Navy SEAL Fought To the Death

New York Daily News ^ | 3/22/02 | MAKI BECKER

[kattracks]

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts — shot dead and dragged off by Al Qaeda fighters March 4 — went down fighting.

Thrown from his helicopter on the first night of Operation Anaconda, the Navy SEAL found himself alone and in enemy territory, according to two new accounts, including an e-mail circulating among military personnel.

His survival instinct in high gear, Roberts — a married father of a toddler son — grabbed a machine gun from a felled commando nearby, CBS News reported last night.

He opened fire with the machine gun and a pistol on the enemy fighters around him until he ran out of ammunition.

Roberts, 32, then stood and threw all his grenades before being cut down by enemy fire.

Helpless and horrified, his commanders watched via a reconnaissance drone's camera as Roberts' valiant last stand ended with Al Qaeda fighters dragging off his body.

According to the e-mail and other accounts given to CBS News by members of the Special Operations forces in Afghanistan, Roberts' helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade that didn't explode but caused the aircraft to lurch.

That ejected the chopper's tail gunner, who dangled from the aircraft by his safety harness.

Roberts then raced to action, putting down his rifle to pull the gunner inside.

But the helicopter was jolted again, and Roberts, who wasn't wearing a harness, fell 10 feet to the ground. His helicopter left without him, apparently unaware he was not on board, the reports said.

A second U.S. chopper also came under fire, and a commando aboard it was shot dead. He fell to the ground still clutching his machine gun, and Roberts made his way over to the dead soldier to grab his guns, according to CBS News.

Last Monday at a memorial service, Roberts was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. CBS reported he is also being considered for a Medal of Honor.

[one2many]

I wouldn't be surprised if that badass JUMPED out of the helicopter! Funny thought, huh?

I thought the same thing. I did my advanced jarhead training at Coronado where the SEALS train. I thought WE were badasses until I saw these guys.

He was one more hero carrying on in the grand tradition.

[sneakypete]

No flames here, I concur with your assessment.

Thank you. This can be a very delicate subject to discuss.

[one2many]

It's a shame his little son will grow up without him. At least, unlike all those sons who have been abandoned by their fathers, he'll be able to hold his head up high and think of his loss with pride.

"Tell my boy when I am gone how I felt & wrote. Tell him never to do anything which his father would be ashamed of - never forget the principles for which his father struggled."--J.E.B. Stuart to his wife, 19 March 1863

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Such men are not born. They are made. Made from boys by parents that instilled in them values that are foreign to a great many of todays youth.
Such men are then molded by a miltary community that holds discipline, honor and clarity of mind above all else.
We should remember him and the story of his last moments as a testimony to an institution that has been the backbone of this great nation for generations.
But we should also remember his life as a testimony to a way of life that has been the life blood of this nation for far longer.

[dread78645]

I think he was an Aircraft Handler. I'm not sure exactly what the rate is for that.

Aviation Boatswain Mate (AB)

[Charles Henrickson]

A hero. A great American.

[4CJ]

"Roberts then raced to action, putting down his rifle to pull the gunner inside.

Then he fell. He was attmpting to save a life. He's a hero in my book.

[harpseal]

Based upon the facts as stated I tend to agree with your assessment regarding MOH. However, there is some question about him voluntarily exposing himself and taking out an Al Qaeda machine gun emplacement. That is following his landing on the ground he voluntarily made his presence known to the enemy by going to the second man who was on the ground then engaging the enemy machine gun emplacement when he could have kept hidden and avoided capture.

I have not seen the video and I will say only that no members of the TEAMS have ever surrendered.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[PatrioticAmerican]

No flame. I was thinking the same thing when I read your post. He doesn't deserve a MOH for the reasons you stated. Any other medal, and, well, I'm not one to say.

[kinghorse]

My point is they panicked and didn't follow protocol. Protocol would require they remain calm and account for all personnel especially since the tailgunner was hanging by his harness.

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[xsrdx]

It is comforting to know that strong men stand ready to visit the risks associated with preserving our freedom.

Wow. Absolutely breathtaking - a keen observation, a comfort too many take for granted. She should be immensely proud of this man.

Damn Few.

(Have what it takes)

[TBarnett34]

Rest in peace, Mr. Roberts -- thank you for serving your country and keeping freedom alive. God bless you and your family.

[RJL]

"the Navy SEAL found himself alone and in enemy territory,...

His survival instinct in high gear, Roberts — a married father of a toddler son — grabbed a machine gun from a felled commando nearby,...

