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All eight 160th SOAR aviators and crew and all eight Navy SEALs onboard were killed, including commander of the 160th, Major Stephen C. Reich, and ground commander LCDR Erik S. Kristensen, of SEAL Team 10. As with the specifics of the planning of this phase, 2/3 played no direct role in command and control, as this was the "SOF supported" portion of the operation. If you're talking about the movie, yeah whatever, Hollywood's got a right to tell their own story. Then theres the fact that the pain of survivors guilt cannot be understood unless it has been lived. It takes an enormous amount of strength, character, and bravery to tell the world the truth about such a sensitive situation when no one would ever have known the difference. As the wounded Luttrell descended the gulch, he encountered a Pashtun named Mohammad Gulab Khan from the mountain village of Salar Ban. An MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard led by Lt. Determining that they were civilians, not combatants, Lieutenant Murphy released them, according to rules of engagement. [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. [60] In April 2008, Shah was killed during a shootout with Pakistani police in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va. Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla. HQ Company, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky. Master Sgt. Gulab claims when they found Marcus he still had his full load out. 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. So instead of reading and discrediting someone who obviously has seen combat and is living with his whole team being killed. [52], In the weeks following Marcus Luttrell's rescue, Gulab and his family received threats from the Taliban, and they were relocated to Asadabad. [4] The team members were team leader Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, based out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Petty Officer Second Class Danny Dietz from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2, based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Petty Officer Second Class Matthew G. Axelson from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1; and Navy Hospital Corpsman Second Class Marcus Luttrell, of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1. Just another Texas blowhard like Chris "I shot looters from the roof of the Superdome and knocked out Jesse Ventura" Kyle, who's made a post service career getting paid to tell anyone who will listen, books films, interviews, podcasts, you name it, about his time as a "silent" professional. Yet it seems they fought on and all died except Luttrell. The reference to Larry Wilson shows how little his so called research is. The SEALs had . 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. But the reality is that mission was a shit show from the beginning. [citation needed]. Operation Red Wings (often incorrectly referred to as Operation Redwing or Operation Red Wing ), [13] informally referred to as the Battle of Abbas Ghar, was a joint military operation conducted by the United States in the Pech District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. How many US soldiers have died that NOBODY knows but their brothers and family? You can learn more about the foundation here and, if you are a veteran suffering from combat trauma, you can apply to attend here. SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. [58], A large amount of resources were devoted to the search, rescue, and recovery operations of Red Wings II. Reich played for the "Team USA" baseball team in 1993, and has more wins than any other pitcher . Danny Dietz was shot at least fives times and continued to fight. They sought to conduct this operation at night, after positive identification of Shah by a Marine Corps scout sniper team, which would walk into the area under cover of darkness some nights before. [3] Three of the four team members were killed and the only survivor, Marcus Luttrell, was left unconscious with a number of fractures and other serious wounds. Murphy's father said exactly this in a 2007 interview. It stands as a cautionary tale of how extreme arrogance and ineptitude can lead to disaster. Following the call, Murphy managed to drag himself to a semi-covered position, where he began to cry out to Luttrell for help. [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. You see the 8 Taliban fighters that ambushed him were yelling over gun fire in Pashto and English for Murphy and his team to surrender and drop their guns. If you research operation red wings. She is a contributor for an array of major industry publications including USCCA Concealed Carry Magazine, Outdoor Life, and SHOT Business. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. Hey you got any additional tin foil hats you could share? It is what we do, when we must fight only when we must! The Joint Combat Assessment Team report identified, through detailed metallurgical analysis, the type of projectile. He calls himself a coward. But when a team was finally able to locate and take the bodies of the fallen men home they found Axelson not in that spot but a short distance from where hed been last seenand down to one mag. I have researched this well! and extra gear. [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. Those 3 fought their asses off. [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. Specifically the clear audio of Murphy yelling marcus come back. Operation Red Wings was a counter-insurgency operation carried out by the United States Armed Forces in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, in 2005. Erik Samsel Kristensen (March 15, 1972 - June 28, 2005) was a Lieutenant commander of the United States Navy SEALs who was killed in action during Operation Red Wings. ", "Topographic Map by Ed Darack used in Victory Point of Named Areas of Interest on Sawtalo Sar for Operation Red Wings", "OPERATION RED WINGS The (Mis)Information Aftermath", "Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book, "Operation Red Wings June 28, 2005 (Medal of Honor Summary of Action)", "Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout", "Lt. Michael P. Murphy, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE", "Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission", "Barnidge: To Concord native, 'Lone Survivor' is far more than a movie", "UA Emergency Medicine Doc Rescued "Lone Survivor", Satellite image via Google Maps of location of Nangalam in Afghanistan, "U.S. military searches for missing SEAL", "About the artist: W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor", "The Movie, Lone Survivor, Has a Local Tie to Tallahassee", "SEALs in bronze: Tallahassee artist memorializes 'Lone Survivor' warriors", "Afghanistan-Iraq War Memorial - Memorial Park - Cupertino, CA - Afghanistan-Iraq War Memorials", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Red_Wings&oldid=1142508364, Part of 4-Man SEAL team, killed in an ambush, Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down, Insurgent forces temporarily withdraw before returning three weeks later. This act ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle. That's how movies work. 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 Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community will forever remember June 28, 2005, and our special operators' heroic efforts and sacrifices. 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. Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more. While I understand SEALs tend to exaggerate things and are confident to a fault. [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. 