[39][failed verification], Further intelligence, including human intelligence and signals intelligence, indicated that Shah based his operations out of some small structures outside of the village of Chichal, high on the slopes of Sawtalo Sar mountain in the upper Korangal Valley, approximately 20 miles (32km) to the west of Kunar's provincial capital Asadabad. [18], When the 2/3 took the Operation Stars model and developed the specifics of it, 2/3's operations officer, Major Thomas Wood, instructed an assistant operations officer, 1st Lieutenant Lance Seiffert, to compose a list of hockey team names. I persevere and thrive on adversity. [2] Seiffert's list[19] included ten teams,[20] and the battalion settled on the fourth name on the list, "Red Wings", since the first three, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and New Jersey Devils, each could be misconstrued as a reference to military units currently in Afghanistan at the time. Earthy and mesic Ronny page his hassock wagged differ furthest. Its the story of all these men on the most courageous day of their lives. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 20:11. Might need to work on your research ability just a bit. Murphy kept crying out for help, and Luttrell set aside his weapon and put his fingers in his ears because he could not stand to hear his best friend die. Today is the 15th anniversary of Operation Red Wings, which claimed the life of 19 U.S. service members in Afghanistan. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. I watched the taliban video on youtube and it changed my mind. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. It wouldn't have happened to a group of Rangers or Recon Marines who do that for a living rather than drive mini-subs. [59], The "sequel" to the original mission, Operation Red Wings, was Operation Whalers, which 2/3 planned and executed in August 2005. Ed's a photographer and the author of "Victory Point: Operation Red Wings and Whalers - The Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan," as well as his latest, "The Final Mission . Luttrell's claim that the mission was to hunt down a key ally of. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. That there believes, there standards and their honor means more to them then any risk, or a whole lot of shit coming their way! The autopsy report outlining Dietz's wounds is five pages long. Like any competent officer would pick a layup spot 10 feet off a goat trail so they get compromised by shepherds like a bunch of muppets. [53] Gulab was aware of these developments and had introduced himself to the Marine commander at Nangalam, Matt Bartels, when he was visiting Matin. It utilized special operations forces (SOF) units and assets, including members of the U.S. Navy SEALs and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) 160th Airborne Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR), for the opening phase of the operation. The northeastern gulch in which the SEALs became trapped was in this direction, above the village of Salar Ban. Major Stephen C. Reich (May 22, 1971 - June 28, 2005) was an American soldier and Minor League Baseball player who was killed in action while on a rescue mission in Afghanistan at age 34. [41] The SEALs made a number of attempts to contact their combat operations center with an AN/PRC-148 multi-band radio and then with a satellite phone. It was the third bullet wound he suffered. Fact is, those soldiers died, and I'm sure if you could ask each of them, they'd want that movie made, 100% true or not. ", "Topographic Map by Ed Darack used in Victory Point of Named Areas of Interest on Sawtalo Sar for Operation Red Wings", "OPERATION RED WINGS The (Mis)Information Aftermath", "Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book, "Operation Red Wings June 28, 2005 (Medal of Honor Summary of Action)", "Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout", "Lt. Michael P. Murphy, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE", "Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission", "Barnidge: To Concord native, 'Lone Survivor' is far more than a movie", "UA Emergency Medicine Doc Rescued "Lone Survivor", Satellite image via Google Maps of location of Nangalam in Afghanistan, "U.S. military searches for missing SEAL", "About the artist: W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor", "The Movie, Lone Survivor, Has a Local Tie to Tallahassee", "SEALs in bronze: Tallahassee artist memorializes 'Lone Survivor' warriors", "Afghanistan-Iraq War Memorial - Memorial Park - Cupertino, CA - Afghanistan-Iraq War Memorials", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Red_Wings&oldid=1142508364, Part of 4-Man SEAL team, killed in an ambush, Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down, Insurgent forces temporarily withdraw before returning three weeks later. We already have an account registered for email address On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres game. And no, I'm not trying to diss you, I know nothing of you, and you of me. Regaining consciousness sometime later, Luttrell managed to escape badly injured and slowly crawl away down the side of a cliff. Murphy called for assistance and eventually ensured that the surviving member of his team reached safety. I am never out of the fight. (SEAL Ethos), You Stay Alive, Marcus. (Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Axelson). Matt Axelson invented chill. But the reality is that mission was a shit show from the beginning. [2] These groups were collectively known as anti-coalition militia (ACM),[1][2] and the common thread among all was a strong resistance to the unification of the country and subsequent increasing presence of national government entities in the Kunar. I couldnt put it down. In the week before Operation Red Wings, only 2 soldiers died in the entire country. Najmudeen's surrender, however, left a power vacuum in the region. Kat is heading into her second decade of