captain mel porter outpost keating

SHAPLEIGH, Maine It's been nearly 14 years since Ken and Beth Keating lost their son, Army Captain Benjamin Keating, in Afghanistan. Email us at atwar@nytimes.com. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Despite recommendations not to drive the large supply vehicle, First Lieutenant Ben Keating took the wheel while returning an armored supply truck to the Naray FOB. His wounds were severe and while he was initially in and out of consciousness, he died before they could get him back to the outpost. In my moment of being the listener to a war story I previously told, I realized that The Outpost was as honest as any war story. Died of his wounds after his leg was hit by a single gunshot wound. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. Resistance in Nuristan revolved around a specific group of Islamic fighters known as Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG. These AAF were more professional and probably represented groups from areas outside of Nuristan. A recreated Red Platoon barracks bunk bed. [7]:95,268. Yes. The Outpost true story reveals that the soldiers were surrounded by more than 300 Taliban fighters, many of whom were rushing in from Pakistan, which was only 14 miles from COP Keating. Without adequate support, they were left to fight for their lives against overwhelming odds. The battle is also the main focal point of the 2020 film The Outpost, which was in-turn based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper. ", was Keating's assessment. This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 06:49. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. Again, it was later noted that many of Porter's decisions were sound. Many of the Afghan troops, however, were a different story. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. New roads would be the final stage, built and maintained by local contractors. A dog named Cali growled at the eldest son of an Afghan Security Guard, who would often come to the post with his father. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan, as recreated on the set. Captain Broward is a fictional character likely based on Captain Melvin Porter, the officer who commanded COP Keating before it was attacked and was reprimanded for its lack of preparedness. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. [31] 3 soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and 18 others the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. The village leaders elected a representative council of 100 members to form a shura that would produce a regional security plan and obtain an agreement with the American military and the Afghan Karzai government. prosthetic makeup effects technician: Millennium FX. U.S. soldiers reported that none of the Afghan soldiers held their ground. This strategy depended upon extending government control by building and maintaining provincial reconstruction team bases. [2], The attackers overran Keating's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle. 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. His actions saved the lives of several soldiers, and he alone accomplished the work of four medical professionals without stopping for food or sleep, the battle narrative aptly concluded. The Taliban surprised the outpost with mortar fire and a massive infantry assault which partly overran and nearly destroyed COP Keating, and, while the Americans and their allies held off several Taliban attacks on the base in the bloodiest battle in Afghanistan since the 2008 Battle of Wanat, the outpost was shut down shortly after and its depot As I neared the camp that evening, Cordovas voice crackled through my radio and asked for more blood donors. Anthony Parker. [8] US Army soldiers at both outposts had been ordered to prepare to evacuate the outposts and had informed local Afghan leaders of their intention to do so. [7]:803,945,11620, While attempting the pickup, a Chinook transport helicopter crashed in the darkness at 10:09 PM when the rear rotor hit a tree, and the helicopter slid down the slope and over a cliff, exploding in flames and killing all the crew and passengers. [2] Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009. The first didn't take place at the camp. "The little bastards keep shooting at us every day. A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in September 2019. Much of this is the result of the real-life Battle of Kamdesh veterans who were involved in the film, both as technical advisors and actors. This letter was written in Pashto and signed "Mujahideen". On Oct. 3, 2009, the odds were against U.S. troops at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan's Nuristan province, located just 10 miles from the Pakistan border. Several of the surviving soldiers were technical advisors on the film, including Medal of Honor recipient Ty Carter, who is played by Caleb Landry Jones. . [14] At the time, Afghan national forces were supervised and trained by members of the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams. They were eventually repelled from the small base through the actions of what the investigation's report said were the camp soldiers who "fought heroically" and counterattacks by Apache helicopters and attack jets. As we walked into the replica aid station, I looked at Cordova. These valley and road intersections combined with the political leadership in the area inspired the positioning of the Nuristan PRT. Armando Avalos, Sgt. 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. Seven other Americans and one ANA soldier were wounded. The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. 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. The Distinguished Flying Cross was given to 7 aviators who assisted in defending the base. View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. Keating died while serving at the base in 2006 and it was . I was not on the outpost when the battle kicked off. Keating was killed in November 2006 when he volunteered for a dangerous mission to drive an army truck loaded with supplies up to the camp, along treacherous 200-foot cliffs. Does this give anyone else flashbacks to he purple hair admiral in The Last Jedi? Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. 