American Heroes in Special Operations Read online

  When one of the detainees detonated a grenade hidden in his clothing, the blast killed a Northern Alliance commander and violence erupted throughout the compound. Suddenly, hundreds of prisoners rushed their guards. In minutes they seized control of the makeshift prison, capturing arms stored in the fortress and trapped the CIA team inside. According to Afghan doctors who witnessed the scene, Spann “held his position and fought using his AK rifle until out of ammo and then drew and began firing his pistol.” Though Spann was killed when he again ran out of ammunition, his selfless courage enabled all but one of his teammates to escape. A CIA officer named “Dave” was still barricaded inside.

  Twenty-five kilometers away, Major Mark Mitchell of the 5th Special Forces Group was busy setting up an aid point to deliver humanitarian assistance to displaced Afghan civilians when a Northern Alliance soldier breathlessly told him about the uprising at the fort. Mitchell, a veteran of the first Gulf war, quickly organized a rescue force from the only allied troops available: sixteen American and British personnel.

  When he arrived at the fortress, Major Mitchell grabbed his weapon and climbed to the highest point on the wall to assess the situation. From this vantage point he could see the prisoners had armed themselves with rifles, grenades, RPGs, rockets, and even mortars from stockpiles found in Dostum’s headquarters. Mitchell and his men immediately engaged the enemy with small arms fire, and eventually, by calling in strikes from U.S. aircraft overhead.

  By the morning of the 26th, it was clear the previous night’s bombing did little to quell the uprising. Though vastly outnumbered by the now-heavily-armed prisoners, Mitchell continued to press the attack until an errant U.S. bomb landed almost on top of his position, wounding half his men. Shaken and exhausted from two days of heavy fighting, the Major turned his attention to his injured comrades, working for most of the day to stabilize and get them evacuated for treatment. He then went back to killing the enemy.

  Throughout the second night he directed more air strikes and coordinated the action of Northern Alliance forces. They eventually brought in a tank to punch holes through the ten-foot-thick walls and rescued those still trapped inside.

  When the smoke of battle cleared on the morning of the third day, all but eighty-six of nearly five hundred Taliban fighters were dead. Those who lived surrendered only after the Northern Alliance diverted a stream to flood them out of their hiding places in the fort’s ancient dungeon. One of the survivors was John Walker Lindh, who was eventually sentenced to twenty years in federal prison for his treasonous actions.

  In stark contrast, Major Mitchell became the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross since the Vietnam War.

  Soldiers from the 5th Special Forces Group using a laser target designator to call in aerial bombardment while Northern Alliance soldiers look on.

  One of the rescuers, Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass, a U.S. Navy SEAL, was attached to a British Special Boat Service unit. The citation for the Navy Cross awarded to Stephen Bass offers another perspective on the desperate fight to rescue the two CIA officers.

  NAVY CROSS:

  STEPHEN BASS, CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES NAVY

  For services as set forth in the following citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the British Special Boat Service during combat operations in Northern Afghanistan on 25 and 26 November 2001. Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass deployed to the area as a member of a joint American and British Special Forces Rescue Team to locate and recover two missing American citizens, one presumed to be seriously injured or dead, after hard-line al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the Qala-i-Jangi fortress in Mazar-i-Sharif overpowered them and gained access to large quantities of arms and ammunition stored at the fortress. Once inside, Chief Petty Officer Bass was engaged continuously by direct small arms fire, indirect mortar fire, and rocket propelled grenade fire. He was forced to walk through an active anti-personnel minefield in order to gain entry to the fortress. After establishing the possible location of both American citizens, under heavy fire and without concern for his own personal safety, he made two attempts to rescue the uninjured citizen by crawling toward the fortress interior to reach him. Forced to withdraw due to large volumes of fire falling on his position, he was undeterred. After reporting his efforts to the remaining members of the rescue team, they left and attempted to locate the missing citizen on the outside of the fortress. As darkness began to fall, no attempt was going to be made to locate the other injured American citizen. Chief Petty Officer Bass then took matters into his own hands. Without regard for his own personal safety, he moved forward another three hundred to four hundred meters into the heart of the fortress by himself under constant enemy fire in an attempt to locate the injured citizen. Running low on ammunition, he utilized weapons from deceased Afghans to continue his rescue attempt. Upon verifying the condition and location of the American citizen, he withdrew from the fortress. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer Bass reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

  Special Operators calling in fire at Qala-i-Jangi fortress

  DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS:

  MAJOR MARK E. MITCHELL

  The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Major Mark E. Mitchell, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 3d Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), for extraordinary heroism in action during the period of 25 to 28 November 2001, while engaged in combat operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. As the Ground Force Commander of a rescue operation during the Battle of Qala-i-Jang: Fortress, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, Major Mitchell ensured the freedom of one American and the posthumous repatriation of another. His unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership, and personal sacrifice were directly responsible for the success of the rescue operation and were further instrumental in ensuring the city of Mazar-i-Sharif did not fall back in the hands of the Taliban. His personal example has added yet another laurel to the proud military history of this nation and serves as the standard for all others to emulate. Major Mitchell’s gallant deed was truly above and beyond the call of duty and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the United States Army, and the United States of America.