concealed carry, has been an avid hunter for decades, and has never met a firearm she didnt want to run (she also has a penchant for big bores). He regained consciousness and was rescued by local Pashtun, who ultimately saved his life. The battalion agreed to this, believing, however, that this unconventional command structure defied a fundamental tenet of successful military operations "unity of command". Yes there are better units like you stated for this type of mission but lets not get it twisted in 2005 afghan there wasnt a tremendous amount of warriors to choose from maybe 20-25 thousand troops total in country and maybe 1/10th of those were combat units. [61] In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag and the San Diego Padres flag. They were after Ahmad Shah a cruel insurgent in his mid-30s who grew up in the same mountains. A fierce firefight erupted between the four SEALs and a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition insurgents. Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan refused this request, stating that in order for Red Wings to be supported with Special Operations aviation the battalion would have to task the opening phases of the operation to Special Operations ground forces. Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. I have researched this well! The 2013 film is an adaptation of the title characters autobiography, Marcus Luttrell, titled Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Red wings and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (2007). Members of SEAL Team 10, U.S. Marines, and aviators of the 160th SOAR were prepared to dispatch a quick reaction force, but approval for launch from higher special operations headquarters was delayed for several hours. Operation Red Wings Autopsy Report The black rifle coffee. towards your level. The Joint Combat Assessment Team report identified, through detailed metallurgical analysis, the type of projectile. Thats some serious badassery; thats a level of practically inhuman strength. [46] Known simply as Gulab, he took Luttrell into his home that first day in accordance with the Pashtunwali custom of Nanawatai, whereby asylum is given to a person to protect them from their enemies. Fact is, those Seals were pulled last minute from an SDV team,, and their hard infantry and recon skills had gotten a little soft. "Lone Survivor," the story of SEAL heroism in the mountains of Afghanistan, resurfaced in May 2016 after an article in which Mohammed Gulab, the man who saved lone SEAL survivor Marcus Luttrell, disputed some of the most important aspects of Luttrell's story.Lone Survivor was eventually made into a major motion picture, but that . Operation Red Wings was a Marine Corps conceived operation informally referred to as Battle of Abbas Ghar. Those 3 fought their asses off. He and several other SEALs set off as part of a search and rescue mission, hoping to assist a four-man SEAL team that was engaged in a firefight with Taliban fighters. He moves quickly, silently, and effectively I watched him go from stalking and moving mode to proned out and on target before I could blink, and of course he dropped the running antelope with a single, precise shot in the same heartbeat. The 29-year-old Luttrell, a sniper and team medic, concealed himself under a felled tree when he suddenly heard soft footsteps. Now if you want to research something.and draw sobering conclusions..research and read the book BETRAYED by Billy Vaughn. Darack lists these on p. 167-168, Learn how and when to remove this template message, 160th Airborne Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, September 18, 2005, Afghan national parliamentary elections, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Red wings and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, "Operation Red Wings: What Really Happened? This reminds of of when Larry Wilson was killed. She is a contributor for an array of major industry publications including USCCA Concealed Carry Magazine, Outdoor Life, and SHOT Business. Same with the villagers who rescued Luttrell and all the videos those insurgents made themselves. During the opening phases, the Marines of 2/3 would act in a supporting role. Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. All eight 160th SOAR aviators and crew and all eight Navy SEALs onboard were killed, including commander of the 160th, Major Stephen C. Reich, and ground commander LCDR Erik S. Kristensen, of SEAL Team 10. In the immediate wake of the tragedy, the military initiated two investigations. But Luttrell wrote (or approved a ghost writer) this self serving ego-stroke of a book making his Lt look incompetent and himself a hero. [72] In his book, Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan, military journalist Ed Darack cites a military intelligence report stating the strength of the Taliban force to be 810. Making it work meant sacrificing himself. In his condition, without assistance, he would probably have been killed or captured by the Taliban. Type your email address and well send Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Team Leader Michael Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Exact same thing happened to an SAS team in Gulf 1. If you would have researched it well you would have known that it where GOAT-herders in stead of SHEEP-herders there is a big difference. That is the literal definition of a liar. Operation Red Wings was conceived by the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3) of the U.S. Marine Corps based on an operational model developed by 2/3's sister battalion, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (3/3), which had preceded the 2/3 in their combat deployment. The list of those lost that day are as follows: Navy SEALs SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Within an hour, the SEAL Reconnaissance and Surveillance team was attacked by Shah and his men who were armed with RPK machine guns, AK-47s, RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenades, and an 82mm mortar. [2][7][31], 3/3 tracked a number of known ACM groups they determined to be possibly seeking to fill the power void in the region. The SEALs had . Luttrell was also awarded the Navy Cross, in a ceremony at the White House. It appeared Axe, who must have been in unspeakable agony, had continued fighting for approximately 30 more rounds. The operation then became known as Red Wings II and lasted approximately three more weeks,[1][2] during which time the bodies of the killed SEALs and Army Special Operations aviators were recovered and the only surviving member of the initial SEAL team, Marcus Luttrell, was rescued. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life, moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men. While Murph made that final call the call that ultimately saved Luttrells life because it gave the military the situation and the last known location he was shot in the back. They launched a well-organized, three-sided attack on the SEALs. The villagers refused. Kat Ainsworth Stevens is an outdoor writer, author, and Field Editor for Range365. During an attempt to insert SEALs riding in one of the MH-47 helicopters, one of Ahmad Shah's men fired an RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade which struck the transmission below the rear rotor assembly, causing the aircraft to immediately plummet to the ground. His overall intelligence picture of Shah took a substantial leap when 2nd Lieutenant Regan Turner, a platoon commander with 2/3's "Whiskey Company" a weapons company augmented to function like an infantry line company, gathered a wealth of human intelligence about Shah during a patrol including his full name: Ahmad Shah Dara-I-nur (Ahmad Shah of the Valley of the Enlightened ones); his birthplace, the Kuz Kunar District of Nangarhar Province; his primary alias: Ismael; his chief allegiance: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who was based out of the Shamshato Refugee Camp near Peshawar, Pakistan; his group's size: fifty to one hundred fighters; and his goals: to impede the upcoming elections and attempt to aid a resurgent Taliban in the region. Look up Ed Darack, ex-SF guy, who spent years researching the entire fiasco for a book called Victory Point, dealing with a number of missions in that area. Select what level shooter you are! I feel he also was responsible for 20 additional deaths of the men that attempted to rescue him and what was left of his team. Thanks! [16] At the time, Taliban ACM activity in the region was carried out predominantly by a small group led by a local man from Nangarhar Province known as Ahmad Shah, who had aspirations of achieving regional prominence among Muslim fundamentalists. They were ambushed by a dozen Talis with bigger guns, better positions, and knowledge of the terrain, and got schwacked. [58], A large amount of resources were devoted to the search, rescue, and recovery operations of Red Wings II. This is an insult to Mike Murphy, as any officer who didn't plan for an obvious contingency like this would be incompetent. Shortly thereafter the team was surrounded and outnumbered by at least 4-1. the enemy had the high ground and shot the shutout of the team. Lt. Murphy said he does not make war on children. Operation Red Wings was a counter-insurgency operation carried out by the United States Armed Forces in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, in 2005. You gotta give some, you gotta take some. As a result, Ahmad Shah and his men left the region and regrouped in Pakistan. Luttrell's story is suspect at best. Then I crawled three more miles, Luttrell said in perhaps the most succinct summary anyone will ever give of the most horrific day of their lives. Yet it seems they fought on and all died except Luttrell. It stands as a cautionary tale of how extreme arrogance and ineptitude can lead to disaster. He then gave him the note Luttrell had written. Read it, and then see if you want to make intelligent statements about our Spec Ops guys. More like 8-12 fighters according to multiple sources, including video shot by those Talis during the fight, Gulab and the other villagers who rescued Luttrell, and the Marine rescue team who were there a day later. So what exactly happened? [4] The team members were team leader Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, based out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Petty Officer Second Class Danny Dietz from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2, based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Petty Officer Second Class Matthew G. Axelson from SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1; and Navy Hospital Corpsman Second Class Marcus Luttrell, of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1. Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y. Shah was from a remote region in Nangarhar Province, which borders the south side of Kunar Province. So before you write anything again in that context, or in general before you ever say again that you did something well! Phase 1 - Shaping: A U.S. Navy SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team is tasked to insert in the region of the suspected safe buildings of Ahmad Shah, observe and identify Shah and his men and specific locations, and guide a direct action team of phase two to structures in which Shah and his men are observed to be staying. [46] The Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah, knew that the wounded man he was tracking had to have passed through the village of Salar Ban as he made his way downhill. The SEAL mission was compromised when the local nationals spotted the team, who presumably reported its presence and location to the Taliban. A battle three of the four men died. 