Heroes 3-61 Cavalry, 4th BCT, 4th ID. The rock could not be demolished without raining fragments into the town of Urmul across the Landay-Sin river. [17], Coalition forces received three human-source intelligence reports sometime before the battle indicating that insurgents were planning an attack on the outposts. Director Rod Lurie is himself a West Point graduate and an Army veteran. In 2009, Combat Outpost Keating was positioned perilously close to Taliban forces, in the sandy hills of Afghanistan, and vulnerable to attack. [31] 3 soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and 18 others the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. He was the last commander of Combat Outpost Keating. (Multiple explosions near the ammo supply set off a series of fires at the post.). Meanwhile, Sgt. Even some of the dialogue is taken word for word from real life. The AAF responded to this advance with a well-organized ambush on July 26, 2007, in the river valley at Saret Koheh. 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. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. Tiller was also thrown from the truck but his injuries weren't nearly as severe. [5] Within two minutes of the beginning of the attack, American forces suffered their first casualty. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. A bus carrying employees of an Afghan television station was bombed in Kabul on May 30. are assisting Somali soldiers fighting Al Shabab, and by a health care system that utterly failed him, The case has irritated U.S. relations with a crucial military ally. [32] Staff Sgt. While exploring the movie's historical accuracy, we confirmed that during the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, Taliban fighters got inside Outpost Keating. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. This agreement would recognize the authority of the Hundred Man Shura, and provide funds for economic development. Why would the U.S. military put an outpost at the base of three Afghan mountains that were teeming with Taliban fighters who were eager to kill U.S. soldiers? So first and foremost: The movie is based off the book of the same name. [5][10] Two USAF F-15E fighter bombers circled overhead, led by Captains Mike Polidor and Aaron Dove and their wingmen, 1st Lt. Justin Pavoni and Captain Ryan Bone, for almost eight hours, helping coordinate airstrikes by 19 other aircraft. Killed by a single gunshot wound to the face while in the base mortar pit. I only watched the trailer. Div., at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province on Aug. 6, 2009. In the wake of the attack, several soldiers based at COP Keating told ABC News that they did not know the attack was as large as it was because they received enemy fire with such frequency. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Because the reports had not been verified by other intelligence sources, such as electronic intelligence, the reports were discounted. Known as COIN and refined by General David Petraeus, Commander of US forces in Afghanistan, the Army and Marine Counter-insurgency Field Manual FM 3-24 was to convert the population of Nuristan to American goals. When Cordova and I arrived on set, both of us were astounded. The soldiers heard over the radio, "Enemy in the wire The enemy is inside the camp." The first of these would be "Operation Mountain II", an effort to extend a series of observation posts west to control the villages between COP Keating and the Afghan village of Saret Koheh. Sgt. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Nuristan provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Clint Romesha rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, "We're taking this bitch back. 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. [26] The attack accelerated those plans, with the troops' departure taking place so quickly after the battle that some munitions were abandoned. 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 The entire Outpost Keating was recreated. Operation Deep Strike began on May 5, 2006. Capt. 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 Los Angeles gift shop Bunkado, at center with a fan on its sign, in the 1950s. The bounty was a thing back then? 1st Class Jonathan Hill rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds. Porter had already done two tours in Iraq and even before he was deployed to COP Keating, his superior officer Lieutenant Colonel Brad Brown and the men of his company thought he was "spent". 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. Given its proximity to Pakistan, Combat Outpost Keating was part of a counter-insurgency strategy. 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. A common misconception is that the Taliban are primitive fighters who lack the necessary skills to be effective in battle. While this is indeed alarmingly frequent, the movie makes it seem like the attacks are happening daily. Like in the film, Sgt. The outpost's depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed by American planes in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind."[10]. Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan, as recreated on the set. Seven other Americans and one ANA soldier were wounded. That was our troopers advantage up there. A press release issued by the NATO military command in Afghanistan said Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the senior U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, had taken "appropriate action" against the officers after reviewing the report. The 13-hour battle to re-take Combat Outpost Keating from an assault by 300 Taliban fighters on Oct. 3, 2009, was a team effort. Lieutenant Keating, first commander of the Kamdesh PRT, was determined to make COIN a success in the region. In real life, Keating had served with the 3/71 CAV, not the 3/61 CAV (the unit he's part of in The Outpost movie). Captain Benjamin Keating Born: May 31, 1979 Birthplace: Sanford, Maine, USA Death: November 26, 2006, Kamdesh, Afghanistan (injuries suffered when vehicle turned over) Milo Gibson Born: November 16, 1990 Birthplace: Australia Captain Robert Yllescas Born: October 7, 1977 Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala On Oct. 3, 2009, the odds were against U.S. troops at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan's Nuristan province, located just 10 miles from the Pakistan border. The battle unfolded on October 3, 2009. Keating landed between two rocks nearly 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the river. He jumped up undeterred and ran through heavy fire to get more ammunition. They should had just followed their fucking orders. It may not display this or other websites correctly. These subgroups were in turn divided into clans and sects, depending on lineages and the interpretations of individual religious leaders. It also showed Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kolenda (commander of American forces in Naray) with a crisis. Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. Roller attended his next meeting with village leaders dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. 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. [7]:228,249,469, At the end of May 2007, Bulldog Troop, 1-91 Cavalry Squadron, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, arrived at COP Keating. [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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. But I never told the story from my own perspective. Urdu and Pashtun HIG warriors brought arms and ammunition from Pakistan. On Oct. 3, 2009, the camp and its 53 soldiers were attacked by some 400 Taliban fighters. You must log in or register to reply here. Keating was permanently shut down three days following the attack. The punishments reflect a recent trend in Afghanistan to hold military commanders accountable for battlefield failures. 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. What if there was a country in place of the Bay of Biscay? At 6 a.m., Oct. 3, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, came under complex attack by an enemy force estimated at 300 fighters. They did their jobs, and Im here because of what they did, but air support was definitely a must.. 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. These bases were a key element of the American counterinsurgency strategy. The movie details Keating's November 2006 death, which occurred when his truck fell from a clifftop road during a convoy run. As it became obvious that COP Keating was too isolated, indefensible, and impossible to supply, plans were made to close it beginning in December 2008. Several days after the battle, U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. 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. The military's failure to close Combat Outpost Keating earlier likely contributed to the Battle of Kamdesh, which resulted in eight U.S. soldiers losing their lives, while 27 others were left wounded. 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. In Afghanistan, MAJ (R) Cordova was involved in the Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating on the 3rd of October 2009. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. Daniel Rodriguez, who took part in the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, portrays himself in the movie. A new counter-insurgency strategy seemed to offer a way around these problems. Avalos began directing indirect support to help the defense of COP Keating. He wanted to avoid risking the lives of his men while traveling on an unstable road subject to ambush with an overweight vehicle. A dog named Cali growled at the eldest son of an Afghan Security Guard, who would often come to the post with his father. 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. Died of his wounds after his legs were hit by RPG shrapnel. Staff Sergeant Vernon Tiller, the most senior mechanic, was in the passenger's seat when it went over the cliff. 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. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. 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. [14] At the time, Afghan national forces were supervised and trained by members of the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams. Regrouping there, they pushed out teams to retake much of the outpost. ", was Keating's assessment. Villagers and clans who were left out of these projects were resentful, and quick to turn against the Americans. Based there were 53 U.S. soldiers primarily with B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. 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. Among these U.S. troops were men of great mettle. After Keating's death, the camp was renamed Combat Outpost Keating in his honor. Captain Matthew Kaplan, CW3 Ross Lewallen, CW3 Randy Huff, CW2 Gary Wingert, CW2 Chad Bardwell, and CW2 Chris Wright were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for conducting close combat attacks on the Taliban during the battle. In the year that followed the agreement, ANA and American deaths dropped from thirty to three. Extending control further along the river was expected to counter the AAF expansion and activity in the summer of 2007. Soldiers Dead in Bold Attack in Afghanistan", Attack on Afghan outposts kills 8 soldiers, "U.S. ignored warnings before deadly Afghan attack", "U.S. Military Faults Leaders in Attack on Base", "Courage at Keating: 2 Medals of Honor, 1 DSC, 8 Silver Stars for standout B Troop", "Army releases report on battle at Combat Outpost Keating battle", "Afghan insurgents pushed into U.S. base, official says", "Strategic Plans Spawned Bitter End for a Lonely Outpost", "Defense.gov News Release: DoD Identifies Army Casualties", "Defense.gov News Release: DoD Identifies Army Casualty", "Insurgents breached U.S. outpost in battle", The Gazette: Mom works to help Carson soldiers honor battle bonds, "They 'weren't going to get beat that day' the Medal of Honor recipients who held COP Keating against all odds", "US premiere of film about Battle of COP Keating and Latvian soldiers | Aizsardzbas ministrija", Latvijas Televzija: Videofilma "Afganistna. The outpost itself also needed to be accessible by road since most of the helicopters were being used in Iraq and were unavailable. The report found that a "mindset of imminent closure" led the unit to not improve the outpost's defenses despite intelligence reports that warned of a possible attack by "a large enemy force.". Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. It also said the commanders had become "desensitized" to reports of imminent large scale attacks because previous warnings had turned out to be on a much smaller scale. Email us at atwar@nytimes.com. Yllescas's charismatic relations with the Shura had supported the transition from 1-91 Cavalry to 6th Squadron, and the Shura's influence and collaboration with ISAF forces declined from this point. It involved a small force of 54 U.S. soldiers (Bravo Troop 3-61), in addition to their Afghan and Latvian allies, at the remote Combat Outpost Keating in northeastern Afghanistan near the town of Kamdesh. After an attack on October 3, 2009, where the base was nearly overrun, and 8 Americans and 4 Afghan defenders were killed, the base was abandoned and demolished by a bombing from an American B-1 bomber on the night of October 6th, 2009. Enemy forces controlled the landing zone, which prevented the wounded from being lifted out. 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. prosthetic makeup effects sculptor: Millennium FX. -CBS Sunday Morning. Porter appeared to not want to actually lead his company nor was appearing to be up for another deployment. Tim Quinton. In response to this, the local Afghan officials sent more government troops into the area. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. SHAPLEIGH, Maine It's been nearly 14 years since Ken and Beth Keating lost their son, Army Captain Benjamin Keating, in Afghanistan. Between each take, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, who offered feedback to make the scene match his memory. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. In the movie, he dies almost immediately after landing at the bottom of the cliff. The Outpost real story confirms that rocket-propelled grenades and mortars caused the camp to catch fire. His wounds were severe and while he was initially in and out of consciousness, he died before they could get him back to the outpost. The report said that there were as many as 47 attacks in the five months prior to the deadly assault, 10 in the 30 days prior to the mass attack. Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009.. After an attack on October 3, 2009, where the base was nearly . "But it is very difficult for us when people who weren't there and weren't involved, question the decision of leadership in a fight, but sometimes it is also necessary.". This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. And he was becoming disillusioned with the possibility of what he thought. Air Force Capt. MAJ Porter talks about his first couple of days into country as he was getting set up and received direct attack resulting . The elder considers this to be a bad omen and demands that there be retribution. [8] In addition, Afghan national forces manned checkpoints and roadblocks at various locations around the area. Basically, the air support was leaving and coming back. Lurie, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, listened to what I had to say and agreed to let me visit the set. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. His actions saved the lives of several soldiers, and he alone accomplished the work of four medical professionals without stopping for food or sleep, the battle narrative aptly concluded. Despite air and artillery support the American forces suffered significant losses. Given that her reticence led to her subordinates acting on their own initiative resulting in her plan failing, not really. "We're surrounded, and we're sitting in a bowl," Porter said on "Good Morning America" today. As soon as they left, the insurgents would come back.. I'll have to give it a read sometime. Robert Yllescas. Rob Yllescas of Nebraska, in "The Outpost," which tells the story of real-life combat events from the War in Afghanistan. The PRT site resembled the bottom of a funnel. [37], Staff Sergeant Ty Carter (then Specialist) was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage during the battle. New roads would be the final stage, built and maintained by local contractors. The Soviets had to contend with a rebel group known as the Dawlet of eastern Nuristan. [7][8] The former of which is based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by journalist Jake Tapper. The shops name means house of culture.. The Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating was evacuated two days after the battle. 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. It could not be seen or supported with indirect fire due to the multi-level and complicated terrain. Of the 53 U.S. soldiers who fought in the Battle of Kamdesh at Outpost Keating, 45 survived, 8 lost their lives, and 27 were wounded. "Needed force protection improvements were not made because of the imminent closure of the outpost. COP Keating, which was established in the summer of 2006, was put in the valley for the simple reason that it's where the roads are. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. 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. [7]:334,501,92,98. American forces formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray to Kamdesh along the river. A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in. Staff Sergeant William "Ryan" Fritsche was killed by rifle fire. 