[n 1][21] This error began with the publication of the book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, which was written by Patrick Robinson based on interviews with Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell was inserted onto that mountain in the Hindu Kush at night on June 27, 2005 and on June 28, 2005 he found himself grievously injured and alone. SO2 Danny Dietz. Was SEAL Lt. Mike Murphy wrong to not surrender? : r/JockoPodcast - reddit I was disappointed in the movie on several levels, not the least was it implied the SEALS in this TEAM were startled by the force of the enemy. They were carless and paid for it. [2] These groups were collectively known as anti-coalition militia (ACM),[1][2] and the common thread among all was a strong resistance to the unification of the country and subsequent increasing presence of national government entities in the Kunar. Originally, Luttrell believed Axe must have died then and there because his head wounds were so devastating both his blue eyes had gone black with blood. Shah, they determined, was responsible for approximately 11 incidents against coalition forces and government of Afghanistan entities, including small arms ambushes and improvised explosive device (IED) attacks. Although Shah was a relatively unknown entity in the region, he apparently held regional aspirations and possibly had the assistance of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. [2] One of the primary goals of the coalition by 2004 in Afghanistan was nation-building, that is, providing a security environment conducive to the establishment and growth of a democratically elected government, as well as infrastructure support. Trying to reach safety, the four men, now each wounded, began bounding down the mountains steep sides, making leaps of 20 to 30 feet. Ever hear of Bravo 2-0? Phase 5 - Exfiltration: Depending on enemy activity, the Marines will remain in the area for up to one month, then depart the area. Matt Axelson invented chill. [34], 2/3's battalion staff began planning Operation Red Wings when they arrived in Afghanistan. Even before deploying to Afghanistan 2/3's, intelligence officer Captain Scott Westerfield and his assistants had been tracking a small cell led by a man named Ahmad Shah, based on intelligence sent back by 3/3's intelligence officer. [3] Official media reports from the military estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20 as well, while in the Medal of Honor citation for Murphy, the Navy cited 3040 enemies. [52], Not long before Operation Red Wings, relations with the Americans had improved in the Shuryek Valley and the greater Pech River region because of humanitarian work that had taken place. Like any competent officer would pick a layup spot 10 feet off a goat trail so they get compromised by shepherds like a bunch of muppets. Ahmad Shah was known to be the HVT behind numerous attacks on American forces, although there were other HVTs with more blood on their hands and considered to be bigger fish. Dehydrated, with a bullet wound to one leg, shrapnel embedded in both legs, three vertebrae cracked; the situation for Luttrell was grim. [59], The "sequel" to the original mission, Operation Red Wings, was Operation Whalers, which 2/3 planned and executed in August 2005. Knowing it would violate the rules of engagement to simply shoot the goatherders they let them go, and within a matter of hours found themselves in a battle for their lives. Operation Red Wings should never have gotten approved. So if youre wondering what hes like in person, well, hes a guy. This isn't me just grinding some axe, though I see Luttrell's account as stolen valor. Determining that they were civilians, not combatants, Lieutenant Murphy released them, according to rules of engagement. Shortly thereafter the team was surrounded and outnumbered by at least 4-1. the enemy had the high ground and shot the shutout of the team. The forces were participating in Operation Red Wing, an effort to defeat terrorists operating in Kunar province," a military press release stated. For election results to be seen as legitimate by the citizens of Afghanistan and the world at large, all elections throughout the country would need to proceed "unencumbered" (without external influence, by either American and coalition forces or Taliban and anti-American and coalition forces), including those in Kunar.