Thread: Into the Valley of Death

Much of the RESTREPO documentary tracks with the ABC footage on the first page of this thread. Filmed and reported by the same two guys. This story is really, at this point, three years old and there've been other developments since.

As I understand matters, the Korengal is largely abandoned by U.S. forces at this point. The ANA is ostensibly there. The taliban are definitely there. I don't think we're there though.

In One Moment In Afghanistan, Heroism And Heartbreak-Elizabeth Rubin NYT Nov. 13, 2010

Staff Sergeant Sal Giunta was awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor recently. I'll be honest-it hadn't captured my attention as it should. It is a remarkable story, as most of these awards are usually. But what caught me by surprise was how much we'd been already following the story.

It was from a small portion of Operation Rock Avalanche-an operation undertaken by 2-503 Inf., 173rd Airborne Bde in the Korengal Valley. Specifically B Company commanded by Cpt. Dan Kearney, a unit we've come to know here through the eyes of Elizabeth Rubin of the NYT and Sebastian Junger of Vanity Fair. The contact was an enemy ambush of their element. The battle fought in the dark at 8,000 ft. That's right. 8,000ft. It lasted all of three minutes. Nonetheless, in that short time then Specialist Giunta had his opportunity to put forth an effort on behalf of his brother airborne soldiers that was above and beyond the call of duty.

The Korengal, like Arghandab and Marjah will pass into the lore and legend of the American soldier and marine.

I salute SSG Sal Giunta and his brother soldiers and belatedly mourn for their lost comrades. Present Arms!

<salute>

My daughter came home from Afghanistan on 2 weeks' leave. We watched Restrepo together. While the valley has apparently been abandoned, and her location was not as hot, there were more than a few similarities. She commented non-stop on what was going on, especially during the Shura scenes and the interactions with the Afghanis. I won't comment on her comments other than to say they were not particularly complimentary.

She didn't want to go back, but the day after her return to her unit, she calls me and says "I'm so glad to be back." She can call on a cell phone pretty much any time, unless there is a comm blackout when there are casualties. The connectedness of this conflict is so odd... imagine a trooper in Normandy whipping out a cell phone and calling home.

"The connectedness of this conflict is so odd... imagine a trooper in Normandy whipping out a cell phone and calling home."

Maybe you noticed this in Ms. Rubin's article-

"Hunched over, elbow on his knee, head resting on his palm, Captain Kearney began calling the families of the dead."

Either they didn't have comms blackouts or Captain Kearney didn't care.

I want your daughter home. Minimally, I want her in a field hospital where she can do the best good.

You can be assured she and her friends are in my prayers. They deserve better.

Chogy

She is in our prayers as well.

I forgot..what is her MOS?

BTW, cool new avatar!

As for RESTREPO...I FINALLY got digital cable with the NAT GEO Network. I'll ge to watch it in January.

Description of the fight from Cpt. Kearney and SSG Sal Giunta-

RESTREPO Website-Nat'l Geographic

Originally Posted by Albany Rifles

Chogy

She is in our prayers as well.

I forgot..what is her MOS?

BTW, cool new avatar!

As for RESTREPO...I FINALLY got digital cable with the NAT GEO Network. I'll ge to watch it in January.

Thank you Sir. As far as MOS, I am a total dumb-ass, and don't know what the actual designation is. She is not a nurse, but was trained in hospital management. She does have her jump wings from Benning. When she arrived in-country, 99% of her unit left without her to a field hospital, and she (along with some other mutts) became part of a "liason" force dealing with locals in a particular area, focusing on economic development. They needed a female, because the Afghan women would not talk to men. She has an interpreter as a side-kick, and during meet & greets, becomes the contact between women and the coalition military. There are both U.S. and British forces in the area.

Restrepo is eye-opening, definitely worth watching.

S-2: I'm told that if there are casualties, the Army pulls the plug on a COP or COB for ~48 hours until proper notification has been made. Good on Capt. Kearney for being proactive and making what had to be some incredibly painful calls.

Waltzing Matilda mentioned on an earlier post this interview on CSPAN with Elizabeth Rubin done March 1, 2008. That would be approximately five months after Rubin's work in the Korengal. I couldn't find it then. Easily enough, though, now. 40 minutes and very interesting-

U.S. Military In Afghanistan-Elizabeth Rubin CSPAN March 1, 2010

If she is not a specific medical professional then she is probably Medical Service Corps...the folks who handle the medical administration and leadership within med units. They often serve as the platoon leaders and company commanders and have the medics and PAs under them.

Originally Posted by Albany Rifles

If she is not a specific medical professional then she is probably Medical Service Corps...the folks who handle the medical administration and leadership within med units. They often serve as the platoon leaders and company commanders and have the medics and PAs under them.

That's it exactly. In the Air Force it was always a number-letter combination, and I thought that was what you were after, some code. My brain is still AF and when I hear "Brigade" or "Company" I have to often look it up to remind myself of the command structure.