Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War (25 page)
Read Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War Online
Authors: Bing West,Dakota Meyer
Dakota and President Obama at the Medal of Honor ceremony.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Dab Khar fighters: Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Devine, Lt. Jake Kerr, Cpl. Dakota Meyer, Staff Sgt. Richards, Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Jeffords.
(Capt. Jacob Kerr)
Dakota and a young admirer.
(Dakota Meyer)
Dakota walking back from the Freedom Tower, September 2011.
(Marine Sgt. Randall Clinton)
“For those who gave all. Semper Fi.”
(Marine Sgt. Randall Clinton)
The memorial at Monti.
(Dakota Meyer)
To Team Monti:
Lt. Michael E. Johnson
Staff Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick
Corpsman 3rd Class James R. Layton
And to all the men and women who paid the
ultimate sacrifice for our freedom:
Gunnery Sgt. Edwin W. Johnson, Jr
.
Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Westbrook
Mary Kate Moore
Justin Nathaniel Hardin
For a long while, I tried to forget about Ganjigal. When that didn’t work out so well, I decided to go through what had happened to me, piece by piece. I had written some stuff when I was up at Monti, mostly about my team and the battle. Later, I talked into a recorder for hours—about growing up, being a Marine, the ambush at Ganjigal, and coming to grips with life after the battle. The pictures I had taken and the dozens of statements in the investigations were a big help. The hardest work was going over draft after draft, sorting out what happened when.
I regret that I cannot share the names of several of the Afghans who stood by us Americans in those moments of agony. Intellectually, I understand it was their duty to defend their country. Emotionally, though, I was deeply touched by those who fought in conditions beyond the call of duty. The sad part is that I cannot divulge some names because those Afghans would be placed on a Taliban hit list inside their own country. How’s that for irony?
Bing and I would also like to thank the many who took the time to talk with us, including Lt. Col. Ishaq Tamkeen, Lt. Col. Dan Yaroslaski, Capt. Ademola Fabayo, Capt. Ray Kaplan, Lt. Jake Kerr, Gunny Kevin Devine, Sgt. Maj. Jimmie Carabello, Lt. Col. Mark O’Donnell, Brig. Gen. Daniel Yoo, Capt. Michael Harrison, Gunny Mike Skinta, Gunny Joshua Peterson, Staff Sgt. Chuck Bokis, Staff Sgt. Juan
Rodriguez-Chavez, Hafez, CWO Yossarian Silano, Dean Chris Schmidt, my dad, Big Mike Meyer, Ann and Toby Young, my grandfather and grandmother Mema and Pepa, my teachers Mrs. Tana Rattliff and Heather Moss, and coaches Mike Griffiths, Toby Curry, and Will Hodges.
Our editor, Will Murphy, Mika Kasuga, Dennis Burke, and our agent, Sloan Harris of ICM, labored mightily through several drafts to impose an understandable narrative on a confused battle.
The comradeship and help I have received from the Marine Corps as an institution have been tremendous. I would especially like to thank the Commandant, Gen. Jim Amos, and also Gen. Joseph Dunford, Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, Lt. Col. Chris Hughes, Punch Haynes of the Marine Corps—Law Enforcement Foundation, and Owen West of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
The Marines who had the most influence on my life were: Gunny Soto-Rodriguez, Gunny Peterson, Gunny Duprey, Gunny Rich, Gunny Nunn, Sgt. Rooney, Sgt. Pape, Sgt. Kreitzer, Sgt. Smith, Staff Sgt. Gavin, Sgt. Moenich, CWO Skinta, Cpl. Morin, and Cpl. Coggins.
I would also like to thank the family members who stood next to me when I returned home: my brother Tim, uncle Mark, aunt Cindy, Matt and Jennie Meyer, Troy, Steven, Casey Danzinger, and Austin Nettleship. My friends who were always there: Mike Staton, Dean Adams, Jeff, Vikki, Blake, and Randy Hatcher, Mike and Amy Mitchum, Levi Burton, Randy Hadeed, Reed Bergman, Keith Delucia, Maurice Freedman, Gary and Kevin Vernon, Adam Weinbrenner, Ben Madden, Joe Mangione, Dana, Ray, Diane, Ryan, Jay, and Sabrina Benedict, Andy Olson, Clint Walker, Jeff Suratt, and Monica Johnson. One look at those names and you can see that I am truly blessed.
And thank you to all who have donated to the Dakota Meyer Scholarship (
www.dakotameyer.com
). So far we have raised more than one million dollars for the education of the children of the wounded.