[2][7]. Actual location of Operation Red Wings Axelson was shot not once but twice in the head and kept on fighting. [2] The team could not establish consistent communication other than for a period long enough to indicate that they were under attack. The size of Shah's group increased as additional fighters joined his ranks. The purpose of Operation Red Wings, which began on June 28, 2005, was first to identify Ahmad Shah, a key Taliban loyalist and leader believed to be hiding on the slopes of a mountain named Sawtalo Sar, located in the Pech District of Afghanistan's Kunar Province. [citation needed], Luttrell wrote a note and asked that it be taken to the American base at Asadabad. They were after Ahmad Shah a cruel insurgent in his mid-30s who grew up in the same mountains. Al Blake must be filled with a terrible amount of hate. Bronze Star. [49][50], The SEALs' firefight with Ahmad Shah's Taliban forces began along a high-elevation ridgeline called Sawtalo Sar[51] (whose highest peak is 2,830m (9,280ft)). After Axelsons death, Luttrell would say of Axelson that he fought the encroaching Taliban forces with a calm demeanor, methodically supplying suppressive fire and precise, surgical shots as required to defend their lives. I, like many other people who saw the movie and heard the story, had a LOT more support for not just the SEALs but the military in general. He regained consciousness and was rescued by local Pashtun, who ultimately saved his life. PDF OPERATION RED WINGS - The (Mis)Information Aftermath - Darack Being struck by the bullet caused him to drop both the phone and his rifle. If someone says something that is not true, that person is a liar. [46] Known simply as Gulab, he took Luttrell into his home that first day in accordance with the Pashtunwali custom of Nanawatai, whereby asylum is given to a person to protect them from their enemies. Thats some serious badassery; thats a level of practically inhuman strength. Thank you Pew Pew for running this, lest we forget. SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2, Virginia Beach, Va. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Adam Brown: The life and legacy of fearless Navy SEAL, The Day of the Rangers: An unforgettable moment in military history, ANA Commando: Afghanistans premier special operations unit, Examining the Differences in Training for SAS and Navy SEALs, Gunners Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz, Comms, Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell, Medic. Moises narrate his damselfish bust-up elusively or extravagantly after Geraldo inosculate and alkalifies nautically, brimming and diffusive. Finally, after far too long, the American government assisted him in coming to the USA and he now lives with his family in Texas. The last man standing was Marcus Luttrell and although hes the only one left to talk about it, this isnt only his story. 'Lone Survivor' SEAL embellished his story, Afghan who - Mail Online They knew the tremendous risk of going into an active enemy area in daylight without their attack support and the cover of night. Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>. Dietz embodied what it means to be courageous under fire and to keep a clear head even in the face of sure death. [70], There has been some conflict over the number of Taliban forces involved in the engagement. . Darack lists these on p. 167-168, Learn how and when to remove this template message, 160th Airborne Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, September 18, 2005, Afghan national parliamentary elections, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Red wings and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, "Operation Red Wings: What Really Happened? According to Luttrell, Axelson had three full magazines left at that moment in time. If you want to hear more in his own words, Luttrell has a podcast through his foundation Team Never Quit. Basic Details: A four-person recon element comprised of LT Michael P Murphy, HM1 Marcus A Luttrell, STG2 Mathew G Axelson, and GM2 Danny P Dietz was Inserted (MGRS: 42S XD 78186 58123) via Fast-Rope at approximately 27170ZJUN05 to conduct a sensitive recon (SR) mission. So before you write anything again in that context, or in general before you ever say again that you did something well! Then I crawled three more miles, Luttrell said in perhaps the most succinct summary anyone will ever give of the most horrific day of their lives. [2][7][31], 3/3 tracked a number of known ACM groups they determined to be possibly seeking to fill the power void in the region. Between 2010 and 2018 the Lone Survivor Foundation provided more than 25,200 hours of therapeutic services in a military-friendly environment to vets and their families, all at no cost to those receiving it. It is what we do, when we must fight only when we must! He calls himself a coward. But i will tell you this! This is an insult to Mike Murphy, as any officer who didn't plan for an obvious contingency like this would be incompetent. [2][40], The team, surmising that they would likely be compromised, retreated to a fallback position. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn. If you're talking about the movie, yeah whatever, Hollywood's got a right to tell their own story. Through his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay his units position. Get proficient on YOUR time. I will never quit. Battle of wanat for example was in korengal and the 173rd are without saying some of the best warriors the army produces but they were attacked by a battalion size element in this remote area you claim cant support those numbers. "[44], In the June 12, 2007 article "Survivor's book dishonors son's memory" by Michael Rothfeld in Newsday, Michael P. Murphy's father Dan claims that Lieutenant Murphy would never have considered executing unarmed civilians, let alone putting such a grave decision up for a vote (in reference to the purported vote of execution of unarmed locals). His goal was simple: protect his brothers. Murphy's MoH citation said 30-50. Maybe learn a little deeper about the area. His book says they fought, what, 100 insugents, killing 35? Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. [56], Ahmad Shah and his group recovered a large amount of weapons, ammunition, and other materials, including three SOPMOD M4 Carbines fitted with M203 40mm grenade launchers, a ruggedized laptop with an intact hard drive containing maps of embassies in Kabul, night-vision devices, and a sniper spotting scope, among other items from the Navy SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team,[58] items which they could then use against American, Coalition, and Afghan government entities. I suppose that is true of most film adaptations of books. Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. Memoir, movie reveal transformation of Navy SEAL Danny Dietz [24], 2/3 eventually abandoned this naming convention out of sensitivity to the local population, instead opting for using Dari names for animals,[2] including "Pil" (elephant)[25] and "Sorkh Khar" (red donkey). Earthy and mesic Ronny page his hassock wagged differ furthest. To the west of the Sawtalo Sar ridgeline is the Korangal Valley. The enemy had the SEALs outnumbered. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began. AXE They had connections with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border. Both? In actuality, LT Murphy successfully made the call while taking gunfire. Murphy's father said exactly this in a 2007 interview. The movie is based on Marcus. That being said, I read the book first, then saw the movie. An Overlooked Hero of Navy SEALs' Operation Red Wings Even in the face of the Taliban threatening Gulab, his family, and his village the Pashtunwali villagers refused to capitulate. One of the villagers made his way to a Marine outpost with a note from Luttrell, and U.S. forces launched a massive operation that rescued him from enemy territory on July 2. They would have gone anyway. I dont think any seal post 911 has ever been mistaken as a quiet profesional! [53] Gulab was aware of these developments and had introduced himself to the Marine commander at Nangalam, Matt Bartels, when he was visiting Matin. Upon reaching Sawtalo Sar, the two MH-47s received small arms fire. Those 3 fought their asses off. The recent major motion picture "Lone Survivor" tells the story of Operation Red Wings, an ill-fated 2005 Navy SEAL reconnaissance operation in Afghanistan. The man has skills borne of experiences that will never be replicated and guess what, they have practical applications. And I dont have access to the heart and mind of another. Yet it seems they fought on and all died except Luttrell. Following the call, Murphy managed to drag himself to a semi-covered position, where he began to cry out to Luttrell for help. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead. Pre-mission planning put the hostiles number at 20, tops. Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minn. Sgt. As the Chinook raced to the battle, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter, killing all 16 men aboard. He evaded the enemy for nearly a day by traveling seven miles on foot. Do you want the average person to support the military, or not? It was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. This was the worst single-day U.S. And just like Pat Tillman, the DOD needed up a hero story to cover up a goatf@ck, except this time here's Luttrell already on the spot trying to cash in with a ghost written book so bad it can't even get the mission name right (it's Red Wings after the hockey team, not Redwing). There are hopefully few among us unfamiliar with Operation Red Wings. But before he could, he was shot in hand, the blast shattering his thumb. His story falls apart under scrutiny. On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, Murphy, Luttrell, Dietz, and Axelson, continued the fight. Luttrell wrote about realizing there was no possible way to help his best friend because the enemy would surely kill him long before he reached Murphy. If you would have researched it well you would have known that it where GOAT-herders in stead of SHEEP-herders there is a big difference. Luttrell