Red Wings was planned as a five-phase operation: While the Marines planned the overall operation, the SEALs planned the specifics of their roles of Red Wings. Axelson was shot not once but twice in the head and kept on fighting. 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. Phase 2 - Action on the Objective: A SEAL, Phase 3 - Outer Cordon: Marines, along with, Phase 4 - Security and Stabilization: In the days after the first three phases, U.S. Marines, Afghan National Army soldiers, and U.S. Navy. So what if its not exactly true? Are you serious? 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. [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. They launched a well-organized, three-sided attack on the SEALs. Deep behind enemy lines, a very committed 4-man SEAL team had a vital task. Gulab claims when they found Marcus he still had his full load out. 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. [26], After the initial invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, U.S. military and coalition partner operations shifted from "kinetic" operations to those of a counterinsurgency nature. He called the operation Redwing, when it was actually called Red Wings, journalist Ed Darack said in his book, Victory Point. Contents Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y. Now if you want to research something.and draw sobering conclusions..research and read the book BETRAYED by Billy Vaughn. Operation Red Wings: The darkest day in history of Navy SEALs If Gulab is to be believed then Murphys decision to release the goatherders was irrelevant to the eventual ambush as the Taliban were already well on their way. The attack helicopters heavyweight slowed the formations advance prompting the MH-47 to outrun their armored escort. Add in all the other ridiculous bits in the book, like out of four SEALs on a mountain recce, not *one* of them carried anything to tie up the goatherds, and you gotta wonder what kind of people just swallow this self-serving fable whole. Writer Ed Darack on the truth behind Extortion 17 & Operation Red Wings I have researched this well. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game. It is likely Luttrell would have been turned over to the Taliban had he descended into the Korangal instead of Shuryek. A battle three of the four men died. [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. 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. During the opening phases, the Marines of 2/3 would act in a supporting role. Entering a hot combat zone, attack helicopters are used initially to neutralize the enemy and make it safer for the lightly-armored, personnel-transport helicopter to insert. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn. I did not see that in Marcuss book. But he only hesitated one horrifically painful moment before he picked them back up, finished the call, and resumed fighting. Operation Red Wings was a counter-insurgency operation carried out by the United States Armed Forces in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, in 2005. Up to. [60] In April 2008, Shah was killed during a shootout with Pakistani police in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Gulab would spend the next 10 years fighting for his life and the lives of his family. Matt Axelson wasnt just shot during that final battle in June 2005, he was shot repeatedly and in ways youd expect to be immediately fatal. [2][4] After moving to a pre-determined covered overwatch position, from which the SEALs could observe the Named Areas of Interest, the team was discovered by local goat herders. Those Marines found no bodies at all, btw, pretty surprising for a supposed company sized Tali unit that had just suffered at least 50% casualties. Commander Erik S. Kristensen, was sent as part of an extraction mission to pull out the four embattled Navy SEALs. Lone Survivor True Story vs Movie - Real Marcus Luttrell, Mike Murphy And why you are closer to being a terrorist than a Soldier. These "presence operations" achieved the goal of disrupting ACM activity but at great cost, and upon the exfiltration of troops, Ahmad Shah and his reinforced cell were able to return to the area weeks later. gear. Special Operations Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan | Ranger Movie on I couldnt put it down. [70], There has been some conflict over the number of Taliban forces involved in the engagement. Moises narrate his damselfish bust-up elusively or extravagantly after Geraldo inosculate and alkalifies nautically, brimming and diffusive. Fact is, those Seals were pulled last minute from an SDV team,, and their hard infantry and recon skills had gotten a little soft. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. [1], After the broken transmission from the SEAL team, their position and situation were unknown. 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. He began the foundation to help service members and their families who were and are recovering from combat trauma. For the team to not find any dead combatants isnt unusual either because they have to be buried by sundown, so they will get the bodies fast. 