Battle of Kamdesh (COP Keating) 8 years after
The Battle of Kamdesh, also known as COP Keating, was eight years ago today near the town of Kamdesh of Nuristan province in eastern Afghanistan. 8 Americans were killed in the fighting and 27 others were wounded. Four officers were disciplined for their failure to support the troops on COP Keating, eight aviators earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha and Staff Sergeant Ty Carter were awarded the Medal of Honor. From Military.com;
The Battle for COP Keating produced a constellation of medals: 27 Purple Hearts, 37 Army Commendation Medals with “V” devices for valor, three Bronze Stars, 18 Bronze Stars with “V” devices, and nine Silver Stars….The enemy death toll is estimated at between 150 and 200. Eight U.S. soldiers paid the ultimate price that day: Justin T. Gallegos of Tucson, Ariz.; Christopher Griffin of Kincheloe, Mich.; Kevin C. Thomson of Reno, Nev.; Michael P. Scusa of Villas, N.J.; Vernon W. Martin of Savannah, Ga.; Stephan L. Mace of Lovettsville, Va.; Joshua J. Kirk of South Portland, Maine; and Joshua M. Hardt of Applegate, Calif.
The battle quickly became hand-to-hand fighting with the US troops calling for supporting fires “Danger Close”.
It was dawn on Oct. 3, 2009, when nearly 350 Taliban-led insurgents attacked U.S. Army Combat Outpost (COP) Keating in the Kamdesh Valley of Afghanistan. Built on low ground in a river valley, the COP was home to fewer than 60 cavalrymen from Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division. They would confront the enemy in a 12-hour close-contact battle that nearly became hand-to-hand combat. Outpost security would be breached in three places. Fires set by the attackers would destroy the COP’s barracks. Close air support and mortar fire had to be directed at enemy forces inside the original security perimeter.
Category: We Remember
And may those four ossifers memory rot forever, and eternal shame follow them to the grave.
Officers, making simple shit difficult since 1775.
Roger that, especially in this battle.
Their names should be taught in every Army leadership course. Add them to the Army’s “Don’t be that guy” campaign.
Not to mention ignoring 3,000 years of Combat Ops. Take the high ground. Do not build in a valley surrounded on 3 sides next to raging rivers.
Fuck, didn’t the Hittites learn that lesson the hard way, but of course COIN will lead the way to our salvation.
Crap.
You got that right CB Senior! Every point around that camp was a sniper’s wet dream and why in God’s name they set up COP Keating in that low valley is beyond me and something I’ll never understand.
Because some self-important SOB officer(s) thought that the decorations on their uniform made them smarter than Sun Tzu, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, J.E.B. Stewart and Rbt. E. Lee combined.
They knew what would work and to hell with the opinions of others.
::I may be a bit cynical.::
Opinions mean shit in a firefight.
The opinion of an experienced 1st Sergeant would mean more to me than that of a cherry 2LT in a firefight.
The opinion of some REMF officer, however? Not so much.
Not just the low ground, but covered approaches right up to the perimeter.
” the COP was home to fewer than 60 cavalrymen”
And 64 decorations for valor, not including the MOHs. Eight killed and 27 wounded is over 50% casualties.
The attack began at 0600. The “Quick Reaction Force” reached Keating at 1900.
Whose bright idea was it to set up a base in an ambush spot?
Oh, never mind. I may never have been in combat, but even I know better than this. You never give the people who want to kill you the advantage. That’s just common sense.
When it says ‘officers were disciplined’, I hope that means they were fired in a rather brutal way.