Posted on 03/18/2002 9:22:43 AM PST by Prodigal Son
Bagram, Afghanistan--Canada's troops have been promised other missions, perhaps even more harrowing ones. But none will match the poignancy of their first week of combat in 50 years.
For many, last week's assault in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan was the pinnacle of their careers, the culmination of years of training. And it answered the lingering question that gnaws at the back of every soldier's mind at some time or another: How will I respond in the real deal?
This was no peacekeeping mission. The troops had been told there were between 60 and 80 Al Qaeda fighters still on the 3,500-metre mountain called Tergul Ghar — known to them as the Whale's Back, or the Whale. Seven kilometres long, three kilometres wide at the base, the Whale contained at least 30 known cave complexes and mortar positions.
It stood at the mouth of the barren Shah-e-Kot Valley, gateway to the Takur Ghar and Pecawul Ghar mountain ranges, through which Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters had been escaping into Pakistan.
A few months ago, Al Qaeda fighters from places like Chechnya, Pakistan and Uzbekistan moved in and told area villagers they planned to stay and fight to the death. The villagers were told they could stay or go. They all left.
The Whale played a key role in stalling U.S. forces when they launched Operation Anaconda last month. It had been heavily bombed. The Canadians were asked to finish the job. A, B and C companies of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were there, along with a platoon of mortars, a direct-fire support unit, an administrative company and 12 Field Squadron of the Edmonton-based 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. There were also 120 assault troops from the U.S. 10th Mountain Division. They were all led in by the Patricias' reconnaissance platoon, the eyes and ears of the battalion.
There was a sense of history on the tarmac at Bagram air base last Wednesday as the Canadians in their distinctive green combat fatigues lined up in 43- to 50-person chalks, or helicopter loads, ready to be ferried into the combat zone. There were four women among them.
If one helicopter were brought down, the next one wouldn't stop or turn back, Lt.-Col. Pat Stogran warned his troops. The 55-minute flights in the twin-bladed Chinook helicopters — probably the most dangerous 55 minutes these troops will ever spend in the air — were rough. They flew low, following the contours of the mountains and the hills, passing over walled compounds and villages, scattering herds of sheep and goats.
They landed in clouds of dust halfway up the Whale, troops pouring out the back of the choppers and scattering like ants up the steep ridges and into the crevices for cover.
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Canadian `troops in Afghanistan have performed brilliantly and for that we are grateful.' George W. Bush U.S. President
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Capt. Ryan Latinovich, a graduate of the Royal Military College and, at 28, already a nine-year Canadian Forces veteran, commanded the platoon.
Latinovich, a native of Welland, Ont., made his way up top and down the ridgeline with his signaller, Master Cpl. Erik Kerr of Edmonton, and Sgt. Torry White and his section — Master Cpl. Chuck Cote of Edmonton, Master Cpl. Vic Mover of Thunder Bay, Ont., and Master Cpl. Jeff Whibbs of Peterborough, Ont., along with Pte. Shaun Cameron of Duck Lake, Sask., and Pte. Francis McCann of Langley, B.C.
It was hard going. The mountainsides were steep and covered in loose shale. There were the remnants of the U.S. bombing — craters in the hard rock the size of Jacuzzis or bigger. Unexploded ordinance and ammunition were scattered everywhere.
Loaded down with packs weighing between 25 and 45 kilograms, carrying weapons, helmets and flak jackets, they proceeded slowly, carefully placing each step. The thin mountain air robbed lungs of oxygen; the anticipation of what lay around each corner and over each rise quickened heart rates and compounded the effects of altitude and exertion.
White's section with Latinovich and his signaller made it up top within a few hours. U.S. Marine helicopter gunships flew overhead, a comforting sight that was not seen much in the days that followed.
The Canadians were almost totally dependant on U.S. logistical support and didn't get enough. Rations — food and water — were critically thin by the time resupply arrived two days later. Air support was minimal and airlift was undependable.
The eight recce troops spent their first night fully exposed on the ridgeline, sleeping without tents under a starlit sky.
The next day, Thursday, would prove to be the high point of the young Latinovich's career so far. The eight recce troops encountered a cave and a mortar position, later destroyed by U.S. engineers.
Elsewhere on the mountain, Canadian engineers were destroying more caves and mortar positions — a total of 45 were found on the four-day operation, 15 more than previously had been known to exist.
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U.S. officers proceeded with speed and precision |
Latinovich arrived and White radioed the assault troops of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division and Whibbs made the long, hard trek back along the ridge to lead them in.
During the 2 1/2 hours it took the Americans to arrive, the Canadians took cover and watched the castle position.
Reconnaissance troops are lightly armed, trained to move among the enemy, gather information about strength, terrain and enemy defences and gauge plans of attack. Latinovich and White did just that, assessing the best routes for an assault.
There was a natural rock wall tailing away from the single gun position on their left. On the right, there was just enough room for the American troops to assemble and mount an assault from behind the bunker.
The U.S. officers accepted their plan and proceeded with frightening speed and precision.
With the Canadians covering their flanks, a dozen U.S. soldiers lined up along the rock wall to the left, guns at the ready, awaiting the order to fire. On that order, two of them shot anti-tank missiles into the bunker, destroying it and blowing the head off an Al Qaeda member who was apparently about to eat a bowl of rice.
The rest opened up with a deafening barrage from light and heavy machine-guns. Their barrels smoking, the assault element swarmed over the rock formation, firing their guns down into cave openings known as spider holes. They dropped fragmentation grenades and 4.5-kilogram satchels of C-4 plastic explosive, which packs about twice the punch of TNT.
There were three Canadian soldiers among the forward element — snipers who didn't want to be identified.
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`I would expect that based on your performance on the Whale, you will be the spearhead.' Pat Stogran Lieutenant-Colonel
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On Saturday, the Canadian companies made their final sweep. "Sweep" is a bad word for it, though. It was grinding, exhausting work.
The Whale is surrounded by high ridges fanning out from the mountain like waves and riddled with openings that might or might not be caves.
Stogan's troops forayed down the mountain cliffs, fully loaded and then made their way in and out of the ridges, up and down, sliding on their behinds down loose-rock slopes.
They found some caves, but their prize came later when they discovered an adobe hut at the mountain's base that the Al Qaeda had used as a refuge from mountaintop duty. It was filled with supplies and documents, all duly seized by the Canadians.
Speaking to his troops before they left for Bagram yesterday, Stogran quoted U.S. President George W. Bush, who said in Washington on Thursday that Canadians "have put troops on the ground in Afghanistan and they have performed brilliantly and for that we are grateful."
The only Canadian casualties were sprained ankles and some broken bones from falls.
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