[7]:298304, By October 2007 the elders and mullahs of the Kamdesh area had been inspired by Rahman to gather at Kamdesh for a mass meeting, or shura to plan the future of Nuristan. They performed heroically and bravely.. To a man, they all felt they had an obligation to help out in those areas where they saw Portar as failing, but upon hearing their recommendations, the captain consistently told them, point blank, that he was the commander, not them. 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 Oct. 3, 2009, the camp and its 53 soldiers were attacked by some 400 Taliban fighters. I only heard of it being a thing last year, never actually looked up when it actually happened. Air Force Staff Sgt. It's at least the third time officers were disciplined after soldiers' deaths. 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. "We're surrounded, and we're sitting in a bowl," Porter said on "Good Morning America" today. [14] At the time, Afghan national forces were supervised and trained by members of the Latvian Operational Mentor Liaison Teams. 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. These subgroups were in turn divided into clans and sects, depending on lineages and the interpretations of individual religious leaders. I'll have to give it a read sometime. Operation Deep Strike began on May 5, 2006. In response to this, the local Afghan officials sent more government troops into the area. The 53. Two days before the attack, I was en route to a mountaintop observation post when the helicopter I was flying in was hit by enemy fire. The military had planned to relocate the outpost in August 2009, but the resources needed for such a move were tied up elsewhere. A United States Special Operations forces soldier on the Syria-Turkey border in. Nine soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for valor. The fire was so intense they had to toss smoke grenades for concealment, just to get . The outpost's depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed by American planes in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind."[10]. The true story confirms that the Afghan National Army soldiers, who were fighting alongside the U.S. troops, either fled the outpost after the attack began or hid in cowardice. (Multiple explosions near the ammo supply set off a series of fires at the post.). He saw service in the First Barbary War, the War of 1812 and in the West Indies.On July 2, 1812, Porter hoisted the banner "Free trade and sailors' rights" as captain of USS Essex. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, View Video of Taliban Fighters in the Camp. Known as COIN and refined by General David Petraeus, Commander of US forces in Afghanistan, the Army and Marine Counter-insurgency Field Manual FM 3-24 was to convert the population of Nuristan to American goals. ABC News' Karen Russo contributed to this report, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The idea was to stop the insurgents' supply lines coming in from Pakistan. 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. Military commanders had already decided to close the base the previous summer, but delayed doing so because of other operations. Cordova continued to treat the wounded even after flames were within 10 feet of his location. This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 06:49. Air Force Capt. In the movie, a dog that some of the soldiers at the outpost are taking care of bites a visiting Kamdesh village elder. This is a lofty mountain range characterized by steep slopes of enormous granite boulders separated by fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. Rob Yllescas of Nebraska, in "The Outpost," which tells the story of real-life combat events from the War in Afghanistan. During the highly risky convoy, the road collapsed under the weight of Keating's vehicle. [18], At about 3:00a.m. on October 3, over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area. Understandable discrepancies emerge when a book that covers four years at a remote mountain outpost is compressed into a two-hour production, but the film unquestionably captures the essence of the soldiers sacrifices, as well as the love we feel and the sorrow we share. A common misconception is that the Taliban are primitive fighters who lack the necessary skills to be effective in battle. In December 2006, it was renamed Camp Keating after the death of ABLE Troop 3-71 Cavalry 10th Mountain Division's Executive Officer Benjamin Keating, who died November 26, 2006, while conducting combat operations south of the camp. In real life, Keating had served with the 3/71 CAV, not the 3/61 CAV (the unit he's part of in The Outpost movie). Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. 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. Area of Operations. 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. Plans were drawn up in the summer of 2006 by the US Army's 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Mountain Lion. Michael Polidor and Capt. "[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. Keating landed between two rocks nearly 150 feet down the cliffside, next to the river. It occurred on October 3, 2009, when a force of 400 Taliban assaulted the American Combat Outpost ("COP") Keating near the town of Kamdesh in Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. This letter was written in Pashto and signed "Mujahideen". The camp burned into the night and some of the building walls fell to the ground. A dog named Cali growled at the eldest son of an Afghan Security Guard, who would often come to the post with his father. The U.S. evacuated the camp three days later. Years later, I still feel guilty for not getting there until nightfall, even if the circumstances were out of my control. 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. 