SGT Daddy’s Story (military wife's blog-aftermath of horrific Afghanistan attack)

This is a REALLY LONG POST — this came directly from my husband, SGT Daddy (with some minor edits from me for OPSEC reasons)

The morning began with the siren signaling incoming. I ignored it. I hate putting on my gear and besides the big boy voice had dutifully reminded me that I should remain in hard shelter. I didn’t argue by deed or word. In the meantime the 155’s began to blaze away in support of some action that did not affect me. Later I was called out of my room to help in the aid station. Two of the COB (combat operations base ) were in the midst of a full on assault by the Taliban.

Rumor had it they had made it inside the wire signaled by claymores just outside the gate exploding in response to encroachment. Later some treated would say that some of the Afghan Army had turned their weapons on them.

I quickly changed and found the Aid Station in the midst of preparations. The toll was 12 casualties coming in with 5 KIA. This would later be amended to 15 counting Afghan forces. I was in the way and ill prepared to offer much assistance but did whatever I was instructed to.

I was asked if I could be a recorder, that is to record the ongoing medical treatment of a casualty at a specific bed, I dutifully answered yes. I had reservations. The only MasCal I’d ever experienced was in JRTC, did this make me ready? I would find out but not for hours.

The fighting was ongoing and in answer of support the 155’s ceased only to be replaced by jet after jet as well as rotary support. I knew it must be bad just seeing the amount of firepower flying in to make defense of our troops. The area had to be secured in order to enable evacuation of the wounded by Blackhawk.

Later SGT S would relay to me that he had word of a billion dollars worth of munitions being dropped to that end. Familiar faces showed up in support of the effort as well. Tom, an Army Doc with some other providers arrived in support.

When word finally came that the first to be evacuated were on the way over 9 hours had passed. The number of wounded remained the same meaning that these guys had held on all day, some with horrible injuries. All day soldiers had been waiting dutifully outside to help the ambulatory patients while the litter of patients would brought directly to the aid station. The big boy voiced beckoned those that were a specific blood type report to the aid station.

Later those that were CLS (combat life support) certified were called in support of those we would soon be treating. Finally word came that the first medevac had come in. I was asked to tag the casualties as they came in order to track them.

The first litter patient came in and there was no time to affix the wrist band so I followed him back. My heart was racing. I put the bracelet on quickly and got the hell out of the way as the FST began quickly in a measured fashion working on the patient. I think he was American. I hurried back to the door as the next patient was coming in. It was an Afghan Army Soldier.

I again followed the casualty to affix his bracelet. I again met the next patient at the door. It was another Afghan soldier. He could walk but he had to be guided in as his was face bandaged up. With shaking hands I put on the bracelet. The medics got him on a stretcher and began assessing his wounds.

PFC H would later recount how the soldier had taken shrapnel to the face and lost both eyes, his nose and some of his lip. The next casualties coming in were to be all ambulatory. Some of us had 5 minutes to collect ourselves. For most it meant cleaning up and resetting for the due in casualties. For the FST, it continued to be a fight to save a soldiers life.

The next casualties arrived and I was tasked to record. SGT A would treat and I would try to relay in shorthand what he was doing and what the soldier had suffered.

Throughout the night it shocked me how calm these patients were. Had I sustained these injuries I would have been beside myself. I reminded myself that they had had hours to reconcile to some degree what had happened to them. Our patient had been peppered by shrapnel on his left side, from is face down to his thigh. His left arm had been fractured as well.

His response to all of this was calm and information. He told us that he’d been shot in the forearm a previous deployment. Once he was appropriately cared for I remember the call coming for people to perform CPR.

SGT M told me later the First American brought in went into cardiac arrest. He’d gone back to perform CPR to no avail. The docs cracked his chest and began massaging his heart. He didn’t make it. The next patient to come through that I saw was another Afghan Army. He had major damage to his right arm.

They removed his bandages and they immediately wept blood. He had chunks missing from his arm. The closest I can approximate the injury to is the effect a melon baller has on a cantaloupe. That is was his arm looked like.

Camp Keating That Was Attacked is Abandoned

The remote U.S. outpost near the Pakistan border that was nearly overrun by insurgents last weekend has been abandoned and destroyed by American troops, military officials announced today.

Photo: Camp Keating

A Chinook helicopter lands at Camp Keating, Afghanistan, in this March 2007, file photo. A Chinook helicopter lands at Camp Keating, Afghanistan, in this March 2007, file photo.

