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Operation Red Wings

2011-08-06T19:28:45Z

83.233.139.169: /* The firefight */

{{for|the 1956 series of U.S. nuclear tests|Operation Redwing}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Operation Red Wings
|partof=the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
|image=
|caption=
|date=June 28, 2005
|place= [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]]
|result = Taliban victory
|combatant1={{flag|United States}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban}} [[Taliban insurgency|Taliban insurgents]]
|commander1=LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]{{KIA}}<ref name=Book_Robinson>{{cite book|last = Luttrell|first = Marcus|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10|publisher = Back Bay Books|year = 2007|isbn = 0316067598 }}</ref> LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]{{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]]
|strength1=12 [[Navy SEALs]] 8 [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalkers]] additional helicopter crews 2 [[MH-47 Chinook]] 2 [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] 2 [[AH-64D Apache]] helicopters
|strength2=80–200 Insurgents <ref>[http://www.darack.com/victorypoint/ Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book VICTORY POINT in which they are comprehensively documented / Ed Darack]. Darack.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>
|casualties1= 19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down<ref name="cnn_asiapcf">{{cite web |date=July 4, 2005|url = http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/|title = Helicopter crash victims identified|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|casualties2= Unknown
}}
{{Campaignbox US war in Afghanistan}}
'''Operation Red Wings''' (also referred to as '''Operation Redwing''' and '''Operation Red Wing''') was a failed [[counter-insurgency|counter-insurgent]] mission in [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]], involving four members of the [[United States Navy SEALs]], which took place on June 28, 2005.

Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalker]] pilots) whose [[helicopter]] was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL.

==Initial Operation==
[[File:Operation Red Wing planning map.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The map given to the Navy SEALs detailing their mission.]]
On June 28, 2005, a four-man group from SEAL Team 10, led by LT [[Michael P. Murphy]] and consisting of petty officers [[Matthew Axelson]], [[Danny Dietz]] and [[Marcus Luttrell]], were on a mission to kill or capture [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], a [[Taliban]] leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers,"<ref name="osman">*{{cite book|last = Bahmanyar, Mir & Chris Osman|title = Seals: The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force|edition= October 21, 2008|publisher = Osprey Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yU8s6kvpmusC&pg=PA141| isbn= 1846032261|pages=141–144|date = 2008-10-21}}</ref> west of [[Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]].<ref name="armytimes_070618w"/><ref name="longwarjournal">{{cite web |date=April 17, 2008|url = http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php|title = Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout|publisher = long war journal| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Matt Dupee}}</ref>

The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

As the morning wore on, three local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,<ref name="townhall">{{cite web|accessdate=
|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2007/08/17/death_by_rules_of_engagement |title=Death by rules of engagement|author=West, Diane|date=August 17, 2007|publisher=TownHall.com}}</ref> Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "[[Liberal media bias|US liberal media]]" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit."<ref name="armytimes_070618w">{{cite web
|last = Naylor
|first = Sean D.
|title = Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission
|publisher = [[Army Times]]
|date = 2007-06-18
|url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
|accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders' goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders wherever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

==The firefight==
After letting the goatherds go, the team moved to their first observation point so as to throw off anyone attempting to intercept them at their old location. Here, Dietz continued attempts to reach HQ via radio for immediate extraction, but was continually unsuccessful. Approximately an hour after the goatherds disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 80–200 strong, causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position. The large variant in the number of opposing Taliban is due to differing accounts of the size of the enemy force. The team had been told that as many as 200 fighters could be protecting Shah, and according to Luttrell, the SEALs killed a significant number of enemy fighters during the subsequent engagement, however their numbers never seemed to diminish. This led Luttrell to believe they were receiving almost constant reinforcments.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="pritzkermilitarylibrary">{{cite web|accessdate=2008-12-10|url=http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/2008-05-19-marcus_luttrell.jsp |title=Interview with Luttrell|date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Pritzker Military Library]]}}</ref><ref name="irishabroad.com">{{cite web |date=October 17, 2007|url = http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/afghan-war-hero171007.aspx|title = Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero|publisher = irishabroad.com| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=April Drew}}</ref>

The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>
<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his [[cell phone]]. He was shot in the abdomen during the conversation.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="irishabroad.com" /> Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.

