Produced by Rikki Novetsky , Rob Szypko , Eric Krupke and Alex Stern. Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009. 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. Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Army. Look at this warrior. PrivateFirst ClassKevin Thomson in the 120mm mortar pit was stuck in the face by a bullet and killed. A veritable aerial armada would show up in the skies over COP Keating F-15Es, A-10s,B-1s, and AH-64 Apaches. Colonel John W. Nicholson Jr., Commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, had observed that Kamdesh was located at a point where three of the valley systems from the Pakistan border in the north converged. 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. Combat Outpost Keating was a small American military outpost in Nurestan Province, in Afghanistan. Units before us suffered there, and we suffered there, and to give up that terrain was a little heartbreaking. 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=1149085528, Military installations of the United States in Afghanistan, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 03:04. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sgt. In 2006, Allied commanders identified the Kamdesh area to be key to denying anti-coalition militia the required access to supply lines crossing into and out of nearby Pakistan. Close air support and mortar fire had to be directed at enemy forces inside the original security perimeter. The enemy death toll is estimated at between 150 and 200. As a result, the depot was looted by the Taliban. The Outpost vs. the True Story of the Battle of Kamdesh RomeshasHeroic Actions, Battlescape: A Visual Representation of Staff Sgt. Served with United States Army since 2008. 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. Note: Many consider the 2010death ofEd Faulkner, Jr., who had been suffering from PTSD,to be the ninth fallen soldier from the Battle of COP Keating. Urdu and Pashtun HIG warriors brought arms and ammunition from Pakistan. AAF operations were expanding, supported by Taliban organizations in Pakistan. I dont think Im much different than Medal of Honor recipients Sgt. A common misconception is that the Taliban are primitive fighters who lack the necessary skills to be effective in battle. The QRF force and the remaining members of the Black Knight troop would evacuate COP Keating on October 6, and on the following day, a B-1 bomber would lay waste to the remains of this problematic site. Battle of Kamdesh - Wikipedia Even some of the dialogue is taken word for word from real life. The bloody fighting cost both sides dearly. Thomas Rasmussen, Mark Dulaney, JoshDannelley, Chris Jones, and Matthew Miller agreed to join him. 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. We were just going to win, plain and simple., After the ceremony, Clint Romesha shared his conflicted feelings about receiving the Medal of Honor. While exploring the movie's historical accuracy, we confirmed that during the real-life Battle of Kamdesh, Taliban fighters got inside Outpost Keating. Hes as tough as they come. It was eight men fighting dozens, if not hundreds of fighters. The Outpost real story confirms that COP Keating was evacuated two days after the battle. aircraft.[5]. The soldier, PFC Justin Wong, passed the warning to the other soldiers. Formalized as "The Commitment of Mutual Support" the agreement also provided the Shura would provide local security in return for an end to uninvited American military searches of local towns and mosques. Nearly a year after his departure from season 27, tragedy struck Cumbie. Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3, 2009. Through the summer and fall of 2008, Captain Joey Hutto, COP Keating's new commander, expanded this initiative. Grist / Eve Andrews. According to his Medal of Honor citation and interviews with his comrades, Romesha was usually in the middle of wherever the battle for COP Keating was thickest. Deep within Afghanistans rugged Nuristan province, COP Keating was first considered a base from which U.S. Army counterinsurgency efforts could win local Afghan villagers hearts and minds through funded improvement projects. Since its creation in 2006, Combat Outpost Keating (COP Keating) was declared by almost every arriving U.S. soldier to be a terrible location for a base. ", Yes. Nine U.S. soldiers would make the ultimate sacrifice alongside another 31 U.S. and Afghan troops who were injured. The soldiers heard over the radio, "Enemy in the wire The enemy is inside the camp." As the U.S. Army soldiers quickly roused from the barracks and donned their gear, the attack increased in intensity. Why was Camp Keating in Afghanistan put at the bottom of a valley However, these counterinsurgency efforts had produced little long-term benefit as the villagers could not, or would not, stop the Taliban and other local warriors from moving through their towns and trails. During the highly risky convoy, the road collapsed under the weight of Keating's vehicle. Served with United States Army since 2005 and Participated in. -The Outpost book. The supporting aircraft would deliver 16 tons worth of ordnance against the enemy positions this day. As seen in the movie, the road in Kamdesh collapsed underneath the truck, throwing Keating from the vehicle as it rolled over a cliff, sending both himself and the truck down toward the Landay-Sin River. While at LRAS-1, Romesha grabbed a RussianDragunovsniper rifle and engaged in a cat and mouse duel with a Taliban sniper who had been targetingKoppes position. "The little bastards keep shooting at us every day. Clinton Clint Romesha recently received the Medal of Honor for his actions that day, and another soldier, Sgt. They serve, too, when we are overseas.. The elder considers this to be a bad omen and demands that there be retribution. American military operations in Kamdesh were affected as soon as units began gathering for deployment in the area. Despite air and artillery support the American forces suffered significant losses. COP Keating was a small, Company (-) sized outpost in North Eastern Afghanistan. [2], The attackers overran Keating's perimeter defenses about 48 minutes into the battle. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Some who fled even handed their weapons to Taliban fighters. Specialist Carter reinforced a forward battle position, ran twice through a100-metergauntlet of enemy fire to resupply ammunition and voluntarily remained there to defend the isolated position. Their checkpoints[11] and "taxes" was used to finance AAF operations. Clinton LaVor Romesha (/ 'rome /; born August 17, 1981) is a retired United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009 during the War in Afghanistan.. Born into a family with a strong military background, Romesha joined the United States Army in 1999, and was posted at various times in Germany, South Korea and Colorado. Yllescas' death happened when he was serving with the 6/4 CAV in 2008. Romesha made a passionate plea for volunteers to join him within the Red Platoon barracks. Seven other Americans and one ANA soldier were wounded. Nicholson and officers of his command believed that much of the flow of weapons and troops from Pakistan could be stopped at Kamdesh. The likelihood of being completely overrun was increasing rapidly. Omar was the top Taliban leader, but U.S. Intelligence stated that HIG had done the killing, crediting Omar to instil more fear due to Omar's greater reputation. They were in Iraq. Regrouping there, they pushed out teams to retake much of the outpost. The high mountains around the camp provided the perfect perches for Taliban snipers to pick off the soldiers. The Outpost true story reveals that the soldiers were surrounded by more than 300 Taliban fighters . [7]:803,945,11620, While attempting the pickup, a Chinook transport helicopter crashed in the darkness at 10:09 PM when the rear rotor hit a tree, and the helicopter slid down the slope and over a cliff, exploding in flames and killing all the crew and passengers. Previous Slide Next Slide Area of Operations Combat Outpost, or COP, Keating, was a company-sized outpost in Nuristan. Yes. With enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of the COP, he moved, uncovered and, under intense enemy fire, conducted a reconnaissance of the battlefield and sought reinforcements from the barracks before returning to action with the support of an assistant gunner. I loved being an NCO, and I loved being overseas and training and leading soldiers, but it was just time to come home and be the dad and husband they deserved.. Battlescape for Staff Sergeant Ty Michael Carter - Medal of Honor He took out an enemy machine-gun team and, while engaging a second, the generator he was using for cover was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, peppering him with shrapnel wounds. Meanwhile, Carter, Gallegos, Mace, Martin, and Larsen all sought to make their escape from the LRAS-2 Humvee. [2] Combat Outpost Keating is best known as the setting of the Battle of Kamdesh which occurred on October 3rd, 2009. Visit our interactive database of places to honor and remember those who have served. NEW YORK (AP) Heavy rain spawned extreme flooding in New York 's Hudson Valley that killed at least one person, swamped roadways and forced road closures on Sunday night, as much of the rest . Constant ambushes and firefights along the road to Naray did little to relieve Keating's doubts. The military's failure to close Combat Outpost Keating earlier likely contributed to the Battle of Kamdesh, which resulted in eight U.S. soldiers losing their lives, while 27 others were left wounded. After assisting with securing the OP from potential follow on attacks, members of the Quick Reaction Force descended from the mountain's peak to COP Keating on foot. Following the 12-hour battle, 8 Americans gave their lives killing 150 Taliban forces. Clint Romesha, portrayed by Scott Eastwood in the film. The Battle of COP Keating - National Medal of Honor Museum Not exactly, but in researching The Outpost's historical accuracy, we learned that a similar incident happened the year prior, in 2008, involving more than just one dog. For the most part, yes. But their defense allowed 46 paratroopers, three . Eight U.S.soldiers paid the ultimate price that day: Justin T. Gallegos of Tucson, Ariz.; Christopher Griffin of Kincheloe, Mich.; Kevin C. Thomson of Reno, Nev.; Michael P. Scusa of Villas, N.J.; Vernon W. Martin of Savannah, Ga.; Stephan L. Mace of Lovettsville, Va.; Joshua J. Kirk of South Portland, Maine; and Joshua M. Hardt of Applegate, Calif. A Paid-Up-For-Life member of The American Legion Department of North Dakota, Romeshas humility seems a stark contrast to his Medal of Honor. Ty Carter, has been recommended for one. I want to thank the guys who are still serving today, he adds. Both the COP and the OP had been subject to attacks on a weekly basis in the