  Author’s note: Major Mark Mitchell has served in the war zone for a total of five deployments since 2001.

  THE BATTLE FOR TORA BORA

  TORA BORA, AFGHANISTAN

  On December 7, 2001, Taliban rule in Afghanistan officially ended. By then, they had been driven out of Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul, Kunduz, and Kandahar and tens of thousands of Taliban and their foreign allies were dead, captured, or fled into Pakistan. But not all were ready to concede.

  Since mid November, the CIA had been warned about enemy forces gathering along the Pakistan border in the White Mountains south of Jalalabad. The locals, including former Mujahadeen fighters who opposed Taliban rule, called the place Tora Bora. SAD Paramilitary Operations Officers already on the ground in the region reported on al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters taking refuge in fortified caves and fighting positions used during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan decades earlier. It turned out to be an uphill battle—in more ways than one.

  Dug-in al-Qaeda fighters occupied the high ground, so an attacker was always at a disadvantage. And while the local warloads were enthusiastic about the copious amounts of cash being handed out by the CIA, the men under their command were considerably less fervent about fighting fellow Muslims, especially after dark or when the weather was bad. This reticence would likely have blossomed into outright mutiny had the United States committed large numbers of conventional forces to the region, given the long local memories of the 1980’s Soviet occupation.

  Tora Bora, known locally as Spiøn G
har, is a cave complex in the White Mountains (Safed Koh) of eastern Afghanistan.

  As the weather turned colder, the CIA advisors watched in frustration as tribal fighters fought tit-for-tat battles with al-Qaeda and Taliban holdouts without measurable progress. In early December, they convinced tribal elders to allow a select few U.S. commandos to join the fight in early December. Fewer than one hundred American soldiers were engaged, mostly Delta Force operators and men from the 5th Special Forces Group.

  This tiny band was given the daunting task of doing what the entire Soviet army failed to do—dislodging a determined foe from the steep slopes of Tora Bora. Chief among those to be targeted: the terrorist who started the war on 9/11/01—Osama bin Laden.

  Accompanying these elite warriors were a handful of USAF Special Operators—Combat Air Controllers (CCTs) and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). Their job was—and is—to bring to bear the most powerful weapon the United States had in the fight—air power.

  Calling in fire during the opening stages of Operation Enduring Freedom

  In the special operations community, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) are admired for their ability to call down fire from above. They aren’t Old Testament prophets—just highly trained and equipped U.S. Airmen who can summon bombers, fighters, unmanned aerial vehicles, evacuation helicopters, and gunships to support a unit on the ground. JTACs specialize in putting heavy ordnance on ground targets with pinpoint accuracy, often while under fire and inside the “danger close” radius of their own munitions. They carry the same personal weapons as the Special Operators they accompany into battle. But their most valuable weapon is the radio they wear on their backs.

  U.S. airstrikes on Tora Bora

  Nowhere was the effectiveness of the Combat Air Controller more evident than Tora Bora. For days on end small teams of three or four operators would occupy observation points on windswept ridgelines and work the airwaves, lining up dozens of attack aircraft and guiding their munitions onto enemy fighting positions and cave entrances. The citation for the Silver Star awarded to USAF Tech Sgt Michael Stockdale for action during the Tora Bora fight exemplifies what they endure—and what they can do.

  In one sense the battle for Tora Bora was an unqualified victory—the U.S. Operators neutralized thousands of al-Qaeda fighters and destroyed most of their mountain stronghold. But tribal double-dealing by local commanders compounded by the fog of war caused a failure of the stated mission—to kill bin Laden. By the time fierce winter forced an end to the operation in Tora Bora, nobody could be sure whether he’d escaped or survived.

  Members of some SOCOM units yet to be deployed to Afghanistan lamented their misfortune at having “missed out” on the war. What no one knew then was that there were many more Special Operations missions ahead—including one that would etch in history the name of an obscure mountaintop in southeastern Afghanistan: Takur Ghar.