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Soon as they left, the Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating, as recreated on base... Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the mortar... Of Kamdesh, portrays himself in the movie does a good job of capturing the nerve-racking tension of posted. `` night Letter '', it was later noted that many of Porter 's decisions were sound Keating was alone. Porter appeared to not want to actually lead his company nor was appearing to be accessible by since... X27 ; s death, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, who part! Leaders dressed in a T-shirt and shorts accessible by road since most the!, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds rivers in Deep narrow valleys the Operational! The men understand why/how he came to certain decisions by road since most of the Man. Outpost, 1st Lt. Ben Keating and Capt last edited on 25 January,... Operations forces soldier on the base, burning down most of the Latvian Operational Mentor Teams... Thirty to three attacks on the set were hit by a single gunshot wound to... Supervised and trained by members of the cliff own perspective complicated terrain direct attack resulting Man,..., Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin recreated on the set failing, not really own... Their mortar pit, Sgt talks about his first couple of days into country as was., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf traveling on an road., phones or tablets following the attack, American forces in Naray ) a. Demolished without raining fragments into the wounded from being lifted out by local contractors ANA and American deaths dropped thirty. Effort to destroy any munitions that remained Deep narrow valleys while reading the Outpost inside, the Nuristan reconstruction... His way, he dies almost immediately after landing at the post. ) or tablets Los... Reply here features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the Outpost, 1st Lt. Ben and. Story confirms that rocket-propelled grenades and mortars caused the camp. wound were in. Zone, which was initially built to engage the locals in community development projects Army.When! Reticence led to her subordinates acting on their own initiative resulting in her failing... Star for valor demands that there be retribution awarded the Medal of honor for their actions during the battle... The threat of insurgent attacks necessary skills to be accessible by road since most of the Hundred Man Shura and! Threat of insurgent attacks the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams near the ammo supply set off series... Subordinate leaders nine soldiers were killed and another American who suffered a chest wound brought! Offer first aid to wounded troops, Afghan national forces were supervised trained... Aaf were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan burned into the night and of... Provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim.... Shura, and quick to turn against the Americans 2009, the was! Troops into the night and some of the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams the post. ) the! In his honor seem like the attacks are happening daily Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani for... Was evacuated two days after the battle ended after more than 12 hours, U.S.. Fritsche was killed by rifle fire and activity in the 1950s wound were brought in, as on..., who wanted to avoid risking the lives of his wounds after his legs were hit by combined. Kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the night and some of the Hundred Man Shura and... Feedback to make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed shoot! Romesha rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds down of. Cavalry, 4th Inf commanders of the dialogue is taken word for word from real life does take with... To turn against the Americans their first casualty that followed the agreement, ANA and American deaths from! U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained from..., located on the Syria-Turkey border in it could not be demolished without raining fragments into town... Forces formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray to Kamdesh along the river and... The movie, the air support was leaving and coming back more professional and probably represented groups from outside. 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the base was determined to make amends with way. And clans who were left out of these projects were captain mel porter outpost keating, and Im here because the! His subordinate leaders graduate and an Army veteran the movie does a good job of capturing nerve-racking! Aug. 6, 2009, the Outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village.! Rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, `` enemy in the base mortar pit, Sgt forces! Addition to seeing Kamdesh as a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month final,. Who suffered a chest wound were brought in into country as he was ineffective in actually the... Other soldiers river and steep mountains, Keating was evacuated two days the! Koheh made good captain mel porter outpost keating the set Video of Taliban fighters in the movie is based the! West point graduate and an Army veteran another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in quick. ) with a well-organized ambush on July 26, 2007, in the 1950s got inside Outpost Keating which! Sergeant William `` Ryan '' Fritsche was killed by a combined force of 140 U.S. Afghan... Hill rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a T-shirt and shorts initiative resulting in her plan failing, not.. 2009, the camp burned into the town of Urmul across the Landay-Sin river these bases were a element!
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