FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Lt Col Anthony Henderson ~ January 21, 2013

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Anthony Henderson

Info from here.

           

For Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Henderson, it was a lifetime of service and professional development in the U.S. Marine Corps that prepared him to command 1,200 Marines in southern Afghanistan and engage in the most vicious combat fighting he had ever seen.

"Your preparations for those types of moments span your entire career," said Henderson. "At 18 years of education and training, it's what prepared me to listen and learn."

Just two months into his deployment in southern Helmand Province, Henderson, who was the Commander of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Division, was tasked to devise a combat plan to overrun a historic Taliban stronghold in the Gamshir area known as the Jugroom Fort. Jugroom Fort was a 19th century British fort, built out of mud, which spanned five kilometers and was surrounded by tunnels, machine-gun bunkers, minefield and IEDs. It was typically defended by 200-400 Taliban fighters at any given point in time.

"It was a very complex attack. We had forces moving by land and air - plus we were coordinating with the British forces," said Henderson.

The mission began on April 28, 2008, and for the next month, there were several sustained battles as the ISAF forces slowly closed in on the area. The major combat operation commenced on May 28, 2008. Henderson led his Battalion to the southern end of Fort Jugroom, while still keeping his eye on the overall battle plan.

As Henderson's Battalion approached the Fort, the enemy began firing on the rear echelon trucks, essentially closing them in between the Fort and enemy fire. Henderson decided to push his men into the interior area of the Fort to engage directly with the enemy.

"Marines had to physically get the Taliban out of the Fort and it was the most vicious fighting I had ever seen," reflected Henderson. "The enemy had defensive positions in and outside the Fort, and grenades and rocket fire were exchanged between 10, 20 and 30 meters."

"There were fighters and Marines all over the place. The enemy was around everyone and everyone was around the enemy."

At this point, Henderson's men and the other one thousand Marines fighting at Fort Jugroom had been awake for two whole days with temperatures reaching 110 degrees. With 3-4-foot wheat fields surrounding the Fort, Henderson knew that fighting into the night would be dangerous - from the threat of enemy attacks and the heat.

"I grew up on a farm and I knew that wheat fields collect extreme heat. I had to make a decision that would result in the least amount of casualties," reflected Henderson.

As the firefight subsided, the Marines retreated to nearby shelter. However, the next day, intelligence reports indicated that the enemy was packing up and heading toward the Pakistani border. It became a major victory for the ISAF forces and Henderson's Marines.

"We spent the next two weeks clearing the Fort and the surrounding villages where the Taliban had stocked weapons and ammunition," said Henderson. "For them, Jugroom was the final defense and there was nothing left to defend." Henderson's tour in Afghanistan lasted six more months after the battle for Jugroom Fort. Two years later, he is stationed with the Joint Chiefs Regional Operations Staff in Washington, D.C., and Henderson can only wish to be back in Afghanistan.

"It's humbling and fulfilling to lead Marines," reflected Henderson. "I have a constant yearning to be back there and amongst them."

More good stuff....

 

Awarded: The Bronze Star with ‘Valor’

Right click to download this hero's story.

Interview:

September 01, 2010 - Pentagon Channel (1.8 MB)

 

     

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[SandRat]

Cub Scouts

Eight-year-olds Wheeler Ehlers, left, Mason Archer and Joseph Schmidt, right, participate in Saturday’s annual Pinewood Derby with their Cub Scout Pack 445 Wolf Den brethren in the activity center at the Sierra Vista United Methodist Church. The event determines which pack members will go on to the district races held at Apache Middle School on Feb. 16. (Mark Levy • Herald/Review)

[ConorMacNessa]

It's not - I erased the correct address and inserted the "1776."



Keep Faith with the Fallen of Benghazi! Let the Obama Regime, for once, tell the Truth!

Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Evening To Our Valiant Troops, To Our Vets, To Our Families, Our FRiends, Our Allies And To All Canteen Denizens!

Godspeed our Troops around the Globe, especially those in combat!



Evening Colors
(click)



May The Lord Protect And Uphold Our Troops In Their Vital Mission!

May He Keep Safe Their Families During Their Time Of Separation!

May He Preserve And Uphold The American Nation In This Time Of Adversity!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Great graphic, yorkie....a picture IS worth a thousand words.

We so need another Ronald Reagan.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for Evening Colors.

Did you have a good day?

Mine is turning out to be long.
As busy as I’ve been one would think the time would go by quicker.

[ConorMacNessa]

A good day, thanks. On the treadmill today - and did some upper body work as well.



Keep Faith with the Fallen of Benghazi! Let the Obama Regime, for once, tell the Truth!

Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[AZamericonnie]

I didn’t even watch today Yorkie...just couldn’t!

[yorkie]

I didn’t watch one second of it, either.
But, someone sent me a YouTube video (very short) of
Oblunder, Mooshell, and Boehner eating at a luncheon
yesterday. She was between the two - and she had her elbow on the table, all hunched over, stuffing in the food,
and chomping with her mouth open. The men had to talk behind her. She looked at Boehner twice - and then rolled her eyes, and returned to her grazing.

OMG - I have NEVER seen anyone act so
rudely - let alone someone expected to show respect to others at a public function.

Ya can’t buy class or dignity!

[Arrowhead1952]

Yuk on the pollen!

Did you warm up?

Yes, we did warm up yesterday, but that makes the cedar pollen worse. I have to clean the windshield on my pickup every day.

[mountainlion]

Sky soldiers

http://www.173rdairborne.com/moh.htm