American Heroes in Special Operations Read online

  © 2010 by Oliver L. North and FOX News Channel

  All rights reserved.

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN: 978-08054-4712-5

  Published by Fidelis Books,

  a division of B&H Publishing Group

  Nashville, Tennessee

  Dewey Decimal Classification: 355.3

  Subject Heading: TERRORISM MILITARY PERSONNEL

  Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible® copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Other Bibles quoted are the King James Version (KJV) and the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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  For Betsy

  The best shadow warrior of all

  Staff Sgt Aaron Holleyman, Green Beret medic and recipient of the Silver Star. Killed in Iraq on 30 August 2004.

  The Special Forces Creed

  I am an American Special Forces Soldier!

  I will do all that my nation requires of me.

  I am a volunteer, knowing well the hazards of my profession.

  I serve with the memory of those who have gone before me.

  I pledge to uphold the honor and integrity of their legacy in all that I am—in all that I do.

  I am a warrior.

  I will teach and fight whenever and wherever my nation requires.

  I will strive always to excel in every art and artifice of war.

  I know that I will be called upon to perform tasks in isolation, far from familiar faces and voices.

  With the help and guidance of my faith, I will conquer my fears and succeed.

  I will keep my mind and body clean, alert and strong.

  I will maintain my arms and equipment in an immaculate state befitting a Special Forces Soldier, for this is my debt to those who depend upon me.

  I will not fail those with whom I serve.

  I will not bring shame upon myself or Special Forces.

  I will never leave a fallen comrade.

  I will never surrender though I am the last.

  If I am taken, I pray that I have the strength to defy my enemy.

  I am a member of my Nation's chosen soldiery,

  I serve quietly, not seeking recognition or accolades.

  My goal is to succeed in my mission—and live to succeed again.

  De Oppresso Liber

  CONTENTS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  A NOTE ABOUT TERMINOLOGY

  Special Forces Prayer

  INTRODUCTION

  2001

  11 Sept 01: The War on Terror

  7 Oct 01: Operation Enduring Freedom

  25 Nov 01: The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi

  12–19 Dec 01: The Battle of Tora Bora

  Special Operations Weathermen

  2002

  4 Mar 02: Operation Anaconda

  US Navy SEAL Creed

  Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen

  2003

  The New Enemy: Saddam Hussein

  29 Mar 03: The Battle for Ramadi Bridge and Haditha Dam

  The Ranger Creed

  Ranger School

  25 Oct 03: Hunting Parties

  2004

  26 April 04: Operation Vigilant Resolve

  2005

  5 Mar 05: Sarun Sar

  Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha

  28 June 05: Operation Redwing

  2006

  22 June 06: Operation Kaika

  29 Sept 06: Operation Kentucky Jumper

  27 Nov 06: Cooper's Little Bird

  AH-6M & MH-6M Little Bird Fact Sheet

  2007

  10 Sept 07: Operation Chromium

  HALO School

  2008

  25 Jan 08: The Battle for Bari Kowt

  6 April 08: Fighting the HIG

  26 April 08: The "Awakening"

  26 June 08: MARSOC Firefight

  22 Aug 08: The Battle for Aziz Abad

  2009

  The Heart of a Hero

  11 Sept 09: DEA FAST "Alpha"

  14 Sept 09: DEA Drug Raid

  5 Oct 09: Capture/Kill Mission

  Special Operations K-9

  2010

  The Pararescue Creed

  April 2010: The Pedros

  Superman School

  SCUBA School

  8 April 10: Camp Mogenson

  The Future for America's Shadow Warriors

  Index

  Image Credits

  "At the office" in Afghanistan

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  CAMP LEATHERNECK

  HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

  Keeping company with heroes is a precious privilege. Over the last nine years of this long war against radical Islamic terror, it has been my great blessing to cover and report on tens of thousands of young Americans who volunteered to serve our nation in harm's way. Those with whom I served in a long-ago, far away war called "Vietnam," inspired me then. So do the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen, and Marines—and their CIA and DEA counterparts—in this book. They should inspire you as well.

  There are no greater American Heroes than those who serve in Special Operations. War is an inherently dangerous undertaking. It is especially so for those who conduct small unit actions deep in hostile territory, far from the nearest "friendlies." Such operations are usually highly classified, even after they are completed. Therefore, the participants rarely receive the recognition they deserve for the risks they take, the skills they employ, or the sacrifices they make.