He opened fire with the machine gun and a pistol on the enemy fighters around him until he ran out of ammunition.

Roberts, 32, then stood and threw all his grenades before being cut down by enemy fire.

A terrible situation handled very courageously.

Well done, Neil Roberts.

[Bigg Red]

God bless this brave, noble hero and his family.

[Rockitz]

God bless this man and his family for their sacrifice to the defense of this nation- prayers to his family and friends.

[xsrdx]

(This account has been circulating within DOD, no source or confirmation.)

Neil Roberts, the Navy SEAL Petty Officer who was killed in the fighting for Shah-I-Khot south of Gradez was initially reported in the press to have fallen out of a maneuvering helicopter, been captured then executed by Al Quida/Taliban forces.

The SF community is getting another version (an excerpt below) in a letter circulating around from one of Roberts' SEAL comrades. That version has Roberts fighting for about an hour after falling out of the helicopter and being mortally shot before the Al-Quida/Taliban got to him. Guys on the scene have named the ridge where he was killed Robert's Ridge and there is clearly a move afoot to get his Bronze Star upgraded.

"Supposedly...as the helo was on final, it came under fire. An air-crewman fell off the back ramp and was dangling by his tether. Neil reached down to pull him back in. An RPG hit the nose of the helo (didn't explode) and the pilot subsequently made an evasive maneuver. Neil tumbled out (the air-crewman may have also mistakenly pulled Neil out while Neil was trying to recover him or that may have not even of happened - doesn't matter - bottom line, Neil fell from about 10ft and was on the ground alone). It is unclear as to whether or not the guys on board the helo knew that they lost a man. Helo peeled away, developed hydraulic problems, and crash-landed about a click away.

Neil turns on his beacon and low crawls to a position under fire. Neil takes the offensive, firing and maneuvering against the enemy and allegedly storms a machine-gun nest. Neil was shot several times, but continued the fight. Apparently, the Predator video shows the mortal wound and Neil falls to the ground (~an hour after he fell from the helo). He had expended all of his ammo, both primary and secondary, as well as his grenades. The video has Neil point shooting with his pistol at very close ranges to the enemy. He was dead by the time the enemy arrived and dragged him off. Not sure on whether they intended to use Neil's body as a decoy for an ambush or as a bargaining chip or for another Somalia street dragging episode. Doesn't really matter.

Then the boys came. The force was a mix of operators and arrived about 2 hours later. As they expected, they encounter significant hostile fire, but returned fire immediately. Apparently, a lot of undisclosed heroics occurred that night and there was significant payback (and I mean significant). Several of our brothers were wounded, two of which were flown back to CONUS (one of whom may lose a foot). People are talking CMH level heroics -we'll see. After fierce fighting and a valiant rescue, Neil's body was recovered, as were the other dead, and all were evacuated.

Payback has continued in various ways and that is the stuff I can't go into. But rest assured, what comes around, is going around. Neil went down fighting and took many of those @^%$ with him (an unconfirmed number). The ridge upon which he died is now called Roberts Ridge.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with a V and a Purple Heart. Neil is now SpecOps folklore and a legend in the Teams for the rest of eternity.

[lentulusgracchus]

Pete:

I agree with your overall assessment of what an honor court would determine. However, there is also the element of his acting promptly and without adequate safeguards for his own life to rescue the exposed tailgunner, who was dangling off the loading ramp. His action to retrieve his mate would likely land him a livesaving cite in peacetime surroundings, and here maybe a Good Conduct with V, or you could all roll it in together, which muddies things a bit, and you wind up somewhere about where you came out. His exposing himself -- and paying a high price for having done so -- to rescue his comrade in the face of the enemy can, I thought, possibly bring him up to a Navy Cross. Maybe they will handle it with a separate citation as noted above, or maybe they'll write the Big One, as you say, and then deny it and award the Navy Cross instead. That is still a very high honor, and appropriate, I think, under the circumstances. But let's wait on the military.

It's accepted as being a part of the occupational hazard,and if you are afraid of dying you are in the wrong line of work.

Yes, and the reason we lose good men under such circumstances is called "the wicked might of the enemy".

[lentulusgracchus]

What do you think? Could the award go higher? And of course, for the other guys in that team, let the stars fall where they ought. No BS this time, no political medals, no PR, no sentiment. Just guys who've been there, and their judgement.

[eleni121]

In the spirit of the ancient Greek heroes...helping his brother soldier...fighting till the end...maintaining the mission...and bravely facing death.

Were that all men were like him.