Posted on 03/11/2010 10:43:55 PM PST by iowamark
Exclusive: Soldier Decorated for Bravery in the Deadliest Battle of the Afghan War Faulted for Inadequate Preparation
The battle of Wanat was the deadliest battle of the Afghan war. Taliban video shows the enemy surrounding a remote outpost, and shooting down on U.S. soldiers like fish in a barrel.
When it was over nine Americans lay dead.
CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports their company commander, Capt. Matthew Myer, was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery in fighting off a much larger force. His voice is heard calmly talking to Apache gunships overhead.
"Be advised, we're in a bad situation," Myer said. "Need you to come in hot immediately."
The enemy was so close that Myer told the incredulous pilots to lay down fire within 10 meters of his position.
"I know it's high risk, but we need to get these guys off of us," Myer said. "Ten meters," the pilot replied. "You got to be kidding me."
Now Myer, along with two of his superior officers who were not at the battle, have received career-ending letters of reprimand for failing to prepare adequate defenses in the days leading up to the attack.
Forty-nine Americans and 24 Afghan soldiers had been ordered to set up the outpost deep in enemy territory.
9 U.S. Troops Killed in Afghan Attack
It was July of 2008, and according to Sgt. David Dzwick, they were short of not just troops, but basic necessities.
"The second day we were extremely low on water," Dzwick said. "When you start running out of water it's very hard to continue working through the heat of the day.
Despite warnings from villagers that an attack was imminent, an unmanned surveillance drone which had been watching over the troops was diverted to a higher priority mission.
"Not having surveillance was the concern for me," Dzwick said. "Part of the planning is that we would have some."
The first Apache helicopters got there an hour and five minutes after the Taliban opened fire. By then, Captain Myer was the only officer still alive.
Myer can still appeal but right now he has been both decorated and reprimanded for the same battle.
Even CBS sees the irony. Hope!
So, it went like this...
“Fantastic job! Here’s a bonus and you’re fired.”
This sucks worse than a drive-by shooting. Worse than Rosie O’Donut mocking the National Anthem. Wrong. Just wrong.
I don’t know details of the reprimand, but it would seem to me that experience, both bad and good, are what make a seasoned officer.
Unbelievable that Myer would be reprimanded. And his superiors should hold D.C. accountable for their lack of support.
Higher ups put you in the low ground, hostile territory, bad ROE, no Intel, not allowed to move your unit, not enough supplies, and no clear sense of mission as your outpost is scheduled to be dismantled anyway.
Despite all this you lead your men to victory against a much larger and well supplied force with many advantages on his side.
Only to lose your career. At least our military is going to be friendly to open homosexuals.
Good summary.
Unfortunately all too accurate.
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Something is very, very wrong with this picture.
I think the thinking goes like this: If nine Americans died then “it must have been somebody’s fault” and this guy took the blame. Somebody way high up decided that all the orders were right so it must have been the execution of the orders. Sad.
I think we’ll see more and more of this because certainly the commander in chief gave the right orders </sarc> hence any time it turns out wrong, it must be the execution of the orders.
Well gee Sgt., maybe you should have gone over to the water fountain and filled your canteen. Oh wait, you were "deep in enemy territory." Captain Myer's fault? Doubtful.
Despite warnings from villagers that an attack was imminent, an unmanned surveillance drone which had been watching over the troops was diverted to a higher priority mission.
Diverted by Captain Myer? Doubtful.
"Not having surveillance was the concern for me," Dzwick said. "Part of the planning is that we would have some."
Yeah, a lot of soldiers deep in enemy territory want surveillance, and a back rub and cold beer. Captains don't come with personal unmanned surveillance drones 24/7.
Don’t think that this is the last travesty of justice or the first. I would bet that in every war the same kind of things have happened. That is just the way it is.
I think that is why troops respect officers like Patton who get close enough to the killing to endanger themselves. At least their butts are on the line too.
Thanks Robert
I would have to see all of the evidence before I can make a call on this one. The question I have is how much authority did he have during the operation in respect to establishing the site of the outpost, patrols, guarding it, and his reaction to intelligence on the enemy’s planned actions.
I’ve got a better idea.
Let’s promote him to Major and fire the ten Congressmen with the most time-in-office.
Make that twenty.
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I like round numbers - 435.
I think this is a judgement call...If his actions or inactions were negligent or not SOP then I can see this. It’s a tough call. I was in Kuwait at the beginning of the war and I never heard about the commander of that Transportation company whose members got captured by the enemy. There was no way that should have ever happened. I was there and saw the chaos that the Army became and it was due to poor leadership IMO. And then again...there is POSIC Gen. Casey!
This is sickening. A platoon and a half of US and Afghan soldiers fight and repel 200 Taliban at an unfinished patrol base, and this warrior receives a letter of reprimand?
People, excuse me while I pop my %$#@@&$% cork in private.
That quote stood out to me, too. Did he even have patrols out? OPs? Good on him for fighting them off, but how much of this fight was truly preventable (at least, how preventable was it not to fight on the enemy's terms)?
ROE wouldn't have figured much into this one. Enemy's opening up on you from all directions, there's no hesitation in returning fire. Sounds like it's a damn good thing that Apache showed up, otherwise who knows how bad it could've been?
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