by Jake Tapper
Brown’s outreach to Sadiq was related by Brown and also by Greg Jaffe of the Washington Post, who generously shared a copy of Brown’s letter.
Chapter 28: Send Me
Biographical information about Portis was provided by him in an interview.
Portis’s first interactions with the men of 3-61 Cav were recalled by Portis, Shrode, Courville, Breeding, and others.
Information about Chris Griffin came from interviews with his mother, Kerri Griffin Causley, as well as Portis and Salentine.
The events at George and Brown’s shura at Kamdesh were recounted by George, Brown, Portis, and other attendees, including one officer who wished to remain anonymous.
The report that Portis heard about the shura attended by HIG and Taliban leaders, as well as an account of his conversation with the Afghan National Police chief, were elaborated in an email he sent to Brown, which was in turn included in the Swan report. Portis’s briefing of his officers was described in interviews with him and the officers.
Intelligence information came from the Swan report and was confirmed with various sources within 3-61 Cav.
The interview with Faruq was conducted via Skype. Faruq’s remarks were translated by Javid Nuristani.
The interview with Ishranullah was conducted on paper, again through Javid Nuristani.
Information about McChrystal’s trip to London was gathered from an interview with McChrystal and from media coverage, including John Burns, “McChrystal Rejects Scaling Down Afghan Military Aims,” New York Times, October 1, 2009; and Alex Spillus, “White House Angry at General Stanley McChrystal Speech on Afghanistan,” Telegraph, October 5, 2009.
Chapter 29: Elevator Ride
Portis, Salentine, and Birchfield described the chopper ride in interviews.
Information about Abdul Rahman’s plans came from Faruq.
Information about Hill’s and Harder’s activities was shared by both men in interviews.
Scusa and Dulaney’s conversation was reported in interviews with Dulaney.
The interview with Noor Din was conducted on the phone, with translation assistance from Javid Nuristani.
Information about the insurgents’ arrival in Urmul and surrounding areas was drawn from interviews with Faruq, Ishranullah, and Din, as well as from the Swan report. The quote “There were a lot of foot soldiers from all the surrounding villages” came from an interview with a former resident of Nuristan.
The story of the Afghan National Police chief’s coming to the outpost and all following details were recounted in interviews with those on duty at the time: Davidson, Gregory, Wong, Souter, Stanley, and Daise.
Quotes from insurgents were taken from videos of the attack posted on the Internet by enemy forces. They were translated by Javid Nuristani.
Chapter 30: “Wish Me Luck”
Information about events at the aid station came from interviews with Rodriguez, Cordova, and Courville.
Events in the Bastards’ barracks were described in interviews with Hill, Harder, Frunk, Dulaney, and Adams.
Events at the mortar pit were related in interviews with Rodriguez, Breeding, and Barroga. Thomson’s autopsy results were included in the Swan report.
The content of Bundermann’s radio call to the mortar pit and his initial actions in the operations center were recalled by him in interviews.
Events in the Red Platoon barracks were detailed in interviews with Romesha, Dannelley, Jones, Davidson, Gregory, and Knight.
The attack on OP Fritsche was described by Stickney and Bellamy in interviews.
“Black Knight_TOC” and “Keating2OPS” communications were included in the Swan report.
Chapter 31: GET SOMETHING UP!
Events at LRAS-2 were recounted in interviews with Larson.
The activities of ANA soldiers and ASGs were relayed by Lakis and Dabolins and recorded in the Swan report.
Activities in the Bastards’ barracks and the run to the ammo supply point were covered in interviews with Hill, Harder, Carter, and Francis.
Events in the shura building were described by Davidson, Knight, and Gregory in interviews. Kirk’s autopsy results were included in the Swan report.
Activities in the aid station were summarized by Cordova, Courville, and Floyd in interviews, as well as in Stone’s after-action report, incorporated in the Swan report.
