Posted on 06/27/2010 3:33:12 PM PDT by Crush
On June 27, 2005, a four-man Navy SEAL sniper watch team set out to conduct a mission in some of the harshest terrain on earth – about 10,000 feet above sea level in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. Their mission was to locate and gather intelligence on a certain high-ranking Taliban official with known ties to Osama bin-Laden. Once they had eyes on the target, a larger force would then attack, capturing or killing the target. According to their intelligence, the SEALs would be operating amongst as many as 200 enemy fighters.
In the fighting that followed, 11 Navy SEALs and eight Army Task Force 160 aircrew died in the battle. Operation Redwing was the highest loss of life for the Naval Special Warfare Command since the D-Day invasion of Normandy in World War II.
One man survived. Unto the Breach recalls his incredible story.
The team was inserted at night by helicopter into the heavily-forested and mountainous terrain east of Asadabad, a village in the Afghanistan province of Kunar. Intelligence reported that a large group of armed men slipped through a pass in the mountains from Pakistan. The size of the force suggested that there was a valuable target in the area. This area was considered a “hornet’s nest,” a Taliban stronghold that Coalition Forces rarely ventured into. The inhabitants were goat herders and wood cutters, and the Taliban rewarded them for shooting U.S. forces or reporting on their locations.Continue reading about the mission here, and buy Marcus Luttrell's book - I guarantee it will be one of the best you will ever read. Just don't make the mistake of loaning it out as I did - you won't get it back. (fortunately it wasn't signed).The clouds were low and heavy rains poured down on the team. They had set up and began observing the area, but could not manage a clear line of sight on the target area. They moved in closer, taking a position about one mile from the village.
Interesting that you mention it . . . I just found a $50 Borders gift card that I had placed on the desk and lost sight of . . . .
Was just in Houston last night at the Lone Survivor Foundation gala. Jim Caviezel, Gov. Rick Perry’s wife Anita Perry and Glen Beck spoke. It is a worthy foundation set up by the author of Lone Survivor Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell. There is a facebook page set up for all freepers who are interested or you can do a google search. I tried to snap some pictures and will attempt to post them some time this week.
The book is an experience...absolutely amazing. I had read there would be a movie made based on the book but am not sure that’s true. I would love that.
Bump
Amazing is probably understated.
TT
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