Combat. Killed by a single gunshot wound to the face while in the base mortar pit. "It doesn't really take a lot to sort of trigger the emotions again," said Beth Keating. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. 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. Jayson Souter, and 1st Lt. Cason Shrode, including attack helicopters, A-10s, a B-1 bomber, and F-15 fighters, destroyed the local mosque, where much of the insurgents' heaviest fire originated. Capt. The movie does take liberty with the way it portrays previous commanders of the outpost, 1st Lt. Ben Keating and Capt. Some of the soldiers who were at the battle are interviewed by the book's author, Jake Tapper, during the closing credits. Plans were drawn up in the summer of 2006 by the US Army's 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Mountain Lion. The steep mountains rendered two dimensional maps and landmarks useless. Soldiers with 1st Plt., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. By all quantifiable metrics, my unit won the fight, but at a devastating cost: Eight soldiers died, 22 were wounded and our camp burned to the ground. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. These subgroups were in turn divided into clans and sects, depending on lineages and the interpretations of individual religious leaders. They were eventually repelled from the small base through the actions of what the investigation's report said were the camp soldiers who "fought heroically" and counterattacks by Apache helicopters and attack jets. Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. 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. When the battle was over, 16 tons of bombs had been dropped. He died when his truck fell off the cliff, and the outpost was later named Combat Outpost Keating in his honor. An officer also received administrative punishment for his role in a delayed artillery response to an ambush last September on a joint U.S.-Afghan patrol that left four Marines and nine Afghans dead. 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 . In 2018, I flew on my own dime to Sofia, Bulgaria, to witness the making of the film based on Jake Tappers book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Chris Cordova, an old friend and another veteran of the battle, came with me. Troops, Amazon.com: The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor eBook: Tapper, Jake: Kindle Store, Wehrmacht wins at Dunkirk: Description of the battle that never was. I highly recommend picking up a copy as it goes into far far greater detail about the history and events leading up and during the battle. Let's get back on topic please. I witnessed the making of The Outpost, a film about the day my unit fought off 300 Taliban fighters who tried to overrun our camp in Afghanistan. There was an element of ABLE Troop 3-71 CAV 2nd Platoon still left on the PZ after the crash that worked relentlessly to recover the bodies of their 10 comrades and destroy sensitive equipment in the wreckage. As a result, the depot was looted by the Taliban. [5][7]:53141 Observation Post ("OP") Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. On Oct. 3, 2009, a force of about 50 Americans faced down as many as 400 enemy fighters intent on overrunning COP Keating in eastern Afghanistan. prosthetic makeup effects administrator: Millennium FX. Capt. Cordovas care raised the morale of every soldier in the aid station, and word quickly spread across the outpost, the battle narrative stated. 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. The PRT site resembled the bottom of a funnel. 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. Who plays Nia on the outpost? For their heroism, 2 Medals of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were awarded. Colonel John W. Nicholson Jr., Commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, had observed that Kamdesh was located at a point where three of the valley systems from the Pakistan border in the north converged. After Keating's death, a "Night Letter" appeared on the door of the Upper Kamdesh mosque on April 29, 2007. The battle unfolded on October 3, 2009. The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. [36], On 11 February 2013, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, a survivor of the battle. Eventually, supporting aircraft scattered the attackers; while air support provided decisive results. He assumed command of CO Keating following the death of Captain Robert Yllescas in a Taliban IED attack in December 2008, and he almost immediately acquired a negative reputation among his new command, who called him "Broward the Coward" for planning . The report said the heroic action of American and Afghan soldiers contributed to a "severe tactical defeat for the Taliban" that resulted in as many as 150 Taliban fighters being killed. Stoney Portis, an officer in the Army and a Ph.D. candidate at Duke University, is a guest contributor to the At War newsletter. [35] Capt. [33] 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann's Silver Star was upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross as well. The outpost was manned by 54 American personnel from B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, who faced greater than seven-to-one odds in the battle. When I learned that my U.S. Army cavalry troops war story was being made into a major motion picture, I worried that a Hollywood account of the battle would be inaccurate. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. 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. Additionally, 20 Afghan troops, two Latvian soldiers and a dozen Afghan security guards were at Keating. Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan, as recreated on the set. The wounded Americans condition immediately improved after the first unit of blood, as did the spirits of all those in the aid station. By allowing soldiers to tell their story, by hearing their story, you are also part of the healing. 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. 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 . [8] The Coalition forces withdrew from the base shortly after the battle. 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. Keating landed between two rocks nearly 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the river. -The Outpost book. It was treacherous and subject to enemy ambush. In the process, the truck rolled over him and ended up almost fully submerged in the river. "As evening fell on the night of 3 October 2009, COP Keating remained solidly under US control, and enemy forces had suffered severe tactical defeat," according to the Army report, although "eight American soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice defending their outpost and their fellow soldiers." But the courage of the Americans who fought there will never be forgotten. 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. 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. In the end, as part of an effort by General Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan, such remote outposts were closed so that more troops could be used to protect civilians in populated areas. The 53. I have my own war stories from that day, but watching one of my best friends relive his on set was the closest I could come to fully understanding his heartache and pain. This includes Scott Eastwood's character, Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, telling the men, "We're taking this bitch back," after the camp is partially overrun by Taliban fighters. Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and 27 wounded; eight Afghan soldiers were wounded, along with two Afghan private security guards. However that road itself was pretty poor in of itself. However, author Jake Tapper says that this is entirely untrue. Keating was killed in November 2006 when he volunteered for a dangerous mission to drive an army truck loaded with supplies up to the camp, along treacherous 200-foot cliffs. This series of meetings over two days involved more than 800 representatives of the people of Nuristan, and had the goal of bringing order and economic development to the region. While en route the Platoon encountered a planned ambush on the side of the mountain resulting in three confirmed enemy KIA at approximately 6:00pm. 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 Allies hoped that extending these bases into Nuristan, one of the most remote and isolated eastern provinces in Afghanistan, they could demonstrate to the entire Afghan population the government's credibility and power. The entire Outpost Keating was recreated. [2] A day after, on October 7, Taliban fighters were seen among the ruins of the outpost. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. The fire was so intense they had to toss smoke grenades for concealment, just to get . Despite the efforts of two Latvian military advisors, First Sergeant Jnis Lais and Corporal Mrti Dboli,[21] who tried to convince the Afghan National Army forces not to flee,[22] the Afghan defenders quickly broke and ran. Hutto had worked for years on COIN campaigns in Central America. Christopher Cordova, the squadrons physician assistant, was manning the aid station where there was no power. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The fighting at COP Keating, which is also known as the Battle of Kamdesh, involved an attack by over 400 insurgents against the combat outpost, which was slated to be dismantled. 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. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of 400 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. [2], The attackers overran Keating's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle. He decided that American soldiers' "battle rattle" war gear gave the impression of soulless killing machines. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Combined with difficult conditions for air supply, and little support from the local population, supply to what was renamed Camp Keating on November 26, 2006, was wholly inadequate. ' The Outpost ' is a 2020 war drama which tells the story of 53 US soldiers who battled some 400 enemy insurgents in north-eastern Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom. 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. Captain Bostick was killed by a rocket propelled grenade. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. "[5], On November 9, 2018, the Netflix series Medal of Honor featured two separate episodes for both Romesha and Carter's personal accounts of the events that took place at COP Keating during the Battle of Kamdesh. An after-action report stated that within less than a few minutes of fighting, the Afghan soldiers serving at Keating, as well as the Afghan security guards, had fled their positions, allowing the enemy to quickly overrun the post. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers fought. Keating's November 26, 2006 death deeply affected his platoon, who wanted to honor his sacrifice and his selfless care for them. Despite overwhelming odds and volume of injuries, MAJ (R) Cordova was able to . 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. Actor Milo Gibson, the son of Mel Gibson, portrays Capt. The soldiers heard over the radio, "Enemy in the wire The enemy is inside the camp." Members of 10th Mountain Division's 1-32 Infantry Regiment were air lifted to the nearest helicopter landing zone on OP Fritsche and arrived at approximately 2:00pm, as recalled by a soldier on scene. A recreated Red Platoon barracks bunk bed. [26] The attack accelerated those plans, with the troops' departure taking place so quickly after the battle that some munitions were abandoned. The AAF responded to this advance with a well-organized ambush on July 26, 2007, in the river valley at Saret Koheh. [17], Coalition forces received three human-source intelligence reports sometime before the battle indicating that insurgents were planning an attack on the outposts. Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. "whatever you think of their ideology, these are fierce and smart fighters. Nicholson and officers of his command believed that much of the flow of weapons and troops from Pakistan could be stopped at Kamdesh. I only watched the trailer. [5] Within two minutes of the beginning of the attack, American forces suffered their first casualty. Encased in armor, helmets, and weapons, Americans appeared to be looking for a fight. Feb. 5, 2010— -- A military investigation of a Taliban attack last fall on a remote U.S. army outpost that left eight American soldiers dead and 22 wounded has resulted in administrative punishments for two commanders blamed for "inadequate measures taken by the chain of command.". The note was signed "Mullah Omar". Gul Mohammed Khan, the government administrator for Kamdesh District, lived at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers. Or invite someone to subscribe through this link. American forces had already planned to pull out of the area as part of a plan to move forces to more densely populated areas, so closure of the base was imminent when the attack occurred. And appearing Holdo's subordinates were well aware of the plain. Captain Sylvanius Broward (Kwame Patterson), whom the men refer to as "Broward the Coward," shoots the dog to appease the elder and calm the situation. 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. On his way, he stopped to offer first aid to wounded troops. He was awarded the medal on 26 August 2013. Div., at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province on Aug. 6, 2009. [37], Staff Sergeant Ty Carter (then Specialist) was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage during the battle. Martina Skokova. [7]:803,945,11620, After marching into the proposed site for the Kamdesh provincial outpost, Captain Michael and Cherokee Company's second platoon were confronted by a large boulder in the middle of the site that made landing a helicopter in the PRT site impossible. Keating was permanently shut down three days following the attack. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. At one point, he and his men came under heavy sniper fire. Shot in the head by a Taliban sniper after being wounded by RPG fire. The landing zone was placed on the other side of the river on a rocky peninsula jutting into the river near Urmul. Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. [31] 3 soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and 18 others the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. Again, it was later noted that many of Porter's decisions were sound. [8] US Army soldiers at both outposts had been ordered to prepare to evacuate the outposts and had informed local Afghan leaders of their intention to do so. In December 2006, it was renamed Camp Keating after the death of ABLE Troop 3-71 Cavalry 10th Mountain Division's Executive Officer Benjamin Keating, who died November 26, 2006, while conducting combat operations south of the camp. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, From August 8 to November 25 of 2006, strenuous efforts were made to supply and expand the PRT by supply convoys using the Landay-Sin valley road from Naray FOB. [39] The Netflix documentary series, Medal of Honor, includes an episode detailing the actions of Clinton Romesha and Ty Carter.[40]. Zorias Yunger), most of what unfolds in the movie is largely accurate. The bounty was a thing back then? One of the casualties was a bright young specialist named Stephan Mace, whom Cordova kept alive for nine hours by transfusing fresh blood from other soldiers, himself included. Resistance in Nuristan revolved around a specific group of Islamic fighters known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. [9] The Americans "declared the outpost closed and departedso quickly that they did not carry out all of their stored ammunition. [7]:334,501,92,98. Breaches occurred at a latrine area close to the perimeter wire; also the main entrance where civilian Afghan security guards were overwhelmed; and from the eastern sidewhere Afghan National Army soldiers were stationed. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. Director Rod Lurie is himself a West Point graduate and an Army veteran. When Cordova and I arrived on set, both of us were astounded. According to one account, Hill without hesitation picked up a Latvian sniper rifle and eliminated the target at a distance of over 300 meters., 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann, de facto ground commander, worked to slow the fire in the operations center and salvage equipment. Leaving aside the wisdom of a fictional admiral cutting her CAG and most experienced pilot out of the loop while she plans a small craft evacuation, the US Army follows a doctrine known as Mission Command, which relies on the commander keeping their subordinates informed not just of their orders but the. The pick up zone for Able Troop 2nd Platoon was called PZ Reds, located on the side of an 8,000-foot mountain. Not exactly, but in researching The Outpost's historical accuracy, we learned that a similar incident happened the year prior, in 2008, involving more than just one dog. In 2009, Combat Outpost Keating was positioned perilously close to Taliban forces, in the sandy hills of Afghanistan, and vulnerable to attack. Relief had been slowed in reaching COP Keating due to a lack of available aircraft and density of terrain. Like in the movie, the quick reaction force (QRF) coming down the mountain to help were shocked by the firey devastation. It's true that some of the Taliban fighters casually strolled through the camp, believing they had won. He jumped up undeterred and ran through heavy fire to get more ammunition. On Oct. 3, 2009, the camp and its 53 soldiers were attacked by some 400 Taliban fighters. "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.". [8] In addition, Afghan national forces manned checkpoints and roadblocks at various locations around the area. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. Died of his wounds after his legs were hit by RPG shrapnel. Many of the Afghan troops, however, were a different story. Harder, from Minnesota, just 29, was in charge of a small team of soldiers at the combat outpost, COP Keating. Nearly 20 Air Force and Army aircraft flew close-air support missions throughout the day, helping to kill about 150 insurgents. Formalized as "The Commitment of Mutual Support" the agreement also provided the Shura would provide local security in return for an end to uninvited American military searches of local towns and mosques. Defense officials confirm that two senior officers who oversaw the forces at COP Keating have received administrative punishments that could impact their careers. Scott Eastwood, right, in a scene from The Outpost. The film tells the story of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan. [30] In the report released to the public, the U.S. Army concealed the names of the four disciplined officers. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. The Shapleigh native volunteered to drive an Army truck loaded with supplies along a treacherous 200-foot cliff at night . Tim Quinton. U.S. air support directed by Sgt. [6], The films The Outpost and Red Platoon are based on the events that occurred in the Battle of Kamdesh. As I neared the camp that evening, Cordovas voice crackled through my radio and asked for more blood donors. Area of Operations. So it was something that had its objective changed and wasn't moved due to limited resources and it being 'probably good enough' there? [7]:28,41,908,123, The Nuristan provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani. 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. [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. AAF would disguise themselves in ANA uniforms and set up fake checkpoints to extract taxes and tolls from local contractors, and allied themselves with smugglers transporting illegal timber and gems into Pakistan. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. [9], Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron "Destroyers", 61st Cavalry Regiment manned COP Keating. Captain Broward is a fictional character likely based on Captain Melvin Porter, the officer who commanded COP Keating before it was attacked and was reprimanded for its lack of preparedness. Sgt. In this December 2012 interview, MAJ Melvin Porter, US Army, Signal; discusses his deployment to Afghanistan as a company commander for 3-61 Cavalry (CAV) in 2009 through 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Through the summer and fall of 2008, Captain Joey Hutto, COP Keating's new commander, expanded this initiative. The rock could not be demolished without raining fragments into the town of Urmul across the Landay-Sin river. By now, Porter had strained relations with nearly all of his subordinate leaders. Unlike Donahue, Nicholson was a supporter of COIN in addition to seeing Kamdesh as a decisive control point. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Kamdesh village and most of Nuristan is located in the Hindu Kush. 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. 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. For the most part, yes. Another 10 Afghan soldiers and several Taliban were killed during these operations. aircraft.[5]. In the end, we gaveThe Outpost movie a Historical Accuracy Score of 8.5/10. These factors resulted in an attractive target for enemy fighters," the report concluded. What if there was a country in place of the Bay of Biscay? While there are numerous accounts of bravery that day, two Medals of Honor and nine Silver Stars (two have since been upgraded) were awarded. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. The Outpost is a 2020 war film directed by Rod Lurie, based on the 2012 non-fiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper, about the Battle of Kamdesh in the war in Afghanistan.It stars Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Will Attenborough, and Taylor John Smith. This had the potential to boost the local economy, which had seen few civic improvements. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. 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. Capt. One officer in Afghanistan who was familiar with the attack on COP Keating said he had mixed feelings about the criticism leveled against the camp's commanders. 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). [10], OP Fritsche was established to provide overwatch for COP Keating and was manned by a mix of US and Afghan national forces. The U.S. evacuated the camp three days later. Without air support, I dont think we would have made it, considering the number against us and the area we were in, McMurtrey said. Lurie, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, listened to what I had to say and agreed to let me visit the set. The enemy was obviously superior in numbers but not superior in discipline, professionalism and fighting skill, Col. Randy George, of the 4th BCT told the Colorado Springs Gazette in 2011. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. 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