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. [citation needed], Luttrell wrote a note and asked that it be taken to the American base at Asadabad. 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. With the withdrawal of American and Coalition troops at the end of Red Wings II, Shah and his group were able to return to the Kunar Province and begin attacks again. 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. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. 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. By June 2005, 2/3 had relieved-in-place 3/3 and, using the Stars concept, had developed a comprehensive operation which they called Operation Red Wings. "[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). This was the worst single-day U.S. While Murph made that final call the call that ultimately saved Luttrells life because it gave the military the situation and the last known location he was shot in the back. 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. Murphy contacted the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance while continuing to be fired upon. Medical services had been provided and a girls' school was built at Nangalam. 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. It is likely Luttrell would have been turned over to the Taliban had he descended into the Korangal instead of Shuryek. 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. Look up Ed Darack, ex-SF guy, who spent years researching the entire fiasco for a book called Victory Point, dealing with a number of missions in that area. Through intimidation, Shah was able to ascertain which house sheltered the wounded man and demanded that he be turned over. I am a non-combat US Army Vet I LOVE our military. ON the same day, a Quick Reaction Force of 8 Navy SEALs and 8 Army Night Stalkers were also killed when the MH-47 helicopter that they were aboard was shot down by enemy fire in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan, in Kumar Province. No doubt he was a helluva runner when he was still in shape. 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). If you want to hear more in his own words, Luttrell has a podcast through his foundation Team Never Quit. We dont hide or run for a fight we stand ground, run towards one when one of or own needs help! On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres game. You do not pay The fourth SEAL, Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade and was knocked unconscious. Every single soldier of those 20 who lost their life would still step onboard of that MH-47, even when they knew it upfront or thought for split seccond that he made a mistake! [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. The battalion agreed to this, believing, however, that this unconventional command structure defied a fundamental tenet of successful military operations "unity of command". [6] Initial intel estimated approximately 10 to 20. I stood up, best I could, walk-crawled for at least four miles off that mountain and then onto another one. So what if its not exactly true? Are you serious? There were so many acts of valor and mind-blowing courage that day its impossible to list them all here. Lt. Murphy said he does not make war on children. They were part of the planned QRF in Operation Red Wings. Actual location of Operation Red Wings Axelson was shot not once but twice in the head and kept on fighting. [28] Spurs utilized Navy SEALs for the opening two phases of the five-phase operation. That there believes, there standards and their honor means more to them then any risk, or a whole lot of shit coming their way! 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. And when it became clear all of the men would die unless Murph used the SAT phone meant for only the direst of emergencies, he knew he had to make it work. Operation Red Wings is one of the darkest times in SEAL team history and the inspiration behind the movie Lone Survivor. Luttrell was also awarded the Navy Cross, in a ceremony at the White House. gear. Kat Ainsworth Stevens is an outdoor writer, author, and Field Editor for Range365. Luttrell is a national treasure. The villagers refused. There is staggering power to the sacrifice of the brotherhood. [2] A team of four Navy SEALs, tasked with surveillance and reconnaissance of a group of structures known to be used by Shah and his men, were ambushed by Shah and his group just hours after inserting into the area by fast-roping from an MH-47 Chinook helicopter. [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. It was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. The worst conditions in four police stations be passed away from pursuing complaints with red wings: operation red wings. I watched the taliban video on youtube and it changed my mind. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call, and continued firing at the enemy closing in. [46] The Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah, knew that the wounded man he was tracking had to have passed through the village of Salar Ban as he made his way downhill. That was one of the greatest losses in the SOF community and the highest single loss in Operation Red Wings. Type your email address and well send 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. anything extra and your [2], Significant international media attention was focused on the ambush and the MH-47 shootdown. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla. Sgt. [27] To mitigate these problems, 3/3's staff developed an operational model which integrated special operations forces units into their operations, allowing the sharing of intelligence between the battalion and special operations forces as well as maintaining solid operational control of operations with integrated special operations assets and units by the battalion. [2][40], The team, surmising that they would likely be compromised, retreated to a fallback position. They would have gone anyway. 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. They knew the tremendous risk of going into an active enemy area in daylight without their attack support and the cover of night. It would be six days before he was rescued by American forces. ANA and Coalition forces still are actively. They tended his wounds, fed him, clothed him, sent a runner to the closest American base with a letter from Luttrell, and protected him from the Taliban. Even in the face of the Taliban threatening Gulab, his family, and his village the Pashtunwali villagers refused to capitulate. The Taliban came to the village several times, demanding that Luttrell be turned over to them. Operation Red Wings was a combined/joint military operation conducted in the Pech District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Making it work meant sacrificing himself. 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. [54] Luttrell was subsequently moved to different places until forces could arrive to extract him. He and several other SEALs set off as part of a search and rescue mission, hoping to assist a four-man SEAL team that was engaged in a firefight with Taliban fighters. Because persons like you, never will understand! You don't want to remember him that way, they said. They focus on PTSD, mTBI, and chronic pain. In the week before Operation Red Wings, only 2 soldiers died in the entire country. "Operation Red Wings" Navy SEAL "Matthew Axelson" recovery 92,724 views Jan 21, 2016 460 Dislike Share Save Downrange Film 29K subscribers Anyone who claims Matthew Axelson was beheaded is a. [2], In May 2005, the advance party of 3/3's sister battalion, the 2/3, arrived in Regional Command East. We reverence the ultimate sacrifice they made while engaged in that fierce firefight on the global war's front lines on terrorism (GWOT).