Narrative from Shok Valley Battle in Afghanistan - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Narrative from Shok Valley Battle in Afghanistan

On 6 April, 2008 Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha 3336 with the 201st Afghan Commando Battalion and members of ODA 3325, 3312, and 3310 conducted a dangerous and daring air assault raid, deep within Shok Valley, Afghanistan, an enemy stronghold and well known sanctuary of the Hezeb Islamic al Gulbadin (HIG) terrorist organization.

Their mission was to kill or capture multiple terrorist leaders.

In the early morning hours of 6 April, the assault force launched from Jalalabad Airfield in CH-47 and UH-60 helicopter.

Minutes later, the Green Berets and their Afghan counterparts were descending into a mountain landing zone at approximately 10,000 feet with their targets hundreds of meters directly above, situated on the top of the mountain.

Unable to land, many of the assaulters leapt from their aircraft, with more than 60 pounds of equipment, into jagged rocks, thirty degree temperatures, and running water.

Responsible for three objectives, sprawled over more than a mile, the elements ran to close the distance toward their targets.

As the assaulters ascended, at times climbing directly up sheer rock faces, Special Forces operators identified enemy moving into position and initiated contact, killing multiple combatants.

Within seconds, approximately 200 insurgents executed a well planned defense of the village, completely surrounding the assault force from the high ground. U.S. troops and Afghan Commandos were immediately trapped in a wadi, completely surrounded by mountains full of insurgent fighters in buildings and reinforced fighting positions, armed with sniper rifles, RPGs, machine guns, and AK-47’s.

The lead assault element, as well, as the command and control element, were hundreds of meters up the mountain, and within direct proximity to the target, when they were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire and effective sniper fire.

Within minutes, one member of the command and control element was killed (TERP), and all elements were taking heavy casualties.

F-15 fighters and Apache helicopters initiated danger close strafing runs to protect the lead assault force, allowing them to maneuver to the casualties.

As the battle raged on for nearly seven hours, casualties mounted as the Special Forces troops called in several danger close air strikes, preventing it from being overrun on two separate occasions.

Multiple blocking positions surrounding the objectives were also in intense battles, as were US troops and Commandos within the wadi.

With severely wounded casualties trapped against a 60 foot cliff, close to death, and still taking effective sniper and machine gun fire, the Special Forces Operators executed a heroic and desperate rescue, lowering casualties as they climbed, and making multiple ascents to the besieged position. Special Forces snipers pounded enemy positions and relayed locations for airstrikes as other teammates placed explosive rounds into targets.

Meanwhile, US Special Operations forces rallied troops across eastern Afghanistan, and loaded into helicopters to reinforce the mission.

Under intense and accurate fire, the men maintained their positions, remained with their dead and wounded comrades, and refused to accept defeat.

Special Forces operators from different teams, many of which were wounded and continuing to fight, held their ground with the Afghan Commandos, turning the tide of the battle by shear will, individual initiative, and a level of heroic determination by which all Special Forces Operators are measured.

Blackhawk MEDEVAC pilots executed a bold rescue in the hot HLZ, amid unrelenting enemy fire; flying two lifts of aircraft under power lines, to retrieve their wounded comrades.

Despite the withering gunfire, pilots continued to place themselves, and their aircraft in harm’s way; one pilot wounded as he came into the LZ.

The Special Forces team, along with their Air Force Combat Controller, continued to levy accurate and devastating air strikes into the target buildings and enemy fighting positions.

At battle’s end, U.S and Afghan forces emerged victorious, despite 15 wounded and 2 killed in action (1 TERP & 1 ANA); killing between 150-200 enemy fighters and resonating the fact that there will be no safe haven for the enemies of freedom and progress in Afghanistan.