After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]], knocking him unconscious.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492_pf.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

==Failed rescue==
[[File:Navy SEALs in Afghanistan prior to Red Wing.jpg|thumb|Matthew G. Axelson, Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.]]
[[File:Kunar-booty-from-Op Red Wing.OGG|thumb|right|200px|Taliban video of captured American equipment being examined after the battle]]
One [[CH-47 Chinook#MH-47D|MH-47D]] helicopter, four [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] and two [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64D Longbows]] attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. The MH-47 helicopter, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Night Stalkers]], was shot down by a [[rocket propelled grenade]] shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a [[ravine]], killing all sixteen on board<ref name="rmn"/>. It was the deadliest day for [[Naval Special Warfare]] until the August 5th 2011 helicopter crash that killed 31 people, 22 of them being Navy SEALs<ref name="Daily Mail">{{ cite web |url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023123/Afghanistan-helicopter-crash-kills-31-US-troops-including-22-Seals.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |title = Afghanistan helicopter crash kills 31 troops including 22 SEALS | accessdate = 06-08-2011}}</ref>.

Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "''We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield.''"<ref name="msnbc_10619502">{{cite web |date=Dec. 27, 2005|url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10619502/|title = An interview with a Taliban commander|publisher = [[msnbc]]| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit}}</ref>

==Search and rescue==
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He stayed well hidden in a cleft of rock while the Taliban continued searching for him throughout the remainder of the day. He could hear enemy fighters close by, firing aimlessly into the underbrush, trying to drive him out, but they were never able to discover his location. [[AH-64 Apache]] and [[UH-60 Blackhawk]] helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced [[Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle]], that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.

As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked [[vertabrae]],<ref name="osman"/> Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day.<ref name=Book_Robinson/> He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa,<ref name="time1081394">{{cite news |date=Jul. 11, 2005|url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1081394,00.html|title = How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL|work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last= Tim Mcgirk}}</ref> who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.

Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team,<ref name="timesonline_article542369">{{cite news |date=July 10, 2005|url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article542369.ece|title = Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden|publisher = [[Times Online]]| accessdate = 2008-12-16|last=Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul }}</ref> and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.<ref name="rmn"/> A spokesman for the Taliban, [[Abdul Latif Hakimi|Mofti Latifollah Hakimi]], confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.<ref name="IntelCenter">{{cite book|last = IntelCenter| authorlink =|title = IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000–2007|edition= April 24, 2008|page= 646|publisher = Tempest Publishing, LLC| isbn= 0966543785}}</ref>

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2,<ref name="osman"/> the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached [[First Lieutenant]] Matt Bartels with his information.<ref>Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.</ref>

With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]".<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.

Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.<ref name="rmn">[[Rocky Mountain News]], "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005</ref>

== American casualties ==
[[File:Michael P. Murphy portrait.jpg|thumb|right|LT Michael P. Murphy, Medal of Honor Recipient.]]
{| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! style="width:190px;"|Name
! style="width:11px;"|Age
! Action
! style="width:190px;"|Hometown
|-
! colspan=4|[[United States Navy SEALs|SEALs]]
|-
|'''LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]'''|| 29 ||Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush||Patchogue, New York
|-
|'''STG2 [[Matthew Axelson]]'''|| 29 || Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush|| Cupertino, CA<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids">{{cite news |date=July 7, 2005|url = http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html|title = U.S. military searches for missing SEAL|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|-
|'''GM2 [[Danny Dietz]]'''|| 25 || Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush ||Littleton, Colorado<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids"/>
|-
|'''FCC [[Jacques J. Fontan]]'''|| 36 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| New Orleans, Louisiana
|-
|'''ITCS [[Daniel R. Healy]]|| 36|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Exeter, New Hampshire
|-
|'''LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]''' || 33|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || San Diego, California
|-
|'''ET1 [[Jeffery A. Lucas]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Corbett, Oregon
|-
|'''LT [[Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.]] || 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Portville, New York
|-
|'''QM2 [[James E. Suh]]'''|| 28 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Deerfield Beach, Florida
|-
|'''HM1 [[Jeffrey S. Taylor]]'''|| 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Midway, West Virginia
|-
|'''MM2 Shane E. Patton''' || 22 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Boulder City, Nevada
|-
! colspan=4|[[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]]<ref name="cnn_asiapcf"/>
|-
|'''SSgt. [[Shamus O. Goare]]'''|| 29 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Danville, Ohio
|-
|'''CWO3 [[Corey J. Goodnature]]'''|| 35 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
|-
|'''Sgt. [[Kip A. Jacoby]]'''|| 21 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Pompano Beach, Florida
|-
|'''SFC [[Marcus V. Muralles]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Shelbyville, Indiana
|-
|'''MSgt. [[James W. Ponder III]]'''|| 36 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Franklin, Tennessee
|-
|'''Maj. [[Stephen C. Reich]]'''|| 34 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Washington Depot, Connecticut.
|-
|'''SFC [[Michael L. Russell]]''' || 31 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Stafford, Virginia
|-
|'''CWO4 [[Chris J. Scherkenbach]]'''|| 40 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down ||Jacksonville, Florida
|}
[[File:Nightstalkers in Operation Red Wing.jpg|thumb|400px|Army plaque in memory of the fallen Night Stalkers]]