Activities at the shura building were recalled by Courville, Davidson, Rasmussen, and Stanley. Activities at the aid station were reported by Cordova and Courville.
Activities at LRAS-1 were related by Koppes, Dannelley, and Jones in interviews.
The conversation between Francis and Dulaney was repeated in interviews with both men.
Breeding and Rodriguez described events at the mortar pit.
mIRC chat between
Accounts of the activities at the Bastards’ barracks were provided by Hill, Carter, Frunk, Rogers, Francis, and Harder.
Activities at the aid station were described in interviews with Cordova, Courville, Floyd, Chappell, Harder, and Francis.
Events at FOB Bostick were covered in interviews with Brown, Portis, Salentine, and Birchfield.
Events outside the Red Platoon barracks were recalled by Romesha, Gregory, Rasmussen, and Jones.
Larson and Carter gave descriptions of the activities in LRAS-2.
Daise’s activities were related by him in an interview; myriad troops heard his “Enemy in the wire” call throughout the camp.
Chapter 32: Into This Hell
Bundermann, Burton, and others in the operations center shared details about activities there.
The F-15 bomb drops were described in the Swan report.
The conversation between Hill and Francis was recounted in interviews.
Activities in the aid station were recalled by Hill, Courville, Romesha, and Floyd in interviews.
In interviews, Koppes, Romesha, and Francis reviewed the events at LRAS-1.
The plan to rescue the men stuck at LRAS-2 was explained in interviews with Bundermann and Romesha as well as in Faulkner’s after-action summary, which was included in the Swan report. Griffin’s autopsy results were also part of the Swan report. Many troops heard Hardt’s last words on the radio.
Thomas described his activities in an interview.
Chapter 33: Taking This Bitch Back
Portis summarized events at FOB Bostick.
Carter and Larson’s conversation was related in interviews with both men.
Romesha, Lakis, Dabolins, Gregory, Jones, and Dannelley described their efforts to fight back.
Activities in and around LRAS-2 were detailed by Larson and Carter in interviews.
Bundermann and Shrode recalled activities inside the operations center.
Diagram information came from interviews as well as the Swan report.
Bundermann, Romesha, Hill, and Burton recounted their conversations about consolidating the outpost and fighting to take it back.
Romesha, Gregory, Rasmussen, Dulaney, Dannelley, and Jones all talked about the moment when they decided to go out and take the outpost back.
Chapter 34: The Apaches
Interviews with Lewallen and Wright informed this chapter, as did an interview with Bundermann.
Information about Apache weapons systems was provided by Boeing.
Romesha, Rasmussen, Dulaney, Dannelley, and Jones all described in interviews their activities to take back the outpost.
In interviews, Hill, Davidson, Rogers, and Gregory reviewed their efforts in the middle of the outpost.
Thomas recalled the Latvians’ coming into the barracks.
Hill and Francis both recounted their conversation in interviews.
Romesha, Jones, Dannelley, Dulaney, and Rasmussen talked about their push to the shura building/entry control point.
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bsp; In interviews, Carter and Larson detailed their escape from LRAS-2.
Chapter 35: The Fundamentals
In interviews, Harder and Francis described their push to the ANA side of the outpost.
Breeding, Rodriguez, and Barroga covered events at the mortar pit.
Events in the aid station were recounted by Harder, Cordova, Courville, and Bundermann.
Larson and Romesha’s conversation was related by both men in interviews. Romesha, Larson, Rasmussen, and Chappell reviewed the activities in the shura building.
The conversation between Brown and Lewallen at FOB Bostick was recalled by both men.
In interviews, Hill and Francis told the story of Hill’s shooting the sniper.
Chapter 36: Blood and Embers
Information about the transfusions given to Mace came from Cordova, Courville, and Floyd; a more general explanation was provided by a presentation by Captain James R. Rice, Battlefield Blood Transfusion (Tactical Combat Medical Care, Fort Sam Houston).