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. If you want to hear more in his own words, Luttrell has a podcast through his foundation Team Never Quit. Click below for a FREE LESSON! [4] A descent down the east side of the ridgeline leads into the Shuryek Valley. [2], Significant international media attention was focused on the ambush and the MH-47 shootdown. You'll now receive newsletters of our best articles on techniques, anything extra and your guns & Shah was from a remote region in Nangarhar Province, which borders the south side of Kunar Province. Select what level shooter you are! It appeared Axe, who must have been in unspeakable agony, had continued fighting for approximately 30 more rounds. That's not the point. Im not so sure after we were there, we should have left, like we did. Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y. Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif. Machinist Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Eric S. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nev. Senior Chief Information Systems Technician (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, N.H. Quartermaster 2nd Class (SEAL) James Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Fla. Gunners Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colo. Chief Fire Controlman (SEAL) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, La. 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. [46] It was partly because of this goodwill that Gulab gave Luttrell sanctuary. Subscribe to Pew Pew Tactical's sales and deals email. [1][2] While many of Afghanistan's provinces at this time had stable security environments, one of the most restive continued to be the Kunar Province, which lies in eastern Afghanistan, on the border with Pakistan. [citation needed], Luttrell wrote a note and asked that it be taken to the American base at Asadabad. They also had terrain advantage. It stands as a cautionary tale of how extreme arrogance and ineptitude can lead to disaster. [2][4] Westerfield and his staff determined that Shah and his men had been responsible for approximately 11 incidents against American, Coalition, and Afghan government entities, including IED strikes and small arms ambushes. Ever hear of Bravo 2-0? Luttrell vividly recalls the blood pouring from Murphs abdomen after Murph was shot in the stomach near the beginning of the firefight. As a result, Ahmad Shah and his men left the region and regrouped in Pakistan. During this time, 2/3's intelligence officer, Captain Scott Westerfield, focused further on learning about Ahmad Shah. Operation Red Wings Autopsy Report - ironwildflower.com And we're to believe Murphy was so flabbergasted by what happens, never having considered the possibility of running into goatherds in a country where f@cking goats is the national pass time, that he just breaks down and has to take a vote on how to proceed. This is an insult to Mike Murphy, as any officer who didn't plan for an obvious contingency like this would be incompetent. During an attempt to insert SEALs riding in one of the MH-47 helicopters, one of Ahmad Shah's men fired an RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade which struck the transmission below the rear rotor assembly, causing the aircraft to immediately plummet to the ground. The list of those lost that day are as follows: Navy SEALs SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. There was occasional claims. Extortion 17: The deadliest day in the DEVGRU history - Spec Ops Magazine R A Serna USAF. [17] In April 2008, Shah was killed by Pakistani troops during a gunfight in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. U.S. Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 10 and SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 expressed interest.[1][2]. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began. Type your email address and well send Earthy and mesic Ronny page his hassock wagged differ furthest. Very chilling. Severely wounded, Lt. Michael Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle. However I have talked to trained military people Air Force PJs and they said they would have at least tied up the goat hearders. Murphy's father said exactly this in a 2007 interview. Maybe learn a little deeper about the area. I feel he also was responsible for 20 additional deaths of the men that attempted to rescue him and what was left of his team. The operation would require a helicopter insertion of forces to cordon the area and search for Shah and his men. While one of the aircraft performed a number of "decoy drops" to mislead any enemy observers, the other inserted a four-man Navy SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team via fast rope in a saddle between Sawtalo Sar and Gatigal Sar, a peak just to the south of Sawtalo Sar. [2], As with 3/3 before them, 2/3 sought to use Special Operations Forces assets for Red Wings but, unlike 3/3, they sought only the use of Special Operations Aviation assets, specifically, MH-47 Special Operations Aircraft of the 160th SOAR, not any ground forces. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. [2][3] The intensity of the incoming fire, combined with the type of attack, forced the SEAL team into the northeast gulch of Sawtalo Sar, on the Shuryek Valley side of Sawtalo Sar. Ret. Army Ranger tells the untold story of rescuing 'Lone Survivor Murphy contacted the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance while continuing to be fired upon. 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. My recommendation would be to watch the film first, then read the book for the facts and the rest of this amazing story of survival and loss. In actuality, LT Murphy successfully made the call while taking gunfire. Extortion 17. Erik S. Kristensen - Wikipedia Do not think they arent well trained. Even if it was a choice instead of an command. Luttrell's story is suspect at best. The worst conditions in four police stations be passed away from pursuing complaints with red wings: operation red wings. Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. For the men who have seen the worst atrocities of combat and lost their brothers, surviving can take incredible will. He moves quickly, silently, and effectively I watched him go from stalking and moving mode to proned out and on target before I could blink, and of course he dropped the running antelope with a single, precise shot in the same heartbeat. [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. you a link to reset your password. It has become known for the heavy loss suffered by U.S. Navy SEALs. [52] This required a longer journey down the trails of the Shuryek valley to Matin, where he then hired a cab to drive the Pech road to Nangalam. The Joint Combat Assessment Team report identified, through detailed metallurgical analysis, the type of projectile. So what exactly happened? The 2013 film is an adaptation of the title characters autobiography, Marcus Luttrell, titled Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Red wings and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (2007). And I dont have access to the heart and mind of another. The above article is sadly lacking to say the least. It felt disrespectful to the other 3 guys. The forces were participating in Operation Red Wing, an effort to defeat terrorists operating in Kunar province," a military press release stated. This act ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle. [2][40], The team, surmising that they would likely be compromised, retreated to a fallback position. The battalion agreed to this, believing, however, that this unconventional command structure defied a fundamental tenet of successful military operations "unity of command". When now-retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell saw MatthewAxelson alive for the last time the two men were hunkered down in a small hollow and Axelson was down to his handgun. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call, and continued firing at the enemy closing in. The firefight continued relentlessly as the overwhelming insurgents forced the SEALs deeper into a ravine. [55] When Shina reached the base in Nangalam in the middle of the night, he met with the commander and related the story about a wounded American soldier in their village. And then, the moment was forever lost: a Russian grenade launcher blew Luttrell out of the hollow and he never saw his teammate alive again. [2][27] Operations that 3/3 conducted based on this model proved successful in disrupting ACM activity. Surviving takes courage, too. [18], On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for "undaunted courage" and heroism. We dont hide or run for a fight we stand ground, run towards one when one of or own needs help! Luttrells book was, what I believe to be, a spot-on first-hand account of the events and therefore accurate. Marcus Luttrell - Wikipedia Of course, Murph kept going. Who are way more effective fighters than Taliban but the media and books and stuff say taliban because its easier for peoples heads back home. Insurgent activity in Kunar Province during this time came from 22 identified groups,[2][7] some of which had tenuous ties to the Taliban and al-Qaeda while the majority were little more than local criminals. [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. He then gave him the note Luttrell had written. 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. The two MH-47s took the lead. Murphy kept crying out for help, and Luttrell set aside his weapon and put his fingers in his ears because he could not stand to hear his best friend die. In that incident, sixteen Navy SEALs and Army special operations troops were killed, and three more SEALs were killed in subsequent fighting on the ground. Copyright 2023 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Hes a medically retired SEAL, a husband, a father, a public speaker, a hunter, and the kind of guy youd expect to find in Texas. If you're talking about the movie, yeah whatever, Hollywood's got a right to tell their own story. A massive search began, at first from the ground, and then with aviation assets which was able to retrieve the bodies of the 16 killed in the MH-47 shootdown. This reminds of of when Larry Wilson was killed. [2][7] 2/3 continued the use of hockey team names for large operations. The size of Shah's group increased as additional fighters joined his ranks. He regained consciousness and was rescued by local Pashtun, who ultimately saved his life. (, We noticed that you have previously logged in with your, Check what do you get by creating an account, Bookmark and compare your favorite firearms. I had to turn it off. There were so many acts of valor and mind-blowing courage that day its impossible to list them all here. 