  This book and companion reporting by our FOX News "War Stories" unit are aimed at letting the American people have an inside look at who these remarkable young men and women are and what they do—without divulging to our enemies, things they don't need to know. The stories here are by no means exhaustive—but they are certainly representative.

  It is important for readers to know that before accompanying or interviewing any of the Special Operations units or personnel identified in this book, we agreed not to reveal the names and faces of under-cover operatives or describe tactics, techniques, or equipment that would benefit America's adversaries. Therefore, some of the images in this book have been blurred to protect identities and some names and places have been changed. I am most indebted to all who gave us permission to accompany them on missions and trusted us with interviews. Some of their names and pictures are in this book. Most are not. They truly are American heroes. For the opportunity they gave us to let them tell their stories, I am eternally grateful.

  It would not have been possible to document these extraordinary young Americans but for the vision of FOX News president, Roger Ailes and Brad Waggoner, president of B&H Publishing Group/Fidelis Books. Their collaboration made possible this salute to America's "Shadow Warriors."

  Gary Terashita, my friend and Executive Editor at Fidelis Books, somehow managed to pull all this work together. Former Army Ranger Chuck Holton is not only a talented writer, editor, and friend—he put himself in harm's way more often than I can count to "shoot" many of the images in this book and our companion FOX
News reports from the field of battle.

  A work of this kind is the task of many: War Stories Senior Executive Producer, Pamela Browne; field producers and cameramen Mal James, Chris Jackson, Rich Harlow, Griff Jenkins, Greg Johnson, Ayse Wieting, Andy Stenner, and Martin Hinton all helped make it possible for me to show you the special operators in this book.

  My friend and counsel, Bob Barnett and his counterpart, Dianne Brandi at FOX News made this book a reality. And Bill Shine, my boss at FOX News, gave me the latitude (and travel authorizations!) to "deploy when necessary" with our "Shadow Warriors."

  And as they have for more than two decades, Marsha Fishbaugh, my incomparable executive assistant and Duane Ward at Premiere had to make all my travel fit with what needed to get done to complete this chronicle of courage.

  At Fidelis Books, Executive Editor Gary Terashita, Marketing Vice President John Thompson, and Sales Vice President Craig Featherstone kept this project moving forward when I was "hard down" with treatment for cancer. But in the end, it was Art Director Diana Lawrence and Managing Editor Kim Stanford who saved the day and ensured that the eyewitness accounts and images in this work went to print in time to be preserved for posterity.

  And, as she has for four decades, Betsy, my wife and best friend, patiently waited and prayed for my safety while I kept company with America's heroes in faraway places. Without her love, support and encouragement—and that of our children, their mates, and our twelve grandchildren, this work would not have been possible.

  Semper Fidelis,

  Oliver North

  A NOTE ABOUT TERMINOLOGY

  The world of Special Operations is nebulous and full of mystery and so it isn't surprising it is easy to become confused by some of the terms you will read in this book. In order to make some sense of it, here is a short primer on the proper use of the names of Special Operations forces in America. Understand as you read this that it is not meant to be a comprehensive list—for security reasons, there are other units not mentioned here. Many of these units overlap each other in some way—making them even more difficult to decipher. This primer is meant to make reading this book more informative and comprehensible for those unfamiliar with the shadowy world of Special Ops.

  SOCOM

  First, understand that the terms "special forces" and "special operations" are not interchangeable. "Special Operations" is a blanket term that covers all units within the Special Operations Command, or SOCOM. "Special Forces," on the other hand, refers only to the Army soldiers commonly known as "green berets," made up of highly trained men who specialize in unconventional warfare tactics and are normally organized into companies of six "A-teams," also known by the term "Operational Detachment Alpha," or ODA.

  So while the Special Forces are definitely part of the Special Operations community, they are joined by other units, such as SEALS and Rangers who do not go by the Special Forces moniker. USSOCOM oversees and coordinates between the Special Operations forces of all services.

  USASOC

  The United States Army Special Operations Command is the umbrella organization that brings together all special ops units within the Army as a whole. This includes the 75th Ranger Regiment, The Special Forces, as well as a Civil Affairs Brigade and Psychological Operations group within the Army.