Every word in this book is what I remember to the best of my ability. I’ve been over this book time and again, separately with Bing, with our editor, Will Murphy, with Dean Schmidt, and with Toby and Ann. Will Swenson was also a great help. Perhaps writing the narrative will help me come to terms with what happened. I hope so.
To the families of Lt. Mike Johnson, Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, Doc Layton, and Edwin Johnson, I offer my everlasting and profound regret. The Marine Corps teaches you not about trying, but about doing, and I didn’t get there in time. I will forever miss my team.
GANJIGAL TIMELINE
(EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2009)
TIMELINE
| 0100-0400 | Numerous enemy groups moving toward Ganjigal. |
| 0330 | Embedded training team (ETT) 2-8 and Askars link with Highlander 5 and border police; in a file of vehicles, they turn off main road and head east into Ganjigal Valley. |
| 0400 | One mile inside the valley, they stop at operational release point (ORP); they dismount and proceed on foot. |
| 0530 | Afghan National Army (ANA) observation post to north above the wash leading into Ganjigal (Marines on the outpost [OP] were Miller and Valadez). |
| 0530 | Kaplan and Cpl. Norman and twelve ANA set up southern OP with a 240 Golf machine gun. |
| 0530 | 1-32 scout-sniper team called Shadow 4 on OP farther back on south side, 1,200 meters away—too far to apply direct fire, but in excellent position to relay radio messages from the valley to the tactical operations center (TOC) at Joyce. |
| 0530 (0100 Zulu) | Contact reported to TOC of Battalion 1-32 at Camp Joyce. |
| 0530 | Lt. Johnson four-man party (Team Monti) 100 meters in front of TAC/Command Group when firing begins; Swenson runs 100 meters forward to join Lt. Johnson’s TAC (tactical command post) and calls suppression artillery fire. |
| 0537 | Shadow (Staff Sgt. Summers and Staff Sgt. Alvarez) reports first 120-millimeter mission KE 3070. |
| 0545 | ANA soldiers disperse among terraces. |
| 0545 | Rodriguez-Chavez on radio hears Lt. Johnson tell Fabayo he needs fires to get out of a house. |
| 0545 | Meyer’s requests to enter wash are denied via Fox 7 (Valadez radio relay). |
| 0546 | Call for fire KE 3345. |
| 0547 | Meyer, Valadez, and Rodriguez-Chavez in discussions. |
| 0550 | Splash KE 3345 four HE 120s fire from Joyce; Garza testified this was effective fire. |
| 0551 | Swenson requests air—told air is coming in fifteen mikes (minutes). |
| 0556 | Call for fire KE 3365. |
| 0557-0630 | Kaplan calls/relays seven smoke missions; denied because too close to civilians. |
| 0600 | Splash 3070 four HE 155s from Asadabad (A-Bad). |
| 0600 | Staff Sgt. Kenefick tries to give grid. |
| 0600 | Meyer and Rodriguez-Chavez disobey orders and drive toward the battle. |
| 0600 | TOC via Shadow again assures Highlander (Swenson) that CCA (close combat aviation) helo support is “fifteen minutes away.” |
| 0605 | Splash KE 3365 eight HE 120s; Garza testified this had no effect, even when adjusted. |
| 0605 | Swenson and Fabayo agree to pull back. |
| 0610 | Meyer and Rodriguez-Chavez signal to five ANA soldiers to get into their truck. |
| 0615 | Staff Sgt. Lantz, NCO in charge in TOC at Joyce (Hammer), contacts 7-17 Cav (Pale Horse) in direct support of 4/4 BCT in Op Lethal Storm in Shuriak Valley, 5 kilometers to the north of Ganjigal; Lantz requests re-tasking two OH-58 (Kiowas) Scout Weapons Team (SWT) 1. |
| 0615 | TOC directs Dog platoon to prepare to go forward. |
| 0616 | In TOC, joint terminal attack controller (JTAC)-qualified Tech Sgt. Matzke asks officer on watch to declare an air TIC (troops in contact) to bring in fixed-wing CAS (close air support), but request is denied. |
| 0618 | Swenson calls for fire for smoke at grid 902 515 to cover withdrawal; denied. |
| 0620 | 7-17 ops center denies Lantz’s request on procedural grounds “not routed through brigade”; 7-17 declares SWT 1 is “in support of higher-priority mission.” |
| 0620 | Villagers join attack. |
| 0625 | Shadow reports to TOC that the ANA (Askars) are under fire from the north, east, and south—eight to ten enemy positions with rocket-propelled grenades, PKM machine guns, and mortars deployed in a horseshoe around Ganjigal village. (Note: battle captain [senior watch officer] was located in southwest corner of TOC, could not hear radio transmissions, and relied on others to tell him what was said.) |
| 0625 | Command Group in wash falling back toward the west. |
| 0630 | Maj. Williams and Maj. Talib request help; Talib calls Afghan battalion commander via cell phone. |
| 0630 | TOC orders Dog to move forward; platoon leader complains he has no grid for link-up or LOA. |
| 0633 | Will Swenson throws grenade and kills three insurgents in ANA gear. |
| 0634 | TOC requests CCA via Task Force Pale Horse 7-17 ops center; again, this creates hesitation because it is out of the normal request pattern, but 4/4 Brigade Ops Center intervenes and backs up 1-32 request. |
| 0635 | Shadow reports Dog platoon breaking down its TCP (traffic control point) to move to support. |
| 0635 | Command Group forced to fall farther back; reporter does not move with the group. |
| 0639 | Splash white phosphorus four rounds from 120 mortars to east of village, too far away to provide concealment for Team Monti. |
| 0639 | TOC denies any more artillery support, citing garbled communication, lack of situational awareness on part of Shadow, and incomplete fire mission procedures; no more arty fired until 1615 of that same day. |
| 0644 | Swenson sends his initials for polar fire mission—denied; Capt. Ray Kaplan doing same. |
| 0650-0700 | Westbrook hit; Garza and reporter, who has rejoined the group, help him; Garza concussed; Afghan interpreter killed; Williams nicked; Swenson applies first aid to Westbrook. |
| 0655 | Fabayo and Swenson continue to cover short retreat sprints over dirt furrows; Lt. Rhula shot in groin/upper thigh. |
| 0700 | TOC battle captain asks Tech Sgt. Matzke, a JTAC, what CAS is available, but tells Matzke not to open air TIC. |
| 0702 | Last comm with Team Monti. |
| 0703 | Swenson alerts Shadow he will send nine-line helo medevac for Westbrook. |
| 0707 | Shadow relays Swenson’s request to TOC. |
| 0709 | Dog platoon reports its limit of advance to TOC. |
| 0710 | CCA approved by Task Force Mountain Warrior (brigade level). |
| 0710 | Shadow takes fire from the south, calls for immediate suppression fire mission 957 493 1 kilometer to their rear on higher ground. |
| 0715 | Swenson alerted that helos are inbound. |
| 0720 | Werth/Hooker investigation: Team Monti estimated as “likely dead” by this time. |
| 0720 | Shadow fire mission request is posted in TOC. |
| 0721 | A-Bad PTDS (blimp cameras) reports muzzle flashes at 983 511. |
| 0723 | Two Kiowas test-fire their guns into Kunar River as they approach Ganjigal. |
| 0725 | Dog platoon ASV (30,000-pound Army security vehicle) has slipped off road; platoon leader leaves Meyer, returns to trail to CCP, and calls for a wrecker to come forward from Camp Joyce. |
| 0730 | A-Bad PTDS reports enemy at 983 511. |
| 0730 | Swenson (Highlander 5) directs Kiowas that provide covering fire as Command Group pulls back. |
| 0738 | Chosin TOC receives nine-line medevac request for two wounded in action (WIA). |
| 0739 | Dog platoon reports limit of advance at 969 519. |
| 0740 | Fabayo sees Rodriguez-Chavez and Meyer pull in front of Command Group to provide suppressive fire. |
| 0745 | Command Group is out of the wash, away from direct fire. |
| 0745-0845 | Pale Horse delivers ten close combat attacks (CCAs). |
| 0746 | Pale Horse (Kiowas) make contact with Meyer. |
| 0746 | TOC does not respond to Kiowas on Common Air-to-Ground (CAG) net; Pale Horse decides to take his directions from Highlander 5 (Swenson) and Fox 3-3 (Meyer). |
| 0747 | Senior officer in TOC talks directly to neither Shadow 4 nor Dog platoon, although both are in direct voice communications with TOC. |
| 0748 | Shadow repeats request for air medevac at 953 518—one U.S. (Westbrook) and one ANA. |
| 0749 | Shadow again requests medevac. |
| 0750 | Dog platoon reports ASV rolled over twice and landed on its wheels at 954 518; no injuries. |
| 0755 | Dog platoon reports green on all personnel. |
| 0800 | SWT 1 (Kiowas) breaks station over Meyer to escort medevac. |
| 0800 | Capt. Richardson takes over as watch officer in ops center, but is junior to battalion commanding officer (XO) and S-3, who are both in TOC. |
| 0800 | Swenson puts out air panels at CCP; Fabayo does the same. |
| 0810 | Shadow no longer taking fire. |
| 0810 | Dog platoon reports mass casualty situation—six killed in action (KIA), ten WIA; sets up mass casualty evacuation point. |
| 0812 | Rodriguez-Chavez and Meyer are swarmed inside wash by about ten enemy. |
| 0822 | Blackhawk lands under fire to evacuate critically wounded Sgt. Westbrook. |
| 0824 | Pale Horse Kiowas leave to refuel at A-Bad. |
| 0830 | Swenson and Fabayo drive into wash as Meyer and Rodriguez-Chavez drive out. |
| 0830-0910 | Swenson, Fabayo, Meyer, Rodriguez-Chavez, and Hafez make repeated short runs into wash, picking up dead and wounded. |
| 0833 | Dog platoon reports soldier has rib and pelvic pains from rollover of ASV. |
| 0838 | Three wounded Askars arrive at Joyce in a Ranger. |
| 0845-1135 | Two Kiowas continuously on station along the wash; expend 1,800 rounds of .50-cal and fifteen HE rockets. |
| 0845 | No U.S. quick reaction force (QRF) has departed Joyce; XO later said he didn’t keep a QRF on alert. |
| 0846 | Afghan Army at Joyce dispatches a QRF. |
| 0848 | From Asmar, 12 kilometers north, Afghan Border Police dispatch a QRF. |
| 0856 | Dog platoon ASV self-recovered. |
| 0900 | Col. George, brigade commander, departs Jalalabad Air Base, picks up Afghan 2nd Brigade commander, Col. Asval. |
| 0905 | Three more Askar wounded sent by Ranger to Joyce. |
| 0910 | Rodriguez-Chavez and group drive to ORP and get a truck with a working machine gun. |
| 0910 | Swenson asks Dog platoon to help him; platoon leader responds that he has three times asked TOC to send a wrecker and Humvees, and has been told to remain in place. |
| 0911 | Swenson curses platoon leader. |
| 0915 | Meyer talks with Garza and Williams at CCP. |
| 0921 | Dog reports indirect fire being walked toward their position near CCP and so are moving back. |
| 0928 | Dog reports four U.S. advisors and an Afghan squad are missing. |
| 0930 | Tech Sgt. Matzke on own initiative calls 4/4 Brigade TOC to request an air TIC to receive fixed-wing air support. |
| 0930 | Williams, Garza, and reporter leave for Camp Joyce. |
| 0935 | Pale Horse (Silano) orders Meyer not to walk alone back into wash; Meyer halts, with Pale Horse hovering above him. |
| 0937 | Another platoon from Dog and a platoon from Alpha/Attack Co. start toward Ganjigal Valley. |
| 0938 | Swenson, Rodriguez-Chavez, Hafez, and Fabayo drive from ORP to CCP, pick up Meyer, and drive back into wash, with Pale Horse Kiowas in extremely close support (fifteen feet over their heads). |
| 0945 | Swenson and Meyer work with Kiowas to spot and retrieve Askars, who are placed in Afghan vehicles. |
| 0948 | Two F15Es are on station (Dude 01) but refuse to drop bombs because they cannot identify targets. |
| 0955 | Col. George (TF Mountain Warrior) and Col. Asval (ANA brigade commander) arrive TOC at Joyce; neither proceeds forward to battlefield. |
| 1000 | Afghan Army QRF arrives Ganjigal and follows Swenson/Meyer Humvee up wash; no U.S. forces follow. |
| 1005 | U.S. Attack and Dog platoons link up but stay off the battlefield. |
| 1012 | Another platoon from Dog arrives at Joyce. |
| 1015 | UAV on station. |
| 1045 | Afghan border police QRF arrives Ganjigal and joins battle. |
| 1047 | Pale Horse Kiowas heavily engaging Taliban (AAF—Anti-Afghan Forces) at grid 983 511. |
| 1050 | CJTF ops center contacts ISAF Joint Command (IJC Corps Command) to declare “personnel recovery”; DUSTWUN (Duty Status—Whereabouts Unknown); Special Operations forces en route to Ganjigal. |
| 1056 | Williams and Garza arrive at Joyce. |
| 1100 | Special Operations Force Blackhawk on station at Ganjigal; encounters heavy fire when throwing out smoke; cannot land a recovery team. |
| 1110 | Pale Horse hovers over trench line and identifies Team Monti. |