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In May 2016 CBS News profiled Staff Sergeant Romesha, after he published an account of his experiences at the base, entitled Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor. 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. The veterans who served as technical advisors on the film said that the set was eerily similar to the real outpost, which no longer exists. This agreement did bring down the level of combat in the Kamdesh area. 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. In response to this, the local Afghan officials sent more government troops into the area. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. Unlike Donahue, Nicholson was a supporter of COIN in addition to seeing Kamdesh as a decisive control point. A year later COP Keating would be the location for the fateful October 2009 Battle of Kamdesh for . Such attacks are not news to men like Capt. It was treacherous and subject to enemy ambush. The attack was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008, which occurred 20 miles (32 km) away from Kamdesh. 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. 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. Actor Milo Gibson, the son of Mel Gibson, portrays Capt. He died when his. Written by CNN journalist Jake Tapper, he tells the story of soldiers living in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and Combat Outpost Keating. [29], Following the battle, the U.S. Central Command conducted an investigation on what had occurred, led by US Army General Guy Swan. 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. Something had to be done to bring Nuristan on to the American side. Eventually, supporting aircraft scattered the attackers; while air support provided decisive results. The Battle of Kamdesh took place during the war in Afghanistan. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. 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. Four U.S. Army officers were reprimanded for "inadequate measures taken by the chain of command." During the first minutes of battle, mortar rounds hit the main generator, cutting power to most of the camp. Encased in armor, helmets, and weapons, Americans appeared to be looking for a fight. Insurgents had breached the camp in several locations, including at the main entrance, near the latrine area, and on the eastern side. Director Rod Lurie is himself a West Point graduate and an Army veteran. Armando Avalos, Sgt. Lardner, Richard (Associated Press), "Command Failures". The pilots landed at a nearby base and then limped the aircraft to an airfield for repairs, separating me and a small contingent of soldiers from the outpost. Given that her reticence led to her subordinates acting on their own initiative resulting in her plan failing, not really. 2023 All rights reserved. Keating's story was in the news again earlier this year; he was portrayed in the movie "The Outpost," which tells the story of one of the bloodiest battles in the war in Afghanistan. Keating was permanently shut down three days following the attack. 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. Anthony Parker. The Soviets had to contend with a rebel group known as the Dawlet of eastern Nuristan. This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. [30] In the report released to the public, the U.S. Army concealed the names of the four disciplined officers. In real life, there is no record of Porter shooting a dog.According to Jake Tapper's book, two real-life incidents inspired the scene in the movie. 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. The first didn't take place at the camp. Based there were 53 U.S. soldiers primarily with B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. Keating saw these programs as producing mixed results. Chris Cordova with actors who portrayed him and medics under his command. Loss of life was inevitable and the government. Lurie, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, listened to what I had to say and agreed to let me visit the set. 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. Despite overwhelming odds and volume of injuries, MAJ (R) Cordova was able to . "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 Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor - Kindle edition by Tapper, Jake. [18], At about 3:00a.m. on October 3, over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. [17], 27 soldiers were awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. 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. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. [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. . From November through January 2008 members of the Shura traveled the villages of the Kamdesh area, informing the residents of the support agreement and stating that the era of holy war was over, and that local government would bring peace and prosperity. The note was signed "Mullah Omar". As a result, the depot was looted by the Taliban. Set up new plants in Mirdesh and Gawardesh. Benjamin D. Keating (31 May 1979-26 November 2006) was a US Army Captain who served in the US 61st Cavalry Regiment during the Afghanistan War. On his way, he stopped to offer first aid to wounded troops. 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. Brown would also note that it was a failure of leadership on Porter's part because of Porter's absolute refusal to explain to his troops why the mortars were being limited. The latest acronym for attackers used by the Americans was AAF, for anti-Afghan fighters. [34], The flight crews of three United States Army AH-64D Apache helicopters were later decorated for actions during the battle. 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. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. That process helped us heal, but a bad rendering of the battle would leave us talking about what the movie got wrong instead of what actually happened. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. 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. 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. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. 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. [7]:228,249,469, At the end of May 2007, Bulldog Troop, 1-91 Cavalry Squadron, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, arrived at COP Keating. 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. To make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin. [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. "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.". A deliberate withdrawal had been planned some time before the battle began, and the closing was part of a wider effort by the top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, to cede remote outposts and consolidate troops in more populated areas to better protect Afghan civilians. The second incident happened in 2008 at Observation Post Fritsche. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. Capt. 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. [9], Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron "Destroyers", 61st Cavalry Regiment manned COP Keating. Given its proximity to Pakistan, Combat Outpost Keating was part of a counter-insurgency strategy. As it became obvious that COP Keating was too isolated, indefensible, and impossible to supply, plans were made to close it beginning in December 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/magazine/the-outpost-afghanistan-movie.html. As I neared the camp that evening, Cordovas voice crackled through my radio and asked for more blood donors. On the day of our visit, the cast and crew were filming the scene when Mace finally arrives at the aid station. [38], The battle of Kamdesh is documented in the 2017 book Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor by Clinton Romesha, a former United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle for Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan. [9] The Americans "declared the outpost closed and departedso quickly that they did not carry out all of their stored ammunition. It seemed that it would get extremely intense, with a lot of fire, a lot of RPGs hitting the wall, and then it would die, McMurtrey told Air Force Magazine in 2011. 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. It was only then that I truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the healing process. 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. 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. He was the last commander of Combat Outpost Keating. The transfusion was a radical move that brought Mace back to consciousness. Shane Courville; Cordova; George Arvidson as Cordova. "The little bastards keep shooting at us every day. Shot in the head by a Taliban sniper after being wounded by RPG fire. That doesnt mean anything should be taken from the guys on the ground. "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. 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