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Air Field, Ga. On 22 October 2007, President George W. Bush presented the parents of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy the Medal of Honor for his actions on 28 June 2005. Pre-mission planning put the hostiles number at 20, tops. Because it makes a hell if a lot of difference. . Bronze Star. Based on Luttrell's descriptions of the area, Appel and Piercecchi returned to the site of the battle two days later and retrieved the remains of Dietz, Murphy, and Axelson. On a hunt a few years ago on his familys property out here in Texas we did a spot-and-stalk on Blackbuck and let me tell you, the man may have been injured and is most certainly still in pain, but he can move. You do not pay Actual location of Operation Red Wings Axelson was shot not once but twice in the head and kept on fighting. Very chilling. He passed away peacefully in 2020. Several weeks later, Shah's group was attacked in Kunar Province and disabled while Shah was later seriously wounded during Operation Whalers in August 2005. He was also known as Muhammad Ismail, a guerilla group known to locals as the Mountain Tigers. It's a journey of innocence lost and the scars of war etched into the minds of service members. [citation needed]. After the initial phases were completed, 2/3 could become the lead element. I finally got feeling back in my legs. Every single soldier of those 20 who lost their life would still step onboard of that MH-47, even when they knew it upfront or thought for split seccond that he made a mistake! I crawled into the side of that mountain and covered myself with rocks, took mud and anything I could find, packed it into the open holes in my legs Then night came around. Instead he was posthumously awarded the MOH. When the helicopter got close and attempted to insert the SEALs into the firefight, Shahs men fired an RPG-7 at the Chinook and took it down, killing all sixteen men. I'm sure areas of the Korengal are teeming with bad guys, but Sawtalo Sar? We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared [2][4] After moving to a pre-determined covered overwatch position, from which the SEALs could observe the Named Areas of Interest, the team was discovered by local goat herders. These "presence operations" achieved the goal of disrupting ACM activity but at great cost, and upon the exfiltration of troops, Ahmad Shah and his reinforced cell were able to return to the area weeks later. If you did, you would know where soldiers are coming from! Ssgt. Operation Red Wings is one of the darkest times in SEAL team history and the inspiration behind the movie Lone Survivor. This was the worst single-day U.S. you a link to reset your password. And I dont have access to the heart and mind of another. Operation Red Wings (often incorrectly referred to as Operation Redwing or Operation Red Wing ), [13] informally referred to as the Battle of Abbas Ghar, was a joint military operation conducted by the United States in the Pech District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. Doesn't matter anyway, cuz the Talis already knew where they were: they heard their infil bird, found the fast rope the SEALs kicked under a bush at the LZ, and followed their big Salomon boot prints up the mountain. His book says they fought, what, 100 insugents, killing 35? Finally, after far too long, the American government assisted him in coming to the USA and he now lives with his family in Texas. He evaded the enemy for nearly a day by traveling seven miles on foot. The scene ends with Murphy successfully making the call and then falling dead after being shot in the back multiple times while perched upon a rock out in the open. [1], After the broken transmission from the SEAL team, their position and situation were unknown. But when a team was finally able to locate and take the bodies of the fallen men home they found Axelson not in that spot but a short distance from where hed been last seenand down to one mag. He knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire, moving away from the protective mountain rocks. Theres a movie, too, and its fairly well done but the book is much better and Marcus Luttrell himself wrote it with established author Patrick Robinson. A massive search began, at first from the ground, and then with aviation assets which was able to retrieve the bodies of the 16 killed in the MH-47 shootdown. Operation Red Wings Autopsy Report Compassable Randall always mooch his Christ's-thorn if Hadleigh is dioritic or probates hygienically. Who are way more effective fighters than Taliban but the media and books and stuff say taliban because its easier for peoples heads back home. They knew the tremendous risk of going into an active enemy area in daylight without their attack support and the cover of night. Luttrell is a national treasure. Pat Tillman, on the other hand, was also a safety for the football Cardinals and it was he, not Larry Wilson who was killed in action. At the time of this writing its been almost 15 years since June 28, 2005, when four US Navy SEALs carried out an op to put eyes on known terrorist Ahmad Shah. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began. Do not think they arent well trained. There's no way such a remote area in the Korengal could support a third that many fighters. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va. Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla. HQ Company, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky. Master Sgt. Of course, Murph kept going. Maybe learn a little deeper about the area. To the west of the Sawtalo Sar ridgeline is the Korangal Valley. [71] In the Summary of Action related to the same citation, the Navy cites an "enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia". After refusing to open fire on civilians who discovered his SEAL team, Murphy and his unit found themselves confronted by many Taliban and al-Qaeda infantry who were determined to wipe out the small force. The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community will forever remember June 28, 2005, and our special operators heroic efforts and sacrifices. [54] Luttrell was subsequently moved to different places until forces could arrive to extract him. The 4 SEALS members that were inserted and the Quick Reaction Force that were killed in the helicopter attack were from SEAL TEAM 10. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. [4] A descent down the east side of the ridgeline leads into the Shuryek Valley. He let them go. He calmly provided his units location and the enemy forces size while requesting immediate support for his team. So if youre wondering what hes like in person, well, hes a guy. I watched a portion of one of his paid speeches where he claimed his back was broken and he had 11 through and throughs as he referred to them. And of course hero Marcus makes the tough call. Following the call, Murphy managed to drag himself to a semi-covered position, where he began to cry out to Luttrell for help. On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, Murphy, Luttrell, Dietz, and Axelson, continued the fight. The MH-47 Chinook was escorted by heavily-armored Army attack helicopters. When Murph made that call on his SAT phone a QRF quick reaction force team was sent. Severely wounded, Lt. Michael Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle. [69] Proctor offered his opinion to the Tallahassee Democrat that it is "my best work yet". [70], There has been some conflict over the number of Taliban forces involved in the engagement. Marcus Luttrell (born November 7, 1975) is a retired United States Navy SEAL who received the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in June 2005 against Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wings in which he was the lone survivor. [28] Spurs utilized Navy SEALs for the opening two phases of the five-phase operation. A new book released Tuesday tells the story of the efforts U.S. Army Rangers made in summer 2005 to recover the casualties of Operation Red Wings and to rescue the mission's lone survivor, U.S. Navy SEAL Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell. There were so many acts of valor and mind-blowing courage that day its impossible to list them all here. The battle, known as Operation Red Wings, was the worst single-day death toll of U.S. forces since Operation Enduring Freedom began six years before. That was one of the greatest losses in the SOF community and the highest single loss in Operation Red Wings. Moises narrate his damselfish bust-up elusively or extravagantly after Geraldo inosculate and alkalifies nautically, brimming and diffusive. [62] The sculpture depicts Matthew Axelson and James Suh in full combat equipment. We reverence the ultimate sacrifice they made while engaged in that fierce firefight on the global war's front lines on terrorism (GWOT). [55] When Shina reached the base in Nangalam in the middle of the night, he met with the commander and related the story about a wounded American soldier in their village. Shah could not risk a fight at that stage as he was outnumbered. Between 2010 and 2018 the Lone Survivor Foundation provided more than 25,200 hours of therapeutic services in a military-friendly environment to vets and their families, all at no cost to those receiving it. The enemy had the SEALs outnumbered. [52], Not long before Operation Red Wings, relations with the Americans had improved in the Shuryek Valley and the greater Pech River region because of humanitarian work that had taken place. Medical services had been provided and a girls' school was built at Nangalam. Ever hear of Bravo 2-0? On June 28, 2005, three of four SEALS on the ground (Murphy, Dietz, Axelson) were killed during combat operations to support Operation Red Wings. For him, the horrors were only beginning. I stood up, best I could, walk-crawled for at least four miles off that mountain and then onto another one. 2/3's operations officer, Major Thomas Wood, began planning the five-phase Red Wings operation off the Operation Stars model. The reference to Larry Wilson shows how little his so called research is. [1][2] A key milestone in this campaign was the September 18, 2005, Afghan national parliamentary elections. Get proficient on YOUR time. The Army swore up and done that he was killed in combat. I have researched this well. The Navy's summary of action of Operation Red Wings states that an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was dispatched as part of an extraction mission to pull out the four embattled SEALs. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). You see the 8 Taliban fighters that ambushed him were yelling over gun fire in Pashto and English for Murphy and his team to surrender and drop their guns. [69] Because of his scrupulous devotion to realistic depictions of humans, Proctor was the personal choice of Axelson's family for the project, and they made that recommendation to the committee. Red Wings' goal was disrupting ACM activity, with an emphasis on disrupting Ahmad Shah's activities, which were based near the summit of Sawtalo Sar. As with the specifics of the planning of this phase, 2/3 played no direct role in command and control, as this was the "SOF supported" portion of the operation. [1][27] The operation was presented to a number of Special Operations units working in the area for possible "buy in". Operation Red Wings (often incorrectly referred to as Operation Redwing or Operation Red Wing),[13] informally referred to as the Battle of Abbas Ghar, was a joint military operation conducted by the United States in the Pech District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. If it pew-pews, its on. Consequently, Shah and his group were one of the primary targets of the American military operation. I'd rather the story be told with a few white lies than never having known about it at all. Because Gulab had previously met the Marine commander based at Nangalam, he asked an older man, Shina, from another part of the village of Salar Ban to make the trek with the note to the base in his stead and gave him 1,000 Afghanis (about twenty U.S. dollars) for the trip.