Nearly a year after his departure from season 27, tragedy struck Cumbie. "We had three Taliban fighters just walk right through our front gate and put [a] foot in our home."Romesha had already been fighting hard, exposing himself to enemy fire countless times - he had the shrapnel wounds to show for it - but enough was enough.He squeezed the trigger on his sniper rifle and "put an end to that." In Hardts case, his fellow soldiers would not learn of his demise until after the battle. I accept this tremendous honor on behalf of all soldiers who served with me that day.. The joy comes from recognition for us doing our jobs as soldiers on distant battlefields but is countered by the constant reminder of the loss of our battle buddies. 1) There weren't enough helicopters to move all of COP Keating to OP Fristche. On this edition of Lessons From The Front, hear the stories of heroism from the most highly decorated . [7]:1238,1368,18191,407. They were in Iraq. [2] A day after, on October 7, Taliban fighters were seen among the ruins of the outpost. For their heroism, 2 Medals of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were awarded. This will happen to you." At 1230pm members of the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) from 1-32 Infantry, led by Lieutenant Colonel Brad Brown, arrived by helicopter at Observation PostFritscheand began to descend the hillside toward COP Keating. Communities try to become cities to push against county control On that morning, Combat Outpost, or COP, Keating, manned by only 53 Soldiers and situated at the bottom of a steep valley, came under attack by as many as 300 Taliban fighters. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. "whatever you think of their ideology, these are fierce and smart fighters. 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. According to his Medal of Honor citation and interviews with his comrades, Romesha was usually in the middle of wherever the battle for COP Keating was thickest. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32km) away from Kamdesh. The entire Outpost Keating was recreated. Within moments of entry, members of the QRF discovered and confirmed the death of Sgt. 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. Out of the blue, Ro said in a very stern and demanding voice just as there was a momentof odd but haunting silence Ill tell you what we are going to do. The Complicated Future of Student Loans - The New York Times Captain Frank Brooks, commanding at LZ Warheit, was dismayed to discover the PRT could not be quickly reached by LZ Warheit. [5][10] Two USAF F-15E fighter bombers circled overhead, led by Captains Mike Polidor and Aaron Dove and their wingmen, 1st Lt. Justin Pavoni and Captain Ryan Bone, for almost eight hours, helping coordinate airstrikes by 19 other aircraft. Romesha, who was injured in the battle, led the fight to protect the bodies of fallen Soldiers, provide cover to . Will Threads Kill Twitter? - The New York Times Laura Hall was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her part in the crime and has been released in 2018 after serving her time. Since its creation in 2006, Combat Outpost Keating (COP Keating) was declared by almost every arriving U.S. soldier to be a terrible location for a base. However, author Jake Tapper says that this is entirely untrue. Jake Tapper. Tens of millions of Americans changed jobs over the past two years, a rare moment of worker power as employees demanded higher pay, and as employers, short on staff, often gave it to them. Romesha maintained radio communication with the tactical operations center. Zorias Yunger), most of what unfolds in the movie is largely accurate. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Nuristan provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani. Romesha continually exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, as he moved confidently about the battlefield engaging and destroying multiple enemy targets, including three Taliban fighters who had breached the combat outposts perimeter., The citation continues: While orchestrating a successful plan to secure and reinforce key points of the battlefield, Staff Sgt. Towards the end, resupply flights were limited to moonless nights when near total darkness offered some protection to helicopter crews and their craft. [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. The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. The steep mountains rendered two dimensional maps and landmarks useless. [7]:28,41,908,123, The area had not been occupied by any conventional US forces prior to 3-71 Cavalry's takeover, although Special Operations forces operated in the area on a very limited basis. [7]:12930 1345,156. Socan you.. "[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. Mark Seavey is a writer for The American Legion Magazine Division and editor of the Legions Burn Pit blog site. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers fought for . In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. The 53 U.S. troops, having been stationed at the bottom of three steep mountains, were severely outmanned by nearly 400 Taliban fighters. Colonel Pat Donahue, the former commander of the 3rd BCT, believed that the Nuristani population was essentially neutral, hostile to any outside groups, and so isolated that resources allocated to the region would be wasted. In a firefight, he could orient fires and fire teams while simultaneously integrating indirect fires. Specialist Carters heroic actions and tactical skills were critical to the defense of Combat Outpost Keating, preventing theenemy from capturing the position and saving the lives of his fellow Soldiers. The Distinguished Flying Cross was given to 7 aviators who assisted in defending the base. Set up new plants in Mirdesh and Gawardesh. As the U.S. Army soldiers quickly roused from the barracks and donned their gear, the attack increased in intensity. Clinton LaVor Romesha (/ 'rome /; born August 17, 1981) is a retired United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009 during the War in Afghanistan.. Born into a family with a strong military background, Romesha joined the United States Army in 1999, and was posted at various times in Germany, South Korea and Colorado. Yes. With no means of suppressing the heavy enemy fire, Gallegos and Specialist Stephen Mace got into thearmored Humvee where Larson and the wounded Martin were. Lardner, Richard (Associated Press), "Command Failures". Vermont Flooding: Latest News and Updates - The New York Times U.S. Army soldiers killed in action at theOctober 3, 2009 Battle of COP Keating. Gul Mohammed Khan, the government administrator for Kamdesh District, lived at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers. The Battle of COP Keating - National Medal of Honor Museum His death had a traumatic effect on the morale of 3-71 Cav. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The second incident happened in 2008 at Observation Post Fritsche. [20] Observation Post Fritsche was attacked simultaneously, limiting available support from that position. After completing their morning prayers, close to 300 Taliban soldiers, led by Abdul Rahman, unleashed a torrent of fire from their mountain positions around the camp. [29], Following the battle, the U.S. Central Command conducted an investigation on what had occurred, led by US Army General Guy Swan. On that morning, COP Keating, manned by only 53 Soldiers and situated at the bottom of a steep valley, came under attack by as many as 300 Taliban fighters. The worry was that a single RPG could do significant amounts of damage in such a small space. B-10 recoilless rifles,Dushkaheavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortar fire began to rain down on the camp at 5:58 am local time. [16] Because Keating was scheduled for closure in the near future, coalition leaders had decided not to make more than minimal efforts to improve fortifications at the base. Return to COP Keating: Second Soldier to receive Medal of Honor from Romesha would concentrate on the western portion of the camp, aiming first for the ammunition storage shed and the entry point to the base. Through the incredible courage and bravery of the men of the Black Knight Troop, the base and its soldiers were saved. [26] The attack accelerated those plans, with the troops' departure taking place so quickly after the battle that some munitions were abandoned. Lieutenant Colonel Mike Howard, Squadron Commander, saw COIN as a process of providing three services: This would improve the local economy while providing improved communications with the central government and the rest of the nation. [19] At 6:00 a.m, the fighters opened fire from all sides of the outpost with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,[10] immediately putting the Americans' mortar pit out of action. But Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha had a very different idea in mind. There was a time when he was traveling around to every state in the . What Happened at COP Keating? [5] The U.S. military estimated that 150 Taliban insurgents were also killed as a result of repulsing the assault. "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. Mace was quickly loaded aboard a medevac helicopter and raced to the medical facility atCampBostick, where he, unfortunately, succumbed to his wounds. The shaming of Colton Cumbie, quitter and terrible Survivor player To this brave crew, Romesha declared, Were taking this bitch back.. Staff SergeantRomeshasdiscipline and extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty reflect great credit upon himself, Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army. 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. As Carter cut into the burning wood, the tree spun and fell on the nearby tactical operations center, caving in its roof. [18], At about 3:00a.m. on October 3, over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area.