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. The growling soon escalated into outright hostility, which deeply frightened the boy. 8 killed 27 wounded[5] 4 killed 10 wounded. ", Yes. They professed a Salafi version of Islam, and were hostile to any political rivals. The latest acronym for attackers used by the Americans was AAF, for anti-Afghan fighters. There was an element of ABLE Troop 3-71 CAV 2nd Platoon still left on the PZ after the crash that worked relentlessly to recover the bodies of their 10 comrades and destroy sensitive equipment in the wreckage. They made sustained attacks over a two-day period, drawing American support forces and widespread air forces into the battle. [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. Like in the movie, the quick reaction force (QRF) coming down the mountain to help were shocked by the firey devastation. It is a story about the battle to defend against a coordinated Taliban attack that later came to be known as The Battle of Kamdesh. Insurgents had breached the camp in several locations, including at the main entrance, near the latrine area, and on the eastern side. [6], The films The Outpost and Red Platoon are based on the events that occurred in the Battle of Kamdesh. A bus carrying employees of an Afghan television station was bombed in Kabul on May 30. are assisting Somali soldiers fighting Al Shabab, and by a health care system that utterly failed him, The case has irritated U.S. relations with a crucial military ally. Tim Quinton. These bases were a key element of the American counterinsurgency strategy. [7]:327328 The nearest attack helicopters were located in Jalalabad, a thirty-minute flight away. Surprised they didn't frag him. The 53. Who plays Nia on the outpost? He died in a vehicular accident in 2006, and Combat Outpost Keating, the site of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh, was named in his honor. After Keating's death, the camp was renamed Combat Outpost Keating in his honor. 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. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Nuristan provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani. The American forces were too outnumbered to survive sustained combat. Div., at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province on Aug. 6, 2009. 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. aircraft.[5]. The Los Angeles gift shop Bunkado, at center with a fan on its sign, in the 1950s. Troops", "Outnumbered and With Taliban Overrunning the Base, Clinton Romesha Was Awarded MoH at the Battle of Kamdesh", "4th ID Soldier awarded Distinguished Service Cross", "Army vet honored with Distinguished Service Cross for combat heroics in Afghanistan", "Pilots receive Distinguished Flying Cross for valor", "Airmen honored by college for heroism in Afghanistan", "Army veteran Clinton Romesha receives Medal of Honor for Afghan fight", "Obama awards Ty Carter Medal of Honor for Afghan battle", "US soldiers hold back Taliban attack on COP Keating", COP Keating Report at DefenseTech.org: After Action Report, before and after photos, maps, analysis, Executive Summary - AR 15-6 Investigation re: Complex Attack on COP Keating - 3 Oct 09, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Kamdesh&oldid=1135532495, Served with United States Army since 2003 and Participated in, Killed by a single gunshot wound in the head, Served with United States Army since 2004 and Participated in, Killed by multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body, Served with United States Army since 2006 and Participated in, Served with United States Army since 2005. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed. Justin Kulish was conducting a routine patrol in his B-1 bomber about an hour away when he got the call that Keating was in trouble. Afghan contractors were unable to keep the narrow mountain road in safe condition, and convoys were subject to constant ambush from the surrounding mountains that lined the route. -The Outpost book. I reached out to the films director, Rod Lurie, to vent my concerns. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. Villagers and clans who were left out of these projects were resentful, and quick to turn against the Americans. However, Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating's death actually happened three years earlier, in 2006, not 2009. These resources were limited by the fact that only 5,000 American troops were available to occupy a rugged area the size of Virginia that had little infrastructure. During the day-long battle at Combat Outpost Keating last Oct. 3, the base was temporarily overrun by an estimated 300 Taliban fighters. The fighting at COP Keating, which is also known as the Battle of Kamdesh, involved an attack by over 400 insurgents against the combat outpost, which was slated to be dismantled. After assisting with securing the OP from potential follow on attacks, members of the Quick Reaction Force descended from the mountain's peak to COP Keating on foot. Need to know. Ground resupply became almost impossible due to the area's limited roads and the threat of insurgent attacks. [7]:31214,371, The shura began to falter by October 2008. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. During and after the battle, some of the Afghan soldiers stole items, including digital cameras and protein drinks, belonging to American soldiers at the base. Joshua Hardt, who until this time had been MIA. Cordova continued to treat the wounded even after flames were within 10 feet of his location. The first of these would be "Operation Mountain II", an effort to extend a series of observation posts west to control the villages between COP Keating and the Afghan village of Saret Koheh. The Nuristanis had resisted Islam as late as the year 1895 and before that had been considered a Hindu nation (Islamic invaders called them "Kaffir" or heathen) with a long tradition of violently resisting outsiders and their beliefs. prosthetic makeup effects administrator: Millennium FX. On October 28, the commander of COP Keating, Captain Robert J. Yllescas, was severely wounded in a targeted assassination attempt with a remotely detonated IED less than 400 meters from the outposthe later died from his wounds on December 1. In Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming, Jonathan Shay calls this form of catharsis the communalization of grief, in which trauma survivors tell their stories and listeners can listen, believe and remember. This is when the circle of healing is complete. Fallen Heroes 3-61 Cavalry, 4th BCT, 4th ID. Not an Ordinary Engagement On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. Years earlier, in the area inspired the positioning of the Afghan soldiers their! Was not on the Syria-Turkey border in September 2019 they professed a Salafi version Islam. Fallen Heroes 3-61 Cavalry, 4th BCT, 4th BCT, 4th ID like bookmarks, taking... Began to falter by October 2008 killed 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an 150. 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