Operation Longest Mile: ANSF, Able Co. show flexibility

Photo By Spc. Gregory Argentieri | A U.S. downed Army UH-64 Black Hawk helicopter flies safely out of the Northern...... read more read more

Photo By Spc. Gregory Argentieri | A U.S. downed Army UH-64 Black Hawk helicopter flies safely out of the Northern Waterpor Valley during the early morning of, May 11, after a U.S. Army Dart Team (Downed Aircraft and Rescue Team) repaired mechanical problems following an air assault by 1st Platoon, Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment during the evening of, May 10, in Kunar province, Afghanistan.  see less | View Image Page

KUNAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

05.30.2008

Story by Spc. Gregory Argentieri 

173rd Airborne Brigade

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By Spc. Gregory J. Argentieri
173rd Airborne Brigade

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Service members from the Afghan national army, Afghan national policemen and Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment air assaulted into the Watapoor valley under the cover of darkness, May 10, to start Operation Longest Mile in Kunar province, Afghanistan.

The Afghan national security forces took the lead in the search-and-clear mission of the village of Kur Baugh to search for weapons, ammunition, explosives and other contraband. They were also there to find and question three local Afghan men designated as "high-value targets," which were believed to be assisting enemy fighters. Service members from the 2-503rd, also known as Task Force Rock, maintained supporting positions.

"We have had a lot of intelligence, both collected by us, and brought in by locals, saying that the enemy is in the village of Kur Baugh," said 1st Lt. Brandon M. Kennedy, 24, from Shelton, Conn., platoon leader for 3rd Platoon, Able Company.

In three different waves, CH-47 Chinooks and UH-60 Black Hawks flew approximately 150 Afghan and American Soldiers from Forward Operating Base Honaker-Miracle to the west of Kur Baugh.

After the elements landed and diligently navigated through the darkness down 200 meters of steep, rocky and unkind mountainous terrain, the mission changed.

One of the Black Hawk started experiencing mechanical problems and had to make a hard landing after dropping off the service members of 1st platoon. The pilots and crew were picked up by one of the other helicopters and flown back to Jalalabad Airfield.

Immediately, Operation Longest Mile changed from search and clear Kur Bagh to secure and rescue a disabled aircraft. While the service members from 2nd platoon, 3rd platoon, and HHC were moved by air to the disabled helicopter, a chosen platoon quick reaction force was activated.

"That's the good thing about Able Company, no matter what the operation is, no matter what the operation requires, Able Company will adapt, overcome and complete the mission," said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah K. Smith, 32, from Lewistown, Pa., platoon sergeant for 3rd Platoon.

The QRF air assaulted to the disabled Black Hawk to reinforce 1st Platoon after reports that the enemy knew a helicopter was down and was going to attack. The remaining elements landed shortly afterwards and set up a defensive perimeter.

"When we first arrived at the downed helicopter the focus was executing quickly, making sure we had a good perimeter, getting the dominant terrain, establishing secure fighting positions on the high ground to make it harder for the enemy to attack us, and determining probable avenues of approach. It was a lot of planning," said Senior Airman Gabriel O. Bird, 28, 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron joint terminal attack controller, from the Louisiana Air National Guard. "We all worked through the night to make sure that if we got attacked we could speedily and effectively counter-attack."

Task Force Rock called for a Downed Aircraft Rescue Team, which after arriving, was able to make necessary repairs to the disabled helicopter.

Early the next morning, the pilots and crew were flown in and were able to get the helicopter safely off the ground and fly it out. Now with a very defendable position, and with the extraction helicopters not scheduled until the evening, the mission changed to disrupt any enemy activity in the northern Watapoor Valley.

During the day the enemy began sending up scouting parties disguised as local civilians, who were allegedly moving through Able Company's defensive perimeter on their way to and from work. This is one of the enemy's tactics, according to Kennedy.

"We had a man come into the area and said he was looking for a cow. We secured him, so he couldn't actually walk our perimeter and give up our location when he returned from where he came from," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Anthony R. Chisholm, 37, a tactical air controller with the 122nd ASOS. "(Intelligence) gathered after we secured him said they couldn't attack because we had one of theirs. They did not want him to get hurt in cross fire, so it lent credibility that he was there to scout."

After 3rd Platoon and HHC formed a reconnaissance squad and scouted the 9,188 foot mountaintop terrain, Able Company made adjustments to their security perimeter.

"One of the things we're taught is always, going into any kind of position, you always want the high ground. If you have the high ground you have a better vantage point than anybody else does," said Smith.

The high ground proved vital as armed insurgents came around a bend. The paratroopers engaged the enemy.

"They started running east and it put them right in my sector," said Spc. Benjamin W. Goins, 3rd Platoon, Able Company. "I told myself I've got to stop him. I can't let him get away."

When the shots rang out Smith and the service members near him immediately rose up and began rushing up the mountainside toward the gun fire.

"Once you start hearing shots fired you're not thinking about anything else but getting up to where you need to get up to. You don't care how steep the hill is. You don't care how far you have to go. You're just going to get up there, and do what you have to do," said Smith. "I look at it this way, my Soldiers are there, and that is the biggest concern for me."

ANA detained the three fighters whose status was later confirmed by intelligence. They were taken to an ANA base for further questioning.

"If those guys would have escaped and got back to their leadership, they could have easily identified our positions and brought critical information to their commander," said Kennedy. "By 3rd Platoon's actions of capturing and detaining the three scouts, we stopped what could have been an attack by up to 100 fighters based on the intelligence we were getting."

Towards the end of the afternoon, intelligence indicated an attack was going to come around 3 p.m. Able Company took the initiative and fired first. Firing 60mm mortars, 155mm artillery rounds, and dropping bombs on suspected enemy locations on the surrounding ridgeline, and on the position 3rd Platoon identified as the most dangerous for the enemy to occupy, according to Kennedy.

"By Able Company's show of force with the bomb strikes and the heavy artillery drops, along with the precision mortar rounds and the defensive posture, we prevented the enemy from attacking," said Kennedy.

"Able Company went from a planned 24 hour search and clear of a village that was rehearsed and had been in the works for a long time and immediately transitioned into the securing and recovery of a downed helicopter," said Kennedy. "No one got hurt, no casualties, and we went from a very confusing situation to setting up in a secure enough posture and capturing three enemy scouts. I think that speaks in high regardss for Able Company's ability, and the battalion's responsiveness to give us the assets we need. Even though we had a change of mission, it still was a very successful mission that followed."