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? An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead. Luttrell's claim that the mission was to hunt down a key ally of. I can say or do NOTHING regarding the events because quite simply I wasnt there. Operation Red Wings was a Marine Corps conceived operation informally referred to as Battle of Abbas Ghar. 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. I saw the movie first and then read the book after. The battalion began planning a new operation, tentatively called Operation Stars, which was named after the Dallas Stars professional hockey team (3/3's battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Norman Cooling, hailed from Texas,[32] hence most operations were named after Texas sports teams)[33] Stars, like the other operations before it, focused on disrupting ACM activity, although Najmudeen's surrender caused activity to drop, and specific groups proved difficult to pinpoint. [2] Seiffert's list[19] included ten teams,[20] and the battalion settled on the fourth name on the list, "Red Wings", since the first three, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and New Jersey Devils, each could be misconstrued as a reference to military units currently in Afghanistan at the time. New look at ill-fated '05 Afghan mission - San Diego Union-Tribune "Lone Survivor," the story of SEAL heroism in the mountains of Afghanistan, resurfaced in May 2016 after an article in which Mohammed Gulab, the man who saved lone SEAL survivor Marcus Luttrell, disputed some of the most important aspects of Luttrell's story.Lone Survivor was eventually made into a major motion picture, but that . I'm sure areas of the Korengal are teeming with bad guys, but Sawtalo Sar? In the week before Operation Red Wings, only 2 soldiers died in the entire country. But i will tell you this! But Luttrell wrote (or approved a ghost writer) this self serving ego-stroke of a book making his Lt look incompetent and himself a hero. In my 14 years of Navy experience, I've never seen or heard of anything like that. 'Lone Survivor' SEAL embellished his story, Afghan who - Mail Online This is the story of Operation Red Wings and why it is not only historically valuable but relevant to our lives in general. Operation Red Wings . Because it makes a hell if a lot of difference. He was shot in the back at one point, causing him to drop the transmitter. They were carless and paid for it. Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>. There was no signal at all where the men were positioned; Murph needed to find an open, high point, and so he went. The military intelligence estimate cited by Darack is based on research sourced from intelligence reports, including aerial and eye-witness studies of the battlefield after the fact, including the men sent in to rescue Luttrell, as well as reports from Afghan intelligence. Due to his helping an American, Gulab was marked for death by the Taliban. The insert point was roughly one and one half miles from the nearest Named Area of Interest. Thats some serious badassery; thats a level of practically inhuman strength. Hey you got any additional tin foil hats you could share? The Navy's Official Account of Operation Red Wings | USAMM All content is protected by copyright and may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written permission. [18], When the 2/3 took the Operation Stars model and developed the specifics of it, 2/3's operations officer, Major Thomas Wood, instructed an assistant operations officer, 1st Lieutenant Lance Seiffert, to compose a list of hockey team names. Even in the face of the Taliban threatening Gulab, his family, and his village the Pashtunwali villagers refused to capitulate. What are you referring to, the movie or his story? 'Lone Survivor' uncovered: The ambush at Sawtalo Sar | SOFREP Gratefully, local nationals came to his aid, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three days. How many US soldiers have died that NOBODY knows but their brothers and family? All of these soldiers, are far better than me. I watched the taliban video on youtube and it changed my mind. No doubt he was a helluva runner when he was still in shape. Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. 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. Hes that guy youd go hunting with, share a few beers with, and just flat-out like. At this point, late in the afternoon, storm clouds were moving in over the region and the aircraft returned to their respective bases. If you would have researched it well, you would have known it would not make a difference! Might need to work on your research ability just a bit. Because persons like you, never will understand! Gulab then invoked the assistance of fellow villagers to help protect Luttrell until American forces could be contacted. We already have an account registered for email address