Lewallen, Wright, Bundermann, Harder, Davidson, and Romesha all described the air support.
Carter, Kahn, and Hill recalled Carter’s efforts to chop down the tree.
Brown, Lewallen, and Wright furnished information about the helicopters during interviews.
Information about the QRF was taken from interviews with Brown, Sax, and Miraldi.
Information about the MQ-1 Predator was drawn from the Swan report.
Information about the recovery of fallen soldiers came from interviews with Hill, Bundermann, Romesha, Avalos, Kahn, Rasmussen, Grissette, Stanley, Dulaney, and Courville.
Larson and Romesha both recounted Larson’s actions in interviews.
Chapter 37: The Long Walk Down
Romesha and Bundermann described their conversation over the radio in interviews.
Information about the QRF’s arriving at FOB Bostick, flying in to OP Fritsche, and proceeding down the mountain came from interviews with Brown, Sax, Miraldi, Portis, Bellamy, Salentine, Birchfield, Barnes, and Shrode.
The account of the recovery of Hardt’s body was provided by Hill and Francis in interviews. Hardt’s autopsy results were included in the Swan report.
Salentine, Romesha, Larson, Grissette, Cady, Bundermann, Portis, Jones, and Koppes supplied details about the end of the day.
Chapter 38: Saint Christopher
Information about Mace’s leaving COP Keating was drawn from an interview with Cordova.
Information about Mace’s Saint Christopher medal came from his mother, Vanessa Adelson.
Information about Mace’s arrival at FOB Bostick was provided by Wilson and Zagol. Mace’s autopsy results were included in the Swan report. Hull provided the details about the Saint Christopher’s medal.
Information about the ANA was derived from interviews with Sax, Miraldi, Brown, Lakis, and Dabolins as well as from the Swan report.
Brown, Portis, Salentine, Romesha, Hill, and Larson shared in interviews their recollections of their last days at COP Keating.
Portis’s interactions with Kamdesh elders were recalled by him in an interview. Portis’s journal excerpt was shared by him.
Details about troops’ leaving COP Keating were taken from interviews with Brown, Portis, Burton, Romesha, and Larson. Additional information and photographs came from the Swan report.
Anonymous sources supplied information about the drone strike on Abdul Rahman. Other information came from a memo obtained by the author. Local media reported on his death, including Abdul Moeed Hashmi, “Commander Mustaghni Killed in Kamdesh Air Raid: Badar,” in Pajhwok Afghan News, October 10, 2009.
Chapter 39: Two Purple Hearts and Just One Scar
The Swan report; McChrystal’s December 27, 2009, “Memorandum for the Record”; and Brown’s January 2, 2010, letter acknowledging his formal reprimand are here quoted from directly.
Brown’s personal response was described by him in an interview.
The quotes from insurgents were taken from videos of the attack posted on the Internet by enemy forces. Translations were furnished by Javid Nuristani.
The Taliban spokesman was quoted in Todd Pitman, “U.S. forces Leave Isolated Afghan Base after Attack,” Associated Press, October 9, 2009.
Details about the end of Ed Faulkner, Jr.’s time in the Army, and the end of his life, came from interviews with his father (Faulkner, Sr.), sister (Faulkner Minor), Hill, Faulkner’s own Facebook page updates, Brown, Casey, police reports, Kology, Shane Brown, and the North Carolina medical examiner’s autopsy report.
Similar accounts of Hill and Carter’s conversation were shared by both men in interviews.
Epilogue
The author’s visit to FOB Bostick took place in October and November 2011.
Casey told his story and expressed his thoughts in an interview.
The RAND study referenced in the text is Rerri Ranielian and Lisa Jaycox, eds., Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery (Santa Monica, California: RAND Corporation, 2008).
Information about Newsom and his Special Forces work came from interviews with him.
Obama’s press conference was held in Chicago on May 21, 2012.