== Aftermath==
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the [[Navy Cross]] in a ceremony at the [[White House]]. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the battle.

In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with [[Pakistan]]i police in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout]. The Long War Journal (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>

On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a [[San Diego Padres]] game.<ref name="famonline">{{cite web |date=30 June 2008|url = http://www.famonline.org/component/content/article/17-operation-never-forget/8917-operation-never-forget|title = Operation: Never Forget|publisher = pub| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Families of American Military, Inc. }}</ref> In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the [[POW/MIA]] flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [http://cupertinoveteransmemorial.org/ Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=2008-11-19|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Matt Wilson }}</ref>

== Controversy ==
The unofficial but publicly-accepted account of Operation Red Wing is almost entirely based on the book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. Many in the SOF community, including SEALs, Army Special Forces, and others, have charged that Luttrell's account of the events is widely embellished and even accused him of lying and trying to profit from the deaths of the men killed in the operation. Other accounts exist which paint a very different picture than the one portrayed by Luttrell and his book. For example, Ed Darack, a military journalist published by the Marine Corps' Gazette and author of "Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan", describes the strength of the Taliban force at only 8–10, compared to the 200+ claimed by Luttrell in his book. Darack's estimate is based on a large amount of intelligence, including aerial and eye-witness studies of the battlefield after the fact, including the men sent in to rescue Luttrell, as well as HUMINT from Afghan intelligence.<ref>[http://www.marinecorpsgazette-digital.com/marinecorpsgazette/201101/?pg=65#pg65 Marine Corps Gazette – January 2011]. Marinecorpsgazette-digital.com (2010-12-14). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref><ref name="ricks">[http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/lone_survivor_smackdown 'Lone Survivor' smackdown – By Tom Ricks|The Best Defense]. Ricks.foreignpolicy.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In Luttrell's own official after-action report filed with his superiors after his rescue, he estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20–35. Official media reports from the military estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20 as well.

In the Medal of Honor citation for LT Mike Murphy, the Navy cited 30–40 enemies.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/oc.html Official Citation]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In the Summary of Action related to the same MOH, the Navy cites an "enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia".<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html Summary of Action]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In this case the Navy's own published accounts contradict one another. It is important to also understand that neither a Medal Of Honor citation or SOA are considered official or credible historical references. Awards are often a taboo subject but they can be highly political in nature and in many well-documented cases do not accurately reflect history or events as they actually occurred. In recent times an often-cited example of this is the Silver Star awarded posthumously to [[Pat Tillman]]. In the award citation Tillman is described as gallantly fighting against a superior number of enemy forces and bravely exposing himself to enemy fire so his team could reposition safely. The truth however is that he was tragically killed by friendly fire, an accident. Tillman's award citation was a complete fabrication. This is not to suggest that LT Murphy's citation is also a complete fabrication, but simply to point out that awards citations are often biased historically. To date the only published accounts of Operation Red Wings based on actual intelligence reports are those by Ed Darack.

LT Murphy's father accuses Luttrell of lying about his son putting the decision to kill or release the goatherder to a vote, saying the tale dishonors the memory of his son and contradicts the version that Luttrell told the elder Murphy personally. A Naval Special Warfare Command spokesman, when asked whether putting an important decision to a vote is normal or accepted practice in the SEAL community, Ruh replied: “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anything put to a vote like that. In my 14 years of Navy experience, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that.” In reaction to this, Lutrell has stated that Lt. Murphy was not ceding command to his subordinates, but asking their opinions, and valuing the advice of his men, as would any good leader. The final decision was still very much in Lt. Murphy's hands.<ref name="armytimes.com">[http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/ Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission – Army News|News from Afghanistan & Iraq]. Army Times. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> Luttrell stated in his book “If you put me back in the same situation, I’d probably do the same thing again, if I didn’t know the outcome."<ref name="armytimes.com"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