months leading up to the major attack. Lessons From The Front: Lessons From The Front with Outpost COP Romesha maintained radio communication with the tactical operations center. Carters Heroic Actions, The Fallen Heroes: 3-61Cavalry (US Army), Attacks on Remote Posts Highlight Afghan Risks (New York Times), Bipartisan legislation would locate new Medal of Honor Monument within 1,000 feet of Lincoln Memorial, highlighting bond between 16th president and Medal Washington, D.C. . [7]:28,41,908,123, The Kamdesh village and most of Nuristan is located in the Hindu Kush. Dodging enemy shots and looking through the scope, Romesha silenced the sniper and gainedKoppesmore time. He was thrown from the truck, which rolled over him and sank into the river. Afghan contractors were unable to keep the narrow mountain road in safe condition, and convoys were subject to constant ambush from the surrounding mountains that lined the route. [19] At 6:00 a.m, the fighters opened fire from all sides of the outpost with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,[10] immediately putting the Americans' mortar pit out of action. It involved a small force of 54 U.S. soldiers (Bravo Troop 3-61), in addition to their Afghan and Latvian allies, at the remote Combat Outpost Keating in northeastern Afghanistan near the town of Kamdesh. When it came to infiltration from Pakistan, and setting ambushes, HIG was regarded as the most skillful. [9], Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron "Destroyers", 61st Cavalry Regiment manned COP Keating. Enemy fighters applied the information gathered from probing attacks and immediately inflicted casualties on the COP's guard force and suppressed COP Keating's primary means of fire support, its 60mm and 120mm mortars. Soldiers manning the armored Humvees with turreted machine guns (LRAS-1 and LRAS-2) also received punishing fire. [11] "whatever you think of their ideology, these are fierce and smart fighters. "We had three Taliban fighters just walk right through our front gate and put [a] foot in our home."Romesha had already been fighting hard, exposing himself to enemy fire countless times - he had the shrapnel wounds to show for it - but enough was enough.He squeezed the trigger on his sniper rifle and "put an end to that." Copyright 2023 the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, Stars and Stripes The Outpost depicts leadership, valor and heartache of Battle of Kamdesh, Key U.S. House Subcommittee Hears Testimony on HR 2717, the Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, Medal of Honor Recipient Luther Storys Remains Identified After 73 Years, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Celebrates the Introduction in Congress of the Hershel Woody Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act. To re-create the terrain of COP Keating in a lush, jungle-like valley surrounded by steep mountains near the Pakistan border Lurie found a quarry in Bulgaria where he rebuilt the base.. [32] Staff Sgt. "[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. Once OP Fritsche soldiers gained control of their mortar pit, Sgt. In the year that followed the agreement, ANA and American deaths dropped from thirty to three. The Great Resignation is Over - The New York Times Operation underdown during the War in Afghanistan. Warnings are in effect for potentially 'catastrophic' flash flooding [6], The films The Outpost and Red Platoon are based on the events that occurred in the Battle of Kamdesh. After the battle, COP Keating was abandoned,and ultimately destroyed by U.S.aircraft called in to ensure that nothing was left that could be used by the insurgents. On the morning of October 3, 2009, members of the U.S. Armys Black Knight Troop (3-61 Cav, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division) were attacked at their base Combat Outpost Keating by more than 300 well-armed Taliban soldiers. Tiller was also thrown from the truck but his injuries weren't nearly as severe. Several days after the battle, U.S. aircraft bombed the location in an effort to destroy any munitions that remained. [7]:363383[13], COP Keating became increasingly isolated in the summer of 2009. Staff Sergeant Romesha, one of two Medal of Honor recipients from the battle, covers the Battle of COP Keating in vivid detail. [34], The flight crews of three United States Army AH-64D Apache helicopters were later decorated for actions during the battle. For 12 hours, Bravo Troop fought to keep the enemy from overrunning the base. Despite some condensing with regard to the timeline and a fictional character or two (Pfc. [33] 1st Lt. Andrew Bundermann's Silver Star was upgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross as well. Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, hoping to provide covering fire for the men trapped in the LRAS-2 Humvee, began firing an M48 machine gun against the many enemy positions directing fire at them. President awards Medal of Honor to hero of COP Keating Mark Seavey is a writer for The American Legion Magazine Division and editor of the Legions Burn Pit blog site. But Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha had a very different idea in mind. The outpost was renamed Camp Keating in December 2006 (not in 2009). Tammi (his wife) and the kids have been back stateside keeping down the homefront for so long and sacrificing so much with me being over there doing what I was doing, he says.
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