Operation Red WIngs

Today, we remember the valor and sacrifice of those brave Navy SEALs and Army aviators who lost their lives during Operation Red Wings, in 2005, Afghanistan. The night of the 27th of June, 4 Navy SEALs were inserted via Night Stalker helos between Sawtalo Sar and Gatigal Sar. Soon after, the mission was compromised when a group of locals inadvertently stumbled upon the SEALs' position. After determining that the locals were civilians and not combatants, the goatherders were allowed to live and the SEALs moved onward to their primary surveillance position. After close to an hour, the operators were surrounded and ambushed by their original target (Ahmad Shah) and a large group of his men. As the fire increased in volume and intensity, the operators were forced to continually fall back. Eventually, every single one of the men had been either shot, or injured terribly, but they still kept fighting on. Danny Dietz was shot multiple times in the torso area and once in the neck, Matt Axelson was also wounded similarly, but took a round to the side of his head as well, Marcus Luttrell had broken a number of bones and Mike Murphy had taken a bullet to the stomach. Nevertheless, they fought back with the ferocity expected of these elite warriors.

Outgunned and surrounded, with one operator succumbing to his injuries, Lt. Murphy made a heroic decision to use his last-resort Iridium sat-phone to attempt to place a call to base, alerting the QRF. He moved onto higher ground, so as to get a signal for the phone and exposed himself to enemy fire from all sides. He was able to get through to his CO and quickly explain the situation, then sign off. During all of this, Murphy was shot a few more times, but finally managed to drag himself back to a covered position. He was later surrounded and brutally executed by Taliban fighters in the area, and the remaining two members of the reconnaissance team, Luttrell and Axelson, both seriously wounded were hit by an RPG. Luttrell was flung out of the covered spot where he and Axe were pinned down, and tossed into a gully. He later extracted himself and was eventually recovered by locals, tortured by the Taliban, then rescued. Axe's fate was unknown till after the operation ended and recovery efforts were fully underway. Luttrell had notified the recovery team that Axe had around 3 full magazines remaining when they were separated by the RPG blast, but when the team found him, he had a single magazine left and his body was a few hundred yards away from where the RPG hit, indicating that the man continued to fight back, even after all his injuries.

Sadly, the loss of life wasn't limited to these 3 brave SEALs of the SRT. The QRF lead by LCDR Erik Kristensen, flown by Army Night Stalkers was shot down, all hands lost, when an RPG hit their Chinook.

• LT Michael P. Murphy
• STG2 (SEAL) Matthew Axelson
• GM2 (SEAL) Danny Dietz
• FCC (SEAL/SW) Jacques J. Fontan
• ITCS (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy
• LCDR Erik S. Kristensen
• ET1 (SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas
• LT Michael M. McGreevy Jr.
• QM2 (SEAL) James E. Suh
• HM1 (SEAL) Jeffrey S. Taylor
• MM2 (SEAL) Shane E. Patton
• SSG Shamus O. Goare
• CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature
• SGT Kip A. Jacoby
• SFC Marcus V. Muralles
• MSG James W. Ponder III
• MAJ Stephen C. Reich
• SFC Michael L. Russell
• CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach

Gentlemen, your sacrifice will live on forever. 

Thank you. 

Iceman out. 

Happy Birthday Chesty!

Undoubtedly the most badass Marine to have ever lived, Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller earned 5 Navy Crosses in engagements spanning from Haiti to the Korean War.

Happy birthday Chesty, wherever you are!

The Forgotten War

On a dreary Sunday at 0430 hours, 1950, the Korean War began when Northern troops began firing on ROK posts after crossing the 38th parallel. 3 years later, a stalemate had been reached and the war was put into what was effectively a limbo that lasts to this day. The world saw a massive peace-keeping operation, called a police-action by some political figures, run by the fledgling United Nations, and arguably, one of the first major engagements of the Cold War. The war in the air was fought between a mix of jet aircraft and high-powered propeller jobs. Amazing acts of heroism and valor were prevalent in the cold, desolate climate. 

Never forget. 

Iceman out.

Rangers Lead the Way!

On this day in history, June 19th, 1942, 1st Ranger Battalion was officially activated under the command of the legendary William O. Darby. 50 men selected from thousands of applicants were awarded their tabs. I remember watching an interview of one of Darby's Rangers, and he recalls his personal interview with Darby before he was accepted to commando training. According to him, he was asked to be seated at a table in a room. Darby walked in, asked him if he trusted him, then asked him to put his hand on the table if the candidate responded affirmatively. He drew a knife and slammed it down, burying it into the table millimeters from the future Ranger's hand. That was highly indicative of the qualities Darby looked for in his men. He wanted soldiers who would be cool under fire, less prone to "heroic" antics and men who'd be willing to trust their fellow Rangers completely. The Rangers have gone on since then to become on of the most capable and well-known SOF units in the world.

Truly legendary.

D-Day

Utah-Omaha-Gold-Juno-Sword

On this day, 68 years ago, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in an assault of epic proportions, effectively tearing a gaping hole in Nazi German defenses and beginning the final push to the end of the war in Europe.

Remember those brave souls who gave their lives for a free world.

Iceman out.

Midway

"The most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare."

Arguably the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War Two, 70 years ago on this day, the Battle of Midway began when US naval forces ambushed Japan's attacking fleet steaming for Midway Atoll. Japanese flag officers believed the American forces would react poorly to an attack on Midway and would be defeated easily, considering Midway came a mere 6 months after the devastating blow at Pearl Harbor. Little did the Japanese admirals realize that the US had gathered enough intelligence and anticipated such a surprise attack and had set up their own counter-ambush.

In the ensuing battle, 4 IJN aircraft carriers and a cruiser were sunk. Among the list of ships destroyed was the Akagi, one of the carriers that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The battle raged on fiercely for 3 days, and the prowess of US naval aviators proved too much for the Japanese.

A stunning loss for the Japanese, it turned the tide of war and the US was able to gain supremacy on the seas and obliterate IJN ships at an awe-inspiring rate.

Remember those who perished.