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OEF-Afghanistan/Consolidation II (2006-09)/Battle of Wanat
From Month/Year
July / 2008
To Month/Year
July / 2008
Description The Battle of Wanat occurred on July 13, 2008, when about 200 Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas attacked NATO troops near Quam, in the Waygal district in Afghanistan's far eastern province of Nuristan. The position was defended primarily by United States Army soldiers of the 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
The Taliban surrounded the remote base and its observation post, attacking it from Quam and surrounding farmland. They destroyed much of the U.S. heavy munitions, broke through American lines, and entered the main base before being repelled by artillery and aircraft. The United States claimed to have killed at least 21 Taliban fighters for the loss of nine U.S. soldiers killed and 27 wounded, and four Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers wounded. The U.S. deaths were the most in a single battle since the start of U.S. operations in 2001.
The Battle of Wanat has been described as the United States's "Black Hawk Down" of the War in Afghanistan, as one of the bloodiest Taliban attacks of the war and one of several attacks on remote outposts. In contrast to previous roadside bombings and haphazard attacks and ambushes, this attack was well-coordinated with fighters from many insurgent groups with an effort that was disciplined and sustained which was able to precisely target key equipment such as a wire-guided missile launcher.
The battle became the focus of debate in the United States, generating "a great deal of interest and scrutiny among military professionals and from outside observers." mainly due to the relatively "significant number of coalition casualties". Several investigations were launched into events leading up to the battle. The initial investigation was completed in August 2008. In July 2009, Senator James Webb requested that the U.S. Army formally investigate the battle and previous investigation. Lieutenant General Richard F. Natonski conducted another investigation in late 2009 which led to orders of reprimand for the chain of command. In June 2010, the U.S. Army revoked the reprimands. They stated that no negligence was involved and said of the soldiers that "by their valor and their skill, they successfully defended their positions and defeated a determined, skillful, and adaptable enemy".
About 4:20 a.m. on July 13, Taliban forces opened fire on the base with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars. Another 100 militants attacked the observation post from farmland to the east.
The initial attack hit the forward operating base's mortar pit, knocking out the 120mm mortar and detonating the stockpile of mortar ammunition. The insurgents next destroyed the Humvee-mounted TOW missile launcher inside the combat outpost with coordinated fire from unguided RPG rockets. The mortars and TOW launcher which were to provide the heaviest and most accurate firepower had been quickly taken out by the attackers. The explosion of the mortar shells hurled the anti-tank missiles into the command post.
From the American perspective, the most serious situation was the attack concentrated on a small team situated at the small observation post "TOPSIDE" nestled among rocks under a tree 50m to 70m outside the main base. The first round hit accurately, wounding or stunning every soldier. Pfc. Tyler Stafford was blown out of his machine-gun position next to Spc. Matthew Phillips who threw a grenade before he was mortally wounded. Cpl. Jason Bogar fired hundreds of rounds from his automatic weapon until the barrel became white-hot and jammed and then tended to Stafford’s wounds. A rocket grenade wounded Sgt. Ryan M. Pitts, who was also tended by Bogar with a tourniquet around Pitts’ leg before switching to another gun. Bogar then jumped from the outpost bunker to get close enough to kill insurgents who were firing down upon the men from the village hotel. Once outside the bunker, he was shot through the chest and killed. The surviving soldiers then ran from the outpost to the main post, leaving Pitts behind. Alone, Pitts was able to hold-off the Taliban from overrunning his position until his comrades returned two hours later and he was evacuated to receive medical care.
Four U.S. soldiers were killed within the first 20 minutes of the battle, another died later, and at least three others were wounded. Three times teams of soldiers from the main base ran through Taliban fire to resupply the observation post and carry back the dead and wounded.
The U.S. troops responded with machine guns, grenades, and claymore mines. Artillery guns at Camp Blessing fired 96 155mm artillery rounds. The Taliban briefly breached the wire of the observation post before being driven back. After almost half an hour of intense fighting at the observation post, only one soldier remained. He was seriously wounded and fought alone until reinforcements arrived. Some militants also managed to get past the main base's earthen barriers.[citation needed] Two American soldiers, platoon leader First Lieutenant Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii and Corporal Jason Hovater, were killed trying to deliver ammunition to the observation post. American soldiers were at times flushed out of their fortifications by what they thought were grenades, but which were actually rocks thrown by the attackers. Brostrom, Hovater, and another soldier may have been killed by an insurgent who penetrated the wire perimeter.
AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and a Predator unmanned aircraft drone armed with Hellfire missiles arrived over the base about 30 minutes after the battle began. During the battle, U.S. soldiers were resupplied by UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with fire support from the AH-64 Apache Helicopters. Injured troops were evacuated to nearby Camp Wright, where members of E Troop, 2nd-17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division would wait to rearm and refuel the UH-60's and AH-64's. Later, a B-1B Lancer bomber, A-10, and F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft were called in. The militants withdrew about four hours later.[3] After the militants retreated, mop up operations followed, and the Taliban withdrew from the town.
Nine U.S. soldiers were killed in the attack,[26] mainly in the observation post. Between 21 and 52 militants were reported killed with another 20 to 40 wounded, but coalition forces found only two Taliban bodies after the battle. The attack was the highest death toll for American troops in the country since Operation Red Wings three years earlier.