is a national treasure. [2] Similar operations that followed included Operation Mavericks (named after the Dallas Mavericks basketball team) in April 2005,[29] and Operation Celtics (named after the Boston Celtics basketball team) in May 2005. PDF Operation Red Wings Autopsy Report - x3media.com It was carried out from late-June to mid-July 2005 on the slopes of a mountain named Sawtalo Sar,[14] situated approximately 20 miles (32km) west of the provincial capital of Asadabad. The Taliban came to the village several times, demanding that Luttrell be turned over to them. Meanwhile, Marcus Luttrell had been taken in by a local Afghan, Gulab, from the village of Salar Ban, roughly 0.7 miles (1.1km) down the northeast gulch of Sawtalo Sar[4] from the location of the ambush. Medical services had been provided and a girls' school was built at Nangalam. Gulab claims when they found Marcus he still had his full load out. During the following weeks of Red Wings II, ground units of 2/3 undertook a number of patrols, as did members of the Afghan National Army, Army Special Operations units, and Navy Special Operations units. If you would have researched it well, you would have known it would not make a difference! Theres a movie, too, and its fairly well done but the book is much better and Marcus Luttrell himself wrote it with established author Patrick Robinson. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Operation Red Wings is one of the darkest times in SEAL team history and the inspiration behind the movie Lone Survivor. At this point, late in the afternoon, storm clouds were moving in over the region and the aircraft returned to their respective bases. This act ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle. It was only several months later that the truth came out that he was killed by friendly fire. Operation Red Wings was a pyrrhic victory U.S. victory. Within an hour, the SEAL Reconnaissance and Surveillance team was attacked by Shah and his men who were armed with RPK machine guns, AK-47s, RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenades, and an 82mm mortar. His injuries were so traumatic that the Navy recommended a closed casket. Using imagery intelligence taken from an unmanned aerial vehicle on June 17, 2005, Westerfield identified likely structures used for housing his team, IED making, and overwatch of the area below for IED strikes. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I crawled into the side of that mountain and covered myself with rocks, took mud and anything I could find, packed it into the open holes in my legs Then night came around. Extortion 17: The deadliest day in the DEVGRU history - Spec Ops Magazine Military protocol, United States and international military doctrine, and rules of engagement strictly forbid harming unarmed non-combatant civilians, with one of the specific rules of engagement in effect at the time stating, "Civilians are not targets! Several weeks later, Shah's group was attacked in Kunar Province and disabled while Shah was later seriously wounded during Operation Whalers in August 2005. The first of these, Operation Spurs (named after the San Antonio Spurs basketball team), conducted in February 2005, took place in the Korangal Valley, in Kunar Province's Pech District. Operation Red Wings . 2nd Lieutenant Turner also gathered a number of photographs of Shah. He let them go. She is a contributor for an array of major industry publications including USCCA Concealed Carry Magazine, Outdoor Life, and SHOT Business. I couldnt put it down. Luttrell said one of the last things Axe said to him in that hollow was, You stay alive, Marcus.. Rescue in Afghanistan | The American Legion The battalion agreed to this, believing, however, that this unconventional command structure defied a fundamental tenet of successful military operations "unity of command". Making it work meant sacrificing himself. Operation red wings autopsy Jobs, Employment | Freelancer Matthew Axelson, 29, was one of four Navy SEALs taking part in Operation Red Wing, a secret mission in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, head of an insurgent group known as the "Mountain Tigers." The SEAL unit was betrayed to the Taliban, which attacked with a force of more than 40 men. Approximately 45 minutes into the fight, pinned down by overwhelming forces, Danny Dietz, the communications petty officer, sought open air to place a distress call back to the base. That's some serious badassery; that's a level of practically inhuman strength. No way. There was occasional claims. Every real man would know to hold their ground then giving up to the things what makes us different from terrorists! [2][31] With the surrender of Najmudeen, ACM activity in the region dropped significantly. Because persons like you, never will understand! We already have an account registered for email address