Defense of OP Topside and the heroes of Wanat

Since Veterans’ Day is this week, I want to highlight the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. And while I certainly honor the heroism of conflicts past, here I want to focus on a recent example of American gallantry under fire. I think we need to hear more of these accounts.

You may recall the breathless media reports last July, about an American outpost in Afghanistan that was “overrun” (not so). Of course, the press focused on our losses, but there’s so much more to the story. Details of the engagement are now publicly available, with the release of the Army’s official investigation findings. You can see those here and here -- minus a few sensitive bits that have been redacted.

On 9 July, paratroopers from C Company, 503rd Airborne Battalion were sent up the rugged Waygul Valley to the village of Wanat. Their mission was to establish a location where they could interact with the villagers and provide security. This was a known Taliban-dominated area and they could all tell something was coming.

On 13 July, everyone was up at 0345 donning full battle-rattle for “stand-to”. In the pre-dawn quiet they manned their posts and prepped their weapons. Minutes later, figures were seen on the high ground above. Then all hell broke loose.

Enemy fire erupted from the steep ridges surrounding them, from the village itself, and from just a few yards outside their perimeter. Bullets tore into their sandbagged positions, RPGs slammed into vehicles. They took casualties almost immediately, but the outnumbered paratroopers kept their heads, put out hundreds of rounds of suppressive fire, and executed a well-conceived defensive plan.

At one corner of their patrol base they’d built Observation Post (OP) “Topside”, a three-level strongpoint made of sandbags and rocks. Nine soldiers manned the structure, providing tactical overwatch. The Taliban knew it was a key position, and trained heavy fire on it. In minutes, every man inside was hit, and enemy fighters crept to within hand-grenade range, yet the survivors kept returning fire.

“It was some of the bravest stuff I’ve ever seen”, said Specialist Tyler Stafford “Normal humans wouldn’t do that… getting up and firing back when everything around you is popping and whizzing and trees, branches coming down and sandbags exploding and RPGs coming in over your head.”

The fight for OP Topside became the crux of the battle. Platoon Leader 1st Lieutenant Jonathan Bostrom led the first of three rushes to reinforce it. He gathered up Specialists Pruitt Rainey and Jason Hovater, and ran there to set up a machinegun. All three were killed by intense enemy fire. Then four more men, including Sergeant Israel Garcia, saw the critical situation and moved under fire to the OP. There they gave first aid to the injured but were soon wounded themselves, Garcia mortally.

Finally, the third reinforcement succeeded after U.S. aircraft arrived and began “danger close” bombing runs. Sergeant Jesse Queck recounted, “When you ask for volunteers to run across an open field to an OP, and everybody volunteers, it motivates you… Guys were putting themselves on the line so their buddies could have a chance.”

When it was all over, nine brave soldiers had died and 27 were wounded (16 seriously). Most of the casualties occurred in the tenacious defense of OP Topside. The defenders killed about 40 to 50 of the much larger Taliban force.

Sergeant David Walker, recovering from a gunshot to the wrist, told a reporter “I just hope these guys’ wives and their children understand how courageous their husbands and dads were. They fought like warriors.”

There are many lessons from what’s now called the Battle of Wanat. Among them are the nature of our enemies in Afghanistan, and the urgent need for more U.S. troops and a better strategy there. But for this week, let’s remember the heroism of those 48 American warriors who repulsed a determined, well-planned assault by an estimated 200 to 300 enemy fighters.

And let’s never forget those who paid the ultimate price to defend their brothers -- and our liberty:

• 1st Lieutenant Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii.
• Sergeant Israel Garcia, 24, of Long Beach, California.
• Specialist Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, of Snellville, Georgia.
• Specialist Jason M. Bogar, 25, of Seattle, Washington.
• Specialist Jason D. Hovater, 24, of Clinton, Tennessee.
• Specialist Matthew B. Phillips, 27, of Jasper, Georgia.
• Specialist Pruitt A. Rainey, 22, of Haw River, North Carolina.
• Specialist Gunnar W. Zwilling, 20, of Florissant, Missouri.
• Specialist Sergio S. Abad, 21, of Morganfield, Kentucky.

T.T.

See my other columns on Afghanistan

Here's an excellent presentation from Military Times, showing the topography of Wanat and the location of the Patrol Base. Hit the play button, and I suggest viewing it full screen (button on far right). There is no sound.

©WestRim Digital Arts, LLC

Comments

[Mark]

Thanks for sharing this story. I wish we heard about this type of heroism more often, and less negativity.