  SILVER STAR:

  TECHNICAL SERGEANT MICHAEL C. STOCKDALE

  The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant Michael C. Stockdale, United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States from 6 December to 20 December 2001. During this period, Sergeant Stockdale excelled in multiple missions where he was directly engaged in combat actions against Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. He provided surgical terminal attack control of close air support aircraft at a volume and accuracy not yet seen until this major offensive in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan. Sergeant Stockdale volunteered to move to the forward most lines of battle to assist the local Afghan opposition group’s assault on the key enemy fortified stronghold. While moving to the front, he came under heavy machine gun and eighty-two-millimeter mortar fire as close as twenty-five meters. Though the other government forces stopped, he continued to press forward with complete disregard to his own personal safety. Positioned in front of the most forward troops, Sergeant Stockdale directed numerous close air support missions against the enemy dug-in positions while under intense two-way direct and indirect fire. His actions rallied the other government forces and directly resulted in their most successful single day advance of fourteen hundred meters, seizing the previously impenetrable key enemy stronghold. Sergeant Stockdale expertly controlled well more than three hundred close air support aircraft sorties of multiple F-15, F-16, B-1, B-52, F-14, AV-8B, and the full combat munitions expenditure of five AC-130 gunships. He skillfully ensured the pinpoint delivery of an incredible six hundred thousand pounds of munitions on enemy targets. In this three-day period he averaged thirteen hours of uninterrupted close air support control daily, an amazing display of dedication, expertise, and deadly destruction. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Stockdale has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

  An AC-130H/U Gunship aircraft from the 4th Special Operation Squadron

  SPECIAL OPERATIONS WEATHERMAN

  Not your everyday meteorologist.

  The term weatherman might sound like the furthest thing from the shadowy world of special operations. But the Air Force has a few Special Operations Weather Technicians (SOWT) who represent some of the most highly trained Special Operators in the U.S. arsenal.

  Originally known as “air commando weathermen,” these Air Force meteorologists have participated in every conflict since World War II. They went ashore on D-day in Normandy. They set up clandestine weather stations in the jungles of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam war. Their advice has literally changed history—invasions pushed up or missions successfully executed because of time-sensitive weather intelligence provided by the SOWT.

  A SOWT checks wind readings in a sandstorm during a Special Forces mission in Afghanistan. Air Force Special Operations Weathermen are the only career field in the Department of Defense that provides Special Forces with meteorological data in support of SOF missions.

  Today, Special Operations Weather Technician candidates must complete two and a half years of training before becoming qualified. They are then deployed with other Special Operations units to war zones across the globe, where they gather, assess, and interpret vital weather intelligence data to assist commanders in mission planning. They also train members of host nation countries to do the same. And because they have all trained in special tactics and advanced skills, these operators do more than just predict the weather. They train alongside other Special Operations forces in airborne school, survival school, and even learn to pilot unmanned aerial vehicles.

  All this specialized training makes the Special Operations Weather Technician one of the rarest creatures in the Special Ops community. Worldwide, there are fewer than a hundred currently serving today.

  A SOWT pilots a RQ-11B Raven, an unmanned aircraft system, that provides real-time reconnaissance of the local environment, such as rivers, at a forward operating base in Afghanistan.

  OPERATION ANACONDA

  TAKUR GHAR, AFGHANISTAN

  The beat of the helicopter’s rotor blades cutting through the thin air over Takur Ghar’s ten-thousand-foot peak echoed through the predawn darkness. Standing in the back of the MH-47E Chinook, a Special Operations Forces (SOF) reconnaissance team clung to the red nylon webbing covering the interior of the aircraft. It was no easy thing to stay balanced as they checked their gear one last time.

  Infiltration is one of the most dangerous parts of any Special Ops mission. Helicopters, the most frequent means of insertion, become large, slow-moving targets as they hover over a landing zone.

  On this mission, Petty Officer Neal Roberts, a Navy SEAL, was positioned to be the first to exit the aircraft, squatting on the ramp at the rear of the helo, hoping to make the “infil” as fast as possible. Outside, the snow-covered peaks glistened in the moonlight, jutting jagged and harsh i
nto the thin night air.

  U.S. intelligence officers had been monitoring a sizeable pocket of al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the area near Gardeyz for weeks and a military operation, code named Operation Anaconda, was planned to wipe them out. It would represent the first large-scale commitment of conventional U.S. Forces in the war on terror. The 10th Mountain Division and 101st Airborne encircled the valley in a classic “hammer and anvil.” But the enemy put up stiff resistance and stood their ground in heavily fortified positions. The decision was made to put “eyes on” the end of the Shah-i-Kot Valley where the battle raged. The mountaintop known as Takur Ghar was identified as ideally suited for that purpose, so SOF teams could report on enemy movements and engage them with indirect fire.

  The Chinook approached Takur Ghar and the designated landing zone (LZ) in a small clearing just below the summit of the mountain. As the big helicopter neared its touchdown point, the crew chief spotted a scattering of goat skins—and human footprints in the snow. The mountaintop was already occupied.

  He called over the intercom to the pilots, members of the Army’s elite Task Force 160—the Night Stalkers: “Looks like our insertion may be compromised.”