These subgroups were in turn divided into clans and sects, depending on lineages and the interpretations of individual religious leaders. An additional 4 Afghan allied fighters also died. 37 soldiers were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor. As with Captain Benjamin Keating, the movie pushes both of their deaths to 2009 and fictionally depicts both men as being part of the 3/61 CAV (3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment). Urdu and Pashtun HIG warriors brought arms and ammunition from Pakistan. Nicholson and officers of his command believed that much of the flow of weapons and troops from Pakistan could be stopped at Kamdesh. Several days after the battle, U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained. An officer also received administrative punishment for his role in a delayed artillery response to an ambush last September on a joint U.S.-Afghan patrol that left four Marines and nine Afghans dead. 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. [32] Staff Sgt. To make amends with the woman and her family, Meshkin agreed to shoot a shaggy brown dog named Franklin. American military operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area. He discussed their common values as leaders of families and communities working toward a better future. These valley and road intersections combined with the political leadership in the area inspired the positioning of the Nuristan PRT. Actor Milo Gibson, the son of Mel Gibson, portrays Capt. On Oct. 3, while Cordova was in the aid station keeping Mace alive, I was fighting to get back with a company of reinforcements. Surprised they didn't frag him. The Outpost is a 2020 war film directed by Rod Lurie, based on the 2012 non-fiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor by Jake Tapper, about the Battle of Kamdesh in the war in Afghanistan.It stars Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Will Attenborough, and Taylor John Smith. ", Yes. 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. Then tragedy struck again. American outpost in Nuristan, Afghanistan, List of post-Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients, "Latest Medal of Honor brings COP Keating battle back into spotlight", "A Medal of Honor recipient's ongoing burden", "COP Keating battle begins, Medal of Honor nominee Romesha takes action", "This Netflix series will tell the stories of Medal of Honor recipients", "The Battle of Kamdesh, which netted two Medals of Honor, is coming to the big screen twice", "Sony Enlists Director Daniel Espinosa, George Clooney's Smokehouse For 'Red Platoon', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Combat_Outpost_Keating&oldid=1137949129, Military installations of the United States in Afghanistan, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 06:20. Enemy forces controlled the landing zone, which prevented the wounded from being lifted out. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. And appearing Holdo's subordinates were well aware of the plain. 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). Yes. When the battle was over, 16 tons of bombs had been dropped. [7]:1238,1368,18191,407, Combined with difficult conditions for air supply, and little support from the local population, supply to what was renamed Camp Keating on November 26, 2006, was wholly inadequate. Sylvanius Broward (1972-) was a US Army captain who served in the US 61st Cavalry Regiment during the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War.. History. Read more from At War here or follow us on Twitter. 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 On Oct. 3, 2009, the camp and its 53 soldiers were attacked by some 400 Taliban 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. Matthew McMurtrey a cyber systems operator was attached to the 61st Cav and woke at6 a.m. that day to the walls of his bunk shaking, alerting him to the attack. This letter was written in Pashto and signed "Mujahideen". 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. "We're surrounded, and we're sitting in a bowl," Porter said on "Good Morning America" today. [7]:31214,371, The shura began to falter by October 2008. 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. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. I reached out to the films director, Rod Lurie, to vent my concerns. [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. To further complicate the situation, nearby Observation Post Fritsche was unable to provide mortar support to Keating, as it also was overrun by Taliban. Defense officials confirm that two senior officers who oversaw the forces at COP Keating have received administrative punishments that could impact their careers. I'll just quote this part from Staff Sergeant Romesha's Medal of Honor citation: Folks Media Madness is full of arguments over TLJ, we don't need to import that headache into the War Room. Constant ambushes and firefights along the road to Naray did little to relieve Keating's doubts. Captain Sylvanius Broward (Kwame Patterson), whom the men refer to as "Broward the Coward," shoots the dog to appease the elder and calm the situation. [7]:28,41,908,123, The Kamdesh village and most of Nuristan is located in the Hindu Kush. 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. 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. The landing zone was placed on the other side of the river on a rocky peninsula jutting into the river near Urmul. -The Outpost book. Many of the Afghan troops, however, were a different story. [23], Once inside, the attackers set fire to the base, burning down most of the barracks. New roads would be the final stage, built and maintained by local contractors. The first didn't take place at the camp. One of the casualties was a bright young specialist named Stephan Mace, whom Cordova kept alive for nine hours by transfusing fresh blood from other soldiers, himself included. The second incident happened in 2008 at Observation Post Fritsche. The Allies stopped using the Kamdesh-Naray road. Yllescas' death happened when he was serving with the 6/4 CAV in 2008. The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor - Kindle edition by Tapper, Jake. Action at the Aid Station He decided that American soldiers' "battle rattle" war gear gave the impression of soulless killing machines. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A base at the bottom of a valley surrounded by hills which are. The movie was filmed in 2018 on a set created at the base of a mountain in Bulgaria, not far from the city of Sofia. [7]:334,501,92,98. Another example of his leadership failure was his failure to tell his troops why he was banning hot meals at the base. He died when his truck fell off the cliff, and the outpost was later named Combat Outpost Keating in his honor. Melvin Porter of the Fourth Infantry Division, as Keating has been furiously and repeatedly attacked since it opened in 2006. In 2006, HIG was actively resisting the Afghan government. For the most part, yes. |. Meanwhile, Sgt. The combination of volatile weather and rugged mountains make any kind of travel and life in general difficult and challenging. 