Posted on 12/21/2002 2:31:41 AM PST by Destro
American soldier killed in firefight in Afghanistan
By Todd Pitman, AP
21 December 2002
An American soldier was killed in a firefight in eastern Afghanistan today, and two were wounded in separate incidents, the US military said.
It was the first time a US soldier has died in combat in Afghanistan since May.
The soldier's unit came under fire while on patrol in the eastern province of Paktika, the military said in a statement at Bagram Air Base, the headquarters of US forces in Afghanistan.
"The firefight started when enemy forces engaged US forces at approximately 4 am," the statement said. "The soldier was initially taken to a forward operating base in eastern Afghanistan and died during surgery."
Two other soldiers were injured in two separate incidents in the last 24 hours, the statement said. A fourth incident did not result in any injuries.
In one incident a US special operations soldier was hurt when rockets were fired at a US compound in Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's north-eastern Kunar province.
"Two rockets were fired at the base and impacted outside the compound. A third rocket landed near a sleeping tent, injuring a soldier," the US military statement said. "The injured soldier was taken) to Bagram Air Base and underwent surgery. He's currently in stable condition. His injuries were not life-threatening."
Immediately after the incident, Bagram sent an A-10 aircraft to Asadabad. It strafed the area to try to flush out the attackers. It was not known whether any of the attackers was hurt or killed.
Another incident occurred near Spinboldak in south-east Afghanistan, where a soldier participating in a weapons training exercise with the Afghan military was hurt while trying to correct a misfire on a rocket propelled grenade launcher.
His condition was stable after undergoing surgery at Bagram Air Base.
In a fourth attack on American forces in Afghanistan, the military said two rockets were fired near a US base at Khost in eastern Afghanistan. There were no injuries, and the base was not damaged.
Rockets, many Chinese-made and connected to crude water timers, have been fired frequently at US troops stationed at the Khost airfield in eastern Afghanistan. The rockets, sometimes leaned against rocks, are difficult to aim and have rarely caused casualties.
This week the United Nations issued a report saying that al-Qa'ida training camps had resumed in eastern Afghanistan. The camps are small and mobile, the report said.
The area borders Pakistan's rugged and deeply conservative tribal regions, where both Afghan and Pakistan sources told The Associated Press that suicide bombers were being recruited and trained.
They were being offered $50,000 for their families if they carry out suicide attacks in Afghanistan, they said. The presence of the training camps and plans to carry out suicide attacks was corroborated by a Western intelligence source.
Fifteen US servicemen have been killed in combat or hostile situations in Afghanistan since the US-led anti-terror campaign began last autumn. The most recent fatality was Sergeant Gene Vance, who was killed while on patrol in eastern Afghanistan on May 19.
Two US Special Forces soldiers and their Afghan interpreter were injured in the capital Tuesday when an Afghan man hurled a grenade at their unmarked jeep on a crowded street. That attack was the first-ever grenade attack on American forces in Kabul.
The border area with Pakistan is becoming a war zone. The US has not been able to get permission from Pakistan to go after Taliban bases in Pakistan, so the Taliban cross the border for raids. Many of the Taliban are being caught and chased back to Pakistan. But once they are into Pakistan, they are safe. This is is becoming a political issue, as American military leaders point out that this sort of "Sanctuary" is what made Vietnam such an unwinnable war. But public opinion in Pakistan is against any cooperation with the US. Of course, one could just ignore the public opinion and go after the Taliban camps. This would not automatically expand the war, given the divisions in Pakistani politics and distaste for Pushtun gunmen.
So who's paying all this cash? The Bin Ladin family?
If Pakastan is going to be a terrorist haven, no doubt sheltering Bin Ladin, why are we so friendly ($$$) to Arafat? I'm wondering who's worse - Arafat or Saddam!
If they're making $5,000 a hit, they obviously don't need funding from us. Someone has plenty. Let him "share his wealth" instead. Geeez, why help them at all?
The US has some really weird liberal policies. We feed them and keep them strong enough to kill. Golly, that's real smart!
Agreed ! There's some speculation, and maybe a little evidence, that Bin Laden (if he isn't a greasy spot in a cave somewhere) escaped into this area
I pray most every day for the safety of our brave men and women over in harms way. I grieve for every one that's lost, may God give peace and comfort to the families. We shall never forget thier sacrifice.
Keep those prayers going. My son currently drives an air ambulance there. Chances are very good that he was at the controls of the UH-60L that brought the wounded soldier back to the forward operating base - and to Bagram from the FOB.
Arafat is in Israel and we are not friendly with him. MUSHARRAF is the leader of Pakistan and he is riding a tiger!
In a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF won an overwhelming majority of votes, extending his rule for five more years chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
From the CIA fact book:
G-d bless and protect your son, and all the Americans in harms way.
Thanks Yehuda for your reply. My original feelings about my son's role in the rescue were correct. Here's a portion of an email we received from him regarding that rescue:
"I just returned from our forward operating base that is described in the article. I was the PIC on the mission to evacuate the US soldier who ended up dying. I guess I can't talk much about the operational aspects of what happened other than to say that SGT Checo is a real hero. We did everything possible to try and save him, but we were unsuccessful. Needless to say my crew and I were sorry we couldn't save him.
The rocket attack at the base near Khost occurred while we were evacuating another US soldier, so we missed the excitement. They occasionally take pot shots at the base, but they aren't the best at shooting rockets. The Apache that is mentioned is the one that was escorting us back. The timing was such that we arrived back at the base just after the attack, but they didn't find the launch site.
Take care."
My son also mentioned that on the return flight to the field hospital the on-board medic told him that he was "losing the patient - and to hurry." An 80-mile flight was involved and when he got the word from the medic, he accelerated to maximum speed - running away from the two Apache escort helicopters. Sgt. Checo was alive when they got him to the field hospital, but died from his head wound while in surgery. Sgt. Checo was a 22-year old single male. I understand that he was a native of NYC, and that his mother now lives in Elizabeth, NJ.
Again Yehuda, thank you for the kind reply. Have a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.
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