1 A squadron comprises some five hundred to six hundred soldiers.
2 The noted Nuristan linguist and expert Richard Strand suggests that a more accurate spelling of “Urmul” would be “Ümür.” Here as elsewhere, however, for the purposes of narrative ease for the reader, this book will defer to the more popular—if not necessarily the more accurate—Afghan spelling and reference.
3 These words are commonly translated into English as “God is great,” though a more accurate translation might be “God is the greatest” or “God is the most transcendent”—meaning, “God is the most powerful being in the universe.” In the context of military operations in Afghanistan, “Allahu Akbar” might best be rendered as “God is greater than our enemy.”
4 ISAF is the acronym for International Security Assistance Force, the formal name of the coalition fighting the war in Afghanistan. Formed in October 2001 to establish security in Kabul, ISAF in 2003 had its charter extended by the United Nations to cover the entirety of the country. In October 2006, ISAF officially expanded into the region this book is focused on, eastern Afghanistan. The coalition has consisted of personnel from more than forty countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Latvia, Poland, and Australia. This book will generally identify the forces as “U.S.,” since that was overwhelmingly their nationality, except where otherwise noted.
5 Sergeant Kevin “Big Ake” Akins of Burnsville, North Carolina; Sergeant Anton Hiett of Mount Airy, North Carolina; Specialist Joshua Hill of Fairmount, Indiana; and Staff Sergeant Joseph Ray of Asheville, North Carolina.
6 Technically, Able Troop was at this point still “Ares” Troop and would not change its nomenclature to “Able” until a few months later. But for simplicity’s sake, this book will call the company Able Troop.
7 Frank L. Holt, Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2005), pp. 20–21.
8 Pronounced so it rhymes with “fig.”
9 Another Hezb-e-Islami faction, Hezb-e-Islami Khalis, also fought in the 1980s. On November 12, 1987, its leader, Mohammed Yunnus Khalis, in his capacity as chairman of the Islamic Alliance of Afghan Mujahideen (which at the time was fighting the USSR), met in the Oval Office with President Ronald Reagan. According to intelligence officers, Khalis helped bin Laden escape at Tora Bora in 2001. He “died in his sleep” in Pakistan in 2006. A third Hezb-e-Islami faction—named simply Hezb-e-Islami—is a political party whose members sit in Parliament, though they do not act as a cohesive group.
10 Lance Corporal Nicholas Anderson of Sauk City, Wisconsin.
11 Not his real name. In a number of cases in this book, including Snyder’s, the real names of Special Forces troops, military
intelligence collectors, and Afghans who worked with the Americans have been withheld, either at their own request or out of concern for their safety.
12 The members of the original SEAL team killed were Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy from Patchogue, New York; STG2 Matthew Axelson from Cupertino, California; and GM2 Danny Dietz from Littleton, Colorado. Lost on the Chinook were FCC Jacques J. Fontan of New Orleans, Louisiana; ITCS Daniel R. Healy from Exeter, New Hampshire; LCDR Erik S. Kristensen from San Diego, California; ET1 Jeffrey A. Lucas of Corbett, Oregon; Lieutenant Michael M. McGreevy, Jr., from Portville, New York; QM2 James E. Suh of Deerfield Beach, Florida; HM1 Jeffrey S. Taylor from Midway, West Virginia; MM2 Shane E. Patton of Boulder City, Nevada; Staff Sergeant Shamus O. Goare from Danville, Ohio; CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature of Clarks Grove, Minnesota; Sergeant Kip A. Jacoby from Pompano Beach, Florida; Sergeant First Class Marcus V. Muralles from Shelbyville, Indiana; Master Sergeant James W. Ponder III from Franklin, Tennessee; Major Stephen C. Reich from Washington Depot, Connecticut; Sergeant First Class Michael L. Russell from Stafford, Virginia; and CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach from Jacksonville, Florida. For more on this mission, read Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (Boston and New York: Little, Brown, 2009). Luttrell was, as the title of his book indicates, the only member of the original team who survived.
