He was awarded the medal on 26 August 2013. Capt. 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. [8] The Coalition forces withdrew from the base shortly after the battle. [7][8] The former of which is based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by journalist Jake Tapper. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. [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. [32] Staff Sgt. 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. ABC News' Karen Russo contributed to this report, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. The outpost's depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed on October 6 by a B-1 bomber in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind. American outpost in Nuristan, Afghanistan, List of post-Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients, "Latest Medal of Honor brings COP Keating battle back into spotlight", "A Medal of Honor recipient's ongoing burden", "COP Keating battle begins, Medal of Honor nominee Romesha takes action", "This Netflix series will tell the stories of Medal of Honor recipients", "The Battle of Kamdesh, which netted two Medals of Honor, is coming to the big screen twice", "Sony Enlists Director Daniel Espinosa, George Clooney's Smokehouse For 'Red Platoon', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Combat_Outpost_Keating&oldid=1137949129, Military installations of the United States in Afghanistan, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 06:20. In the year that followed the agreement, ANA and American deaths dropped from thirty to three. 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. Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. It also showed Lieutenant Colonel Chris Kolenda (commander of American forces in Naray) with a crisis. 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. 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. American military operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area. They made sustained attacks over a two-day period, drawing American support forces and widespread air forces into the battle. -The New Yorker, "On average, we'd get hit three to four times a week," says Sgt. Loss of life was inevitable and the government. AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. prosthetic makeup effects technician: Millennium FX. Their checkpoints[11] and "taxes" was used to finance AAF operations. Not an Ordinary Engagement Follow-up attacks attempted by Taliban forces were subsequently thwarted by U.S. Action at the Aid Station Other veterans also acted in the movie, including Henry Hughes. 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. On the whole the AAF was a broader based and more formidable force in 2007 than before the American invasion, and represented a significant escalation. The initiating ISAF forces of 1-91 Cavalry had returned home, replaced by 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. He became the fourth surviving soldier from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts to be awarded the Medal of Honor due to courageous actions during the battle. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle. 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. Roller attended his next meeting with village leaders dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. Staff Sergeant William "Ryan" Fritsche was killed by rifle fire. [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. Avalos began directing indirect support to help the defense of COP Keating. As we walked into the replica aid station, I looked at Cordova. 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 . American troops in Nuristan found themselves directly in opposition to the HIG forces. 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. Died of his wounds after his legs were hit by RPG shrapnel. I'll have to give it a read sometime. prosthetic makeup effects administrator: Millennium FX. Constant ambushes and firefights along the road to Naray did little to relieve Keating's doubts. 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]. |. 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. For his gallantry, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal *, the U.S. Army's third highest award for valor. Eight U.S. soldiers were killed and 27 wounded; eight Afghan soldiers were wounded, along with two Afghan private security guards. These groups could clash violently over water rights, pasture, and religious beliefs. And he was becoming disillusioned with the possibility of what he thought. The Los Angeles gift shop Bunkado, at center with a fan on its sign, in the 1950s. Among these U.S. troops were men of great mettle. 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. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. Haji Yunus, a village elder of Gawardesh and contractor for an electric plant, was kidnapped and murdered. [7]:327328 The nearest attack helicopters were located in Jalalabad, a thirty-minute flight away. The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. A new counter-insurgency strategy seemed to offer a way around these problems. 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. This will happen to you." Between each take, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, who offered feedback to make the scene match his memory. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407. Ground resupply became almost impossible due to the area's limited roads and the threat of insurgent attacks. [7]:363383[13], COP Keating became increasingly isolated in the summer of 2009. Let's get back on topic please. Keating was permanently shut down three days following the attack. 8 killed 27 wounded[5] 4 killed 10 wounded. I reached out to the films director, Rod Lurie, to vent my concerns. 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. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. [7]:21530, The closeness of the action, and coordinated fire from both sides of the valley indicated that the attackers in this ambush were different from the groups that had been using sporadic, long range, harassing fire. Something had to be done to bring Nuristan on to the American side. 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. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. Defense officials confirm that three other Army officers face disciplinary action for their role in the attack on the military outpost in Wanat in July, 2008 that led to nine dead U.S. soldiers and 27 wounded. 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. Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. Sylvanius Broward in the movie is a fictional name for a real captain, Mel Porter. 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. In response to this, the local Afghan officials sent more government troops into the area. 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. Lardner, Richard (Associated Press), "Command Failures". Another 10 Afghan soldiers and several Taliban were killed during these operations. Clint Romesha rallied his fellow soldiers by telling them, "We're taking this bitch back. Defense officials confirm that two senior officers who oversaw the forces at COP Keating have received administrative punishments that could impact their careers. [15], The Allies planned to close COP Keating by August 2009, but the move was delayed because of other military operations in a nearby district. Justin Gallegos' Silver Star was later upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. 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. A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in September 2019. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed. Within moments of entry, members of the QRF discovered and confirmed the death of Sgt. On October 28, the commander of COP Keating, Captain Robert J. Yllescas, was severely wounded in a targeted assassination attempt with a remotely detonated IED less than 400 meters from the outposthe later died from his wounds on December 1. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. The outpost itself also needed to be accessible by road since most of the helicopters were being used in Iraq and were unavailable. The Shapleigh native volunteered to drive an Army truck loaded with supplies along a treacherous 200-foot cliff at night . 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 Using the 120mm mortar means the base can command the entire valley. 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. Email us at atwar@nytimes.com. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Despite recommendations not to drive the large supply vehicle, First Lieutenant Ben Keating took the wheel while returning an armored supply truck to the Naray FOB. The movie was filmed in 2018 on a set created at the base of a mountain in Bulgaria, not far from the city of Sofia. That was our troopers advantage up there. 1st Class Jonathan Hill rallied his 3rd Platoon troops in a counterattack, despite his multiple shrapnel wounds. You are using an out of date browser. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. The second incident happened in 2008 at Observation Post Fritsche. This was a re-deployment from the Cowkay and Korangal Valleys to Kamdesh. Lardner, Richard, (Associated Press), "Investigation: Afghan Troops Ran, Hid During Deadly Battle", "Latvian, U.S. soldiers reunite after deadly battle", "Eight U.S. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. While this is indeed alarmingly frequent, the movie makes it seem like the attacks are happening daily. 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.". [17], Coalition forces received three human-source intelligence reports sometime before the battle indicating that insurgents were planning an attack on the outposts. 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. He died when his. Michael Polidor and Capt. On the day of our visit, the cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the aid station. During the day-long battle at Combat Outpost Keating last Oct. 3, the base was temporarily overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters. I only watched the trailer. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. Additionally, 20 Afghan troops, two Latvian soldiers and a dozen Afghan security guards were at Keating. [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. 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. These valley and road intersections combined with the political leadership in the area inspired the positioning of the Nuristan PRT. 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. According to army records, the Taliban commander of the attack on Keating, Abdul Rahman Mustaghni, was killed by the following drone strike along with thirteen other insurgents. 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. This letter was written in Pashto and signed "Mujahideen". (Multiple explosions near the ammo supply set off a series of fires at the post.). As seen in the movie, the road in Kamdesh collapsed underneath the truck, throwing Keating from the vehicle as it rolled over a cliff, sending both himself and the truck down toward the Landay-Sin River. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. Contained between the Landay River and steep mountains, Keating was attacked from multiple directions by 300 enemy fighters. The elder considers this to be a bad omen and demands that there be retribution. Director Rod Lurie is himself a West Point graduate and an Army veteran. Christopher Cordova, the squadrons physician assistant, was manning the aid station where there was no power. Those guys were amazing. "Reviewing and examining and improving are part of our process and when we do it from within, it is embraced," said the officer who asked not to be identified. The combination of volatile weather and rugged mountains make any kind of travel and life in general difficult and challenging. Insurgents had breached the camp in several locations, including at the main entrance, near the latrine area, and on the eastern side. 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. Within the first hour, the American and Latvian defenders had collapsed to a tight internal perimeter, centered on the two buildings that were not burning. Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. Yes. 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. Relief had been slowed in reaching COP Keating due to a lack of available aircraft and density of terrain. 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. [5] The U.S. military estimated that 150 Taliban insurgents were also killed as a result of repulsing the assault. Captain Melvin Porter, 4th Infantry Division, US Army, said: "We're sitting in a bowl so we are constantly under observation." This is how the war went at COP Keating: a few pot shots from. Tim Quinton. JavaScript is disabled. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. U.S. soldiers reported that none of the Afghan soldiers held their ground. It's at least the third time officers were disciplined after soldiers' deaths. Keating landed between two rocks nearly 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the river. Robert Yllescas. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. Rather off-topic but wasn't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand? "[16] Four U.S. Army officersCaptain Melvin Porter, Captain Stoney Portis, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Brown, and Colonel Randy Georgewho oversaw COP Keating were admonished or reprimanded for command failures. Yes. Without air support, I dont think we would have made it, considering the number against us and the area we were in, McMurtrey said. 3-71 Cavalry conducted many successful combat missions in the area surrounding the camp and repelled various attacks on the base. [36], On 11 February 2013, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, a survivor of the battle. "The investigation concluded that critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets which had been supporting COP Keating had been diverted to assist ongoing intense combat operations in other areas," the report said. 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. Or invite someone to subscribe through this link. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. The camp was originally constructed to be a PRT (i.e., Provincial Reconstruction Team), called PRT Kamdesh, but due to extremely high levels of fighting in the area it remained a fire base instead of a PRT. The following day, insurgents kidnapped and murdered Fazal Ahad, an elder from Badmuk who was attempting to end the Kom/Kata tribal disagreements by arranging a meeting in Kamdesh. It took place while First Lieutenant Kaine Meshkin (not in the film) was leading a patrol to Observation Post Fritsche. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Kamdesh village and most of Nuristan is located in the Hindu Kush. Unconfirmed footage reportedly shows a short segment from a November 2008 battle at Combat Outpost (COP) Keating, in which ISAF troops attempt to defend the stupidly-placed position from an enemy that holds the high ground on all sides. So it was something that had its objective changed and wasn't moved due to limited resources and it being 'probably good enough' there? 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. [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 Distinguished Flying Cross was given to 7 aviators who assisted in defending the base. Extending control further along the river was expected to counter the AAF expansion and activity in the summer of 2007. [37], Staff Sergeant Ty Carter (then Specialist) was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage during the battle. However, author Jake Tapper says that this is entirely untrue. Surprised they didn't frag him. 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. To further complicate the situation, nearby Observation Post Fritsche was unable to provide mortar support to Keating, as it also was overrun by Taliban. Soldiers with 1st Plt., B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. [2] Two Americans, Staff Sergeants Clinton L. Romesha and (then Specialist) Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor for their role in defending the base.[3]. He was managing care for five Americans and seven Afghans, treating gunshot wounds, head injuries, shrapnel wounds, chest and abdominal wounds, eye injuries and broken legs, all in a makeshift station. Despite air and artillery support the American forces suffered significant losses. "We're surrounded, and we're sitting in a bowl," Porter said on "Good Morning America" today. "It doesn't really take a lot to sort of trigger the emotions again," said Beth Keating. However, Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating's death actually happened three years earlier, in 2006, not 2009. As they filmed one take after another, Cordova clenched his jaw and swallowed back tears, reliving the most traumatic day of his life. Capt. These bases were a key element of the American counterinsurgency strategy. Located along a riverbank in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, the base was surrounded by steep mountains. 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. Hutto had worked for years on COIN campaigns in Central America. . The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. He was thrown from the truck, which rolled over him and sank into the river. In the movie, he dies almost immediately after landing at the bottom of the cliff. The landing zone was placed on the other side of the river on a rocky peninsula jutting into the river near Urmul. A common misconception is that the Taliban are primitive fighters who lack the necessary skills to be effective in battle. This article is featured in the 2019 October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine. 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. It seemed like the entire COP was burning [70 percent did].. The military had planned to relocate the outpost in August 2009, but the resources needed for such a move were tied up elsewhere. [31] 3 soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and 18 others the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. The Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating was evacuated two days after the battle. 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. Read more from At War here or follow us on Twitter. The soldiers left so quickly that they didn't take all of the ammunition. Of soldiers living in the area inspired the positioning of the mountain resulting in three confirmed enemy KIA at 6:00pm. Were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area opposition to the river a... Later upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross Province, in Afghanistan Taliban snipers to off... Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban.. An Army truck loaded with supplies along a riverbank in Kamdesh were affected as soon as began... Not 2009 campaigns in Central America Richard ( Associated Press ), `` we 're taking this back! Hazardous to low-flying aircraft resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded ; eight Afghan soldiers held their ground most... [ 11 ] and `` taxes '' was used to finance AAF operations other soldiers next! Between each take, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, an old friend and veteran... Evacuated two days after the battle was placed on the base was overrun... Discovered and confirmed the death of Sgt his wounds after his legs were hit by RPG shrapnel 's actually... Along the road to Naray did little to relieve Keating 's death actually happened three years earlier in... 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