  JSOC

  The Joint Special Operations Command is an activity within SOCOM, which directs and supports training and operations between various Special Missions units, specifically those units designated with "Tier 1" status. JSOC units include the Army's fabled counterterrorist unit, the "1st Special Forces Operational Detachment—Delta," also known by various other names, such as Delta Force or Combat Application Group, the Navy Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) and the Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron, among others. Tier one units represent the top rung of the Special Operations ladder and are made up of some of the most highly specialized warriors on the planet.

  While Tier 1 units represent the most secretive and elite units in the Special Operations universe, their work is, by necessity, done in the shadows. As such, while members of these units have most likely played an important part in every phase of the war on terror, they will receive much less credit in this book than they deserve, though that is just the way they like it.

  MARSOC

  Not to be left out, the United States Marine Corps instituted the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command in 2005. This newest member of SOCOM was born from what had been Marine Force Reconnaissance—elite Marine units that had heretofore existed outside of SOCOM. Based on the Special Forces ODA concept, Marine Special Operations Teams are made up of a dozen or so highly trained Marines who are capable of direct action, counterterrorism, training foreign nationals, and special reconnaissance. In practice, these teams are often paired with their Army counterparts to form Special Operations Task Forces (SOTF) that train and fight together in Afghanistan and Iraq.

  Rangers

  Army Rangers, as pertains to the Special Operations community, refers to men who belong to the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia. Because the Army's premiere leadership course is called "Ranger School," and because graduates of this course may also go by the term "Ranger," it is easy to confuse a graduate of the school with a member of the Special Ops unit. But this is not always the case. Many graduates of Ranger school hail from and go back to their regular army units; and while graduating Ranger school is quite an accomplishment that earns a man the right to wear the coveted Ranger Tab, it does not, in and of itself, qualify a man as a special operator. There is an age-old saying among men of the 75th Ranger Regiment that illustrates this important difference: "The tab is just a school. The scroll is a way of life."

  Night Stalkers

  Based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is, simply put, a unit of the world's best helicopter pilots. These talented men must have years of experience and thousands of hours of specialized training before being selected to this prestigious unit supporting nearly all U.S. Special Operations around the world. Trained on a variety of aircraft, Night Stalkers gained national recognition during the battle of Mogadishu in 1993 when two 160th helicopters were shot down, resulting in a pitched, eighteen-hour battle that became the basis for the book and movie Black Hawk Down. Since then the Night Stalkers have continued to take on every mission given them, virtually all of which are high-speed, low-level, short-notice night missions with no room for error. Without fail, every mission proves this elite unit's motto: "Night Stalkers don't quit."

  SEALS

  Born out of the Underwater Demolition Teams trained to breach obstacles and perform beachhead reconnaissance in World War II, today's SEAL teams are more likely to be found kicking in the door of a Taliban kingpin or taking down a pirated vessel. The U.S. Navy's Sea Air and Land forces are capable of working hand in hand with all other special operations units in the areas of counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, direct action, and even counter narcotics. They form the Navy's premiere Special Operations unit, undergoing some of the most rigorous and physically demanding training available in the military today. The SEALs are divided into two main units—one stationed on the East Coast and the other on the West Coast. In addition to their unprecedented abilities on, in, and under the water, these stealthy professionals spend a great deal of time working on land alongside their brethren from other Special Operations units.

  AFSOC

  Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has its headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command, AFSOC consists of not only specialized air power, but also specialized ground forces like Combat Controllers, Joint Tactical Air Controllers, units specializing in airborne radio and television psychological operations, pararescuemen, and even Special Operations Weathermen. While these units may not b
e well known outside the Special Ops community, their operators are universally respected by the units they complement. That's because AFSOC warriors bring some highly valued skills to the battlefield, and for that reason are heavily represented in this book.

  AFSOC has approximately thirteen thousand active-duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and civilian personnel, organized under two active duty wings along with a Reserve and a National Guard component.

  DEA FAST

  Under the heading "the other Special Operators," you'll find that not everyone in the Special Operations Community belongs to the Armed Forces. For example, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) fields very competent and capable teams of special agents whose training and mission capabilities put them on par with any Tier 1 Special Operations unit. These Forward deployed Advisory and Support Teams (FAST) travel the world training and equipping host nation counter-drug units to take down narco-traffickers and destroy their operations. These missions put the FAST operators into some of the most dangerous hot spots on the globe and I was privileged to accompany them on missions from Afghanistan to Latin America.

  Special Forces Prayer

  Almighty God, Who art the Author of liberty and the Champion of the oppressed, hear our prayer.