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. They made sustained attacks over a two-day period, drawing American support forces and widespread air forces into the battle. As we walked into the replica aid station, I looked at Cordova. The smaller U.S. force ultimately beat back the attack after a fierce hours-long battle where Apache helicopters, that raced to assist the besieged soldiers, made all the difference. When I learned that my U.S. Army cavalry troops war story was being made into a major motion picture, I worried that a Hollywood account of the battle would be inaccurate. "It is one of the most well-planned and carefully choreographed attacks in the history of the Afghan war," Tapper told NPR. They performed heroically and bravely.. The wounded Americans condition immediately improved after the first unit of blood, as did the spirits of all those in the aid station. So first and foremost: The movie is based off the book of the same name. [The airspace above] Keating was packed full of jets, so we knew this was not an ordinary engagement, Kulish told Air Force Magazine. Breaches occurred at a latrine area close to the perimeter wire; also the main entrance where civilian Afghan security guards were overwhelmed; and from the eastern sidewhere Afghan National Army soldiers were stationed. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. Avalos began directing indirect support to help the defense of COP Keating. Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, Afghanistan, as recreated on the set. The movie does take liberty with the way it portrays previous commanders of the outpost, 1st Lt. Ben Keating and Capt. Captain Bostick was killed by a rocket propelled grenade. On that day, then-1LT Bundermann's leadership and heroic actions in orchestrating the defense of Combat Outpost Keating, helped prevent it from falling into the hands of a Taliban force of more than 400 fighters. Provide clean water by installing gravity fed pipelines. They professed a Salafi version of Islam, and were hostile to any political rivals. Div. However, Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating's death actually happened three years earlier, in 2006, not 2009. The Distinguished Flying Cross was given to 7 aviators who assisted in defending the base. Rather off-topic but wasn't Poe at that moment demoted by Leia beforehand? The report said that there were as many as 47 attacks in the five months prior to the deadly assault, 10 in the 30 days prior to the mass attack. Set up new plants in Mirdesh and Gawardesh. 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 Shapleigh native volunteered to drive an Army truck loaded with supplies along a treacherous 200-foot cliff at night . Such administrative punishments are seen as career-enders if they are made a part of a permanent personnel file. (The main aid station was too heavily damaged to remain in operation.). In response to this, the local Afghan officials sent more government troops into the area. Shot in the head by a Taliban sniper after being wounded by RPG fire. 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. As Cordova worked to stop the bleeding, five injured Afghan soldiers and another American who suffered a chest wound were brought in. "As evening fell on the night of 3 October 2009, COP Keating remained solidly under US control, and enemy forces had suffered severe tactical defeat," according to the Army report, although "eight American soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice defending their outpost and their fellow soldiers." Killed by a single gunshot wound to the face while in the base mortar pit. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Over the years, I have learned that sharing the experience allowed many of us to put our emotions into words. 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. Those guys were amazing. Insurgents had breached the camp in several locations, including at the main entrance, near the latrine area, and on the eastern side. Given its proximity to Pakistan, Combat Outpost Keating was part of a counter-insurgency strategy. Using a transfusion kit, Cordova began pumping his own blood into the wounded soldier, along with blood collected from other soldiers. The shops name means house of culture.. 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. "whatever you think of their ideology, these are fierce and smart fighters. The punishments reflect a recent trend in Afghanistan to hold military commanders accountable for battlefield failures. Tears were streaming down his face. Some of the soldiers who were at the battle are interviewed by the book's author, Jake Tapper, during the closing credits. October 03, 2019. A recreated Red Platoon barracks bunk bed. Meanwhile, back at the aid station, Cordova learned that the first medevac would not arrive until after 7:30 p.m. A critically wounded soldier needed a blood transfusion in order to survive. Located along a riverbank in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, the base was surrounded by steep mountains. However, author Jake Tapper says that this is entirely untrue. Mawlawi Abdul Rahman was a local elder impressed with this new approach. This will happen to you." For their heroism, 2 Medals of Honor, 9 Silver Stars and 21 Bronze Stars were awarded. AAF forces involved fit the pattern of the improved force, in that they were uniformed and equipped as Afghan Army and police forces, with the latest weapons and radios issued to government Afghan forces, along with ski masks. Some who fled even handed their weapons to Taliban fighters. Porter had already done two tours in Iraq and even before he was deployed to COP Keating, his superior officer Lieutenant Colonel Brad Brown and the men of his company thought he was "spent". Other veterans also acted in the movie, including Henry Hughes. Basically, the air support was leaving and coming back. [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. 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. Many of the Afghan National Army members there in support of the coalition troops fled. 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. Five languages and various dialects are spoken by these groups, rendering translators from other areas of Afghanistan useless. Who plays Nia on the outpost? 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. Such attacks are not news to men like Capt. 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. Unlike the movie, The Outpost true story reveals that Keating was not alone in the truck. A note was attached to his body which said: "Don't work with coalition forces. Once we got overhead the target, the biggest thing that struck me was how much of Keating was on fire. As soon as they left, the insurgents would come back.. Based there were 53 U.S. soldiers primarily with B Trp., 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 4th Inf. 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