Most of us will probably not remember exactly what we were doing on June 28, 2005. But for the operatives of Operation Red Wings, it was the day that they became heroes and lay down their lives in the service of their country. Only one man lived through the horror to eventually tell the story.
A lot has been written about Operation Red Wing, but to mark the five years since that fateful day, we find it fitting to remember the story behind it, to serve as a reminder of the sacrifice of those who perished.
Operation Red Wings is a counter-insurgent mission in Kunar province in Afghanistan. Four members of the U.S. Navy SEALs were sent on the mission, and their names are now famous to anyone who has followed the story: team leader Lt. Michael Murphy and petty officers Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz and Marcus Luttrell. They were all young, not quite thirty, very skilled and dedicated.
Their mission was to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Shah was said to be the commander of the “Mountain Tigers,” a group of insurgents.
The SEALs’ hiding place was discovered by local goat herders. Since they were unable to establish any hostility from the herders, the SEALs took a vote as to whether the Afghans should be killed or set free; they were eventually let go, a decision that Luttrell expressed later that he regretted.
A little while after they set the goat herders free the SEALs were attacked by an estimated two hundred Afghan fighters; with a ratio of four against two hundred, it was not difficult to see who prevailed in that battle.
April 26th, 2011 - 4:53 am
The University of Florida Naval Special Warfare Club is dedicating a memorial for James Erik Suh, June 28, 2011 at 10 AM, on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, FL. Petty Officer 2 Suh was a 1999 UF graduate who gave his life attempting to save his fellow SEALs during combat operations on June 28, 2005. Details of the memorial can be found at the University of Florida Navy ROTC site ( http://nrotc.ufl.edu/JamesSuhMemorial).
February 8th, 2012 - 10:46 pm
I usrndetand your dilemma. Unfortunately, there is no PERFECT answer because it seems that you have your heart set on joining the AF, but you are uncertain if you will get the job you desire. Going with your second choice (Navy) enables your to pick your job at MEPS (lots more to choose from than the AF), and you can join right away. Regarding the Navy, the only time you will swim is in boot camp, on one occasion, which is to take your swim test. Being on a boat is likely so if you cannot handle this aspect of things, then the Navy isn’t for you. At 5’3 and 163 pounds you WILL have to lose weight for any service you wish to join, period so you need to accept this. You must also accept the fact that tradeoffs exist in this situation. If you go Navy, you can get the job you want. If you go AF your future job (and relative happiness) hangs in the balance. If I were you, I would not join a service where I have NO input whatsoever in what I do for the next several years. I’d go Navy personally.
November 24th, 2012 - 1:23 am
I read 'Lone Survivor' and I was in awe. you are all heroes. Thank you.