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. We were all crushed when, later that night, we found out that Mace succumbed to his wounds while undergoing surgery. The outpost was renamed Camp Keating in December 2006 (not in 2009). 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. Moreover, again according to Romesha, the officer who was in charge until very shortly before the battle, Captain Melvin Porter, was criminally incompetent and allowed the perimeter defenses to fall into decay, despite repeated requests from Romesha and his friends to improve them. 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. Who plays Nia on the outpost? Extending control further along the river was expected to counter the AAF expansion and activity in the summer of 2007. To further complicate the situation, nearby Observation Post Fritsche was unable to provide mortar support to Keating, as it also was overrun by Taliban. That was our troopers advantage up there. While this is indeed alarmingly frequent, the movie makes it seem like the attacks are happening daily. Chris Cordova with actors who portrayed him and medics under his command. In the wake of the attack, several soldiers based at COP Keating told ABC News that they did not know the attack was as large as it was because they received enemy fire with such frequency. Between each take, the director and actors paused and turned to Cordova, who offered feedback to make the scene match his memory. As I neared the camp that evening, Cordovas voice crackled through my radio and asked for more blood donors. To make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin. 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. Above their paygrade. 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. On Oct. 3, 2009, the odds were against U.S. troops at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistans Nuristan province, located just 10 miles from the Pakistan border. He died when his. However, Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating's death actually happened three years earlier, in 2006, not 2009. So if you see the film when it comes out over the Fourth of July weekend, know that you are not just watching a war movie. The 13-hour battle to re-take Combat Outpost Keating from an assault by 300 Taliban fighters on Oct. 3, 2009, was a team effort. On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Action at the Aid Station "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. The following day, insurgents kidnapped and murdered Fazal Ahad, an elder from Badmuk who was attempting to end the Kom/Kata tribal disagreements by arranging a meeting in Kamdesh. The latest acronym for attackers used by the Americans was AAF, for anti-Afghan fighters. 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. 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. Portis had been in command of the platoon for less than two weeks when, on Oct. 3, 2009, the Taliban attacked Combat Outpost Keating while he was away visiting a mountain observation post. Leaving aside the wisdom of a fictional admiral cutting her CAG and most experienced pilot out of the loop while she plans a small craft evacuation, the US Army follows a doctrine known as Mission Command, which relies on the commander keeping their subordinates informed not just of their orders but the. These groups could clash violently over water rights, pasture, and religious beliefs. He was the last commander of Combat Outpost Keating. Those guys were amazing. The camp was defended by a combined force of 140 U.S. and Afghan soldiers. [35] Capt. Skola karalauk", "COP Keating Investigation Findings Released", "Afghan, US troops kill 40 militants in east", "Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. 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. Everything was so realistic that had the cameras not been there I would have thought my mind was playing tricks on me. 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. 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. [2] A day after, on October 7, Taliban fighters were seen among the ruins of the outpost. [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. The combination of volatile weather and rugged mountains make any kind of travel and life in general difficult and challenging. It was nicknamed "Heart Attack Ridge" due to its steep slope and obstacles hazardous to low-flying aircraft. [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. Set up new plants in Mirdesh and Gawardesh. Enemy forces controlled the landing zone, which prevented the wounded from being lifted out. 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. Read more from At War here or follow us on Twitter. 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. Defense officials confirm that two senior officers who oversaw the forces at COP Keating have received administrative punishments that could impact their careers. Captain Benjamin Keating Born: May 31, 1979 Birthplace: Sanford, Maine, USA Death: November 26, 2006, Kamdesh, Afghanistan (injuries suffered when vehicle turned over) Milo Gibson Born: November 16, 1990 Birthplace: Australia Captain Robert Yllescas Born: October 7, 1977 Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala Div. Furthermore, Camp Keating's location, surrounded by mountains on three sides, exposed helicopters and the outpost's garrison to insurgent fire. Jayson Souter, and 1st Lt. Cason Shrode, including attack helicopters, A-10s, a B-1 bomber, and F-15 fighters, destroyed the local mosque, where much of the insurgents' heaviest fire originated. It was only then that I truly appreciated how important the listeners role is in the healing process. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Without air support, I dont think we would have made it, considering the number against us and the area we were in, McMurtrey said. This seems to be displayed rather accurately in the movie, at least with regard to how it's described in Tapper's book. American forces formed a thinly held and poorly supplied picket line from Naray to Kamdesh along the river. Once we got overhead the target, the biggest thing that struck me was how much of Keating was on fire. The difference there being the writers seemingly supporting her reticence to explain anything. I am almost 100% certain it was deliberately placed in a shitty location to goad locals into attacking the base, allowing the US to attack the enemy directly. Surprised they didn't frag him. [7]:363383[13], COP Keating became increasingly isolated in the summer of 2009. [7][8] The former of which is based on the book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by journalist Jake Tapper. He wanted to avoid risking the lives of his men while traveling on an unstable road subject to ambush with an overweight vehicle. [29], Following the battle, the U.S. Central Command conducted an investigation on what had occurred, led by US Army General Guy Swan. AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. Outnumbered and outgunned, the soldiers fought. Let's get back on topic please. Follow-up attacks attempted by Taliban forces were subsequently thwarted by U.S. [33] 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann's Silver Star was upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross as well. Keating's death, while mostly historically accurate, is pushed up in the film as a way to condense the storyline.Knowing the LMTV armored supply vehicle was too heavy for the road in Kamdesh, Keating volunteered against protocol to drive the truck, choosing to risk his own life instead of the lives of the men serving underneath him. prosthetic makeup effects sculptor: Millennium FX. It was treacherous and subject to enemy ambush. In 2018, I flew on my own dime to Sofia, Bulgaria, to witness the making of the film based on Jake Tappers book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor. Chris Cordova, an old friend and another veteran of the battle, came with me. 1.33 million dollars was budgeted for these projects. Daniel Rodriguez, who took part in the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, portrays himself in the movie. Relief had been slowed in reaching COP Keating due to a lack of available aircraft and density of terrain. The movie is based on the 2012 nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by CNN's Jake Tapper. Keating died while serving at the base in 2006 and it was . prosthetic makeup effects administrator: Millennium FX. 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. Eight aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. So first and foremost: The movie is based off the book of the same name. Using the 120mm mortar means the base can command the entire valley. [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. MAJ Porter talks about his first couple of days into country as he was getting set up and received direct attack resulting . Based there were 53 U.S. soldiers primarily with B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. It's true that some of the Taliban fighters casually strolled through the camp, believing they had won. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, From August 8 to November 25 of 2006, strenuous efforts were made to supply and expand the PRT by supply convoys using the Landay-Sin valley road from Naray FOB. Over the years, I have learned that sharing the experience allowed many of us to put our emotions into words. These valley and road intersections combined with the political leadership in the area inspired the positioning of the Nuristan PRT. Troops, Amazon.com: The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor eBook: Tapper, Jake: Kindle Store, Wehrmacht wins at Dunkirk: Description of the battle that never was. But he was ineffective in actually making the men understand why/how he came to certain decisions. The punishments reflect a recent trend in Afghanistan to hold military commanders accountable for battlefield failures. I only watched the trailer. Loss of life was inevitable and the government. [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. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed. 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. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. 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. He was thrown from the truck, which rolled over him and sank into the river. For the most part, yes. Captain Matthew Kaplan, CW3 Ross Lewallen, CW3 Randy Huff, CW2 Gary Wingert, CW2 Chad Bardwell, and CW2 Chris Wright were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for conducting close combat attacks on the Taliban during the battle. Camp Keating Officers Disciplined for Attack That Killed 8 U.S. Capt. 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. Stoney Portis, an officer in the Army and a Ph.D. candidate at Duke University, is a guest contributor to the At War newsletter. It could not be seen or supported with indirect fire due to the multi-level and complicated terrain. 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. JT: First Lieutenant Ben Keating, who is the namesake of the camp, he was, he had Pressfield's book with him, and he was reading it, and it was a lesson to him. [9], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}352523N 711944E / 35.4231N 71.3289E / 35.4231; 71.3289 (Location of Combat Outpost Keating). Benjamin D. Keating was born in Sanford, Maine on 31 May 1979, and he served as Chair of the Young Republicans at the . Killed by a single gunshot wound to the face while in the base mortar pit. Seven other Americans and one ANA soldier were wounded. Liaison Teams his command was thrown from the truck, which prevented the wounded from being out..., over 350 Taliban backed insurgents ordered all Kamdesh villagers to leave the area separated by fast moving in. Continued to treat the wounded even after flames were within 10 feet of his location ' deaths made a of... 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