The pilot of an Apache gunship, who flew to the rescue of U.S. soldiers nearly overrun at the remote Afghan outpost last weekend, told ABC News today that he'd "never seen that large of a force" on the attack. Collapse. (Sgt. Amber Robinson/U.S. Army)

~~~~~~~

Americans demolished the base, dubbed Combat Outpost Keating, just days after an all-day fight last Saturday in which eight American soldiers were killed and 24 wounded. U.S. military officials estimate that as many as 100 of the attackers were also killed in the battle, which was the bloodiest in Afghanistan in the past year.

Keating was destroyed so it could not be used by insurgents.

*snip*

"When we first showed up and put our sensors on Keating, it was just kind of shock," said Bardwell, 35, of Liman, Wyo., who piloted one of a swarm of Apaches that rushed the base's defense. "All the amount of flames and the smoke and to see that amount of personnel running outside of their wire. It was really kind of shock."

Lewallen added, "I've been on three deployments and I've never seen that large of a force attacking one static position."

The number of attackers has been estimated from 100 to 200. Lewallen said he thought as many as 350 were involved in the assault.

Hunkered down inside the base's operations center were 1st Lt. Cason Shrode, 24, of Dallas, and Sgt. Jayson Souter, 22, of Tuscon, Ariz. The two men were working radios and directing traffic for the Apaches and attack jets that swarmed overhead.

But they knew the camp was ablaze and that insurgents had breached the camp's defenses and were inside the wire.

"It's definitely not a comfortable feeling to be at a place where you're most vulnerable, just not a comfortable feeling knowing these guys are right outside," Souter told ABC News.

The camp is located at the base of two steep mountains, allowing the enemy to fire down on the camp with a powerful .50 caliber machine gun and other heavy guns.

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Their needs have now thankfully been met by American patriots here, the American Legion, etc., but immediately after word of the attack started filtering out, this was the headline of a military wife's blog.

Survivors in Afghanistan Need Immediate Help - 56 Soldiers Lost EVERYTHING

*snip*

On another note, my great friend and troop support partner, Bob Connolly and I have been in direct contact with the unit's CSM after learning that the base was destroyed and the men lost all of their belongs except the clothes on their backs. The Army is working to replace uniforms for the men. But they need assistance with other personal items. And they NEED TO KNOW that we are thinking about them over here, too.

~~~

Current post

The American Legion has taken on a different "part" of the project to get the Soldiers who lost everything back on their feet. Please go to their website HERE to help them with their goal.

You have all been MORE than generous. Those guys will have NO question that they are loved and appreciated and, more importantly right now, thought of. Give yourself all a huge pat on the back!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! - Please read to the end of this update (7 OCT 2009 1930 hrs)

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Tracking back

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We lost 8 of our own

I wanted to post really quick about this weekend’s deadly attack in Afghanistan as I’ve received lots of phone calls, emails and IM’s asking about SGT Daddy.

As you probably have heard, this weekend 8 of our 4th ID , 4th Brigade soldiers gave the ultimate sacrifice in an attack from the Taliban(along with other groups) in Eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan Border.

I do not believe that SGT Daddy was one of the 8 (i would have heard by now), I haven’t heard from him yet either since the attack. In these types of situations, there is usually a communication blackout so that the families of our fallen warriors can be notified. I’m sure that is the reason for not hearing from him.

As the details get released about the 8 soldiers, I will of course update as much as I can. I will make sure to let everyone know if there is anything you can do. Of course, in the meantime, please pray for our soldiers and comfort for their families.

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Our hearts break, as we pray for the brave warriors who gave all and their families. May they know total peace in God's heavenly, peaceful meadows. May their valor and deaths not be in vain, and may God, reality, a semblance of conscience and the commitment of our military leaders inspire the man in the White House to be a Commander in Chief worthy of their incredibly noble sacrifice and honor by truly and fully supporting those remaining on the frontlines and their families.

Posted this this morning:

The Siege at Kamdesh.

Stephan Mace of the Army’s 61st Cavalry Regiment knew the Taliban would be waiting for him when he returned to eastern Afghanistan in September.

During a two-week leave in early September, the 21-year-old specialist sat on his father’s couch in Winchester, Virginia, and discussed his concerns over Forward Operating Base Keating in Kamdesh District, a region known as a Taliban stronghold.

“He talked about the village next to the base, that it had 300 Taliban, and they couldn’t do anything about it because they were in mosques hiding or with other civilians,” says his father, Larry Mace.

“They knew they were there and they couldn’t do anything about it and they killed them.”

Please take time to read the profiles of the American soldiers who died in the siege at Kamdesh.

The Colorado Springs Gazette tells their stories here and here.

Many were fathers. All were patriots. They were stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. They leave behind grieving wives, girlfriends, young children, family, and friends. Remember their names. Remember their heroism:

Spc. Stephan Lee Mace, 21
Sgt. Joshua Kirk, 30
Pfc. Kevin Thomson, 22
Spc. Christopher T. Griffin
Spc. Michael P. Scusa, 22
Sgt. Vernon W. Martin
Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 22
Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/08/fort-carsons-heroes/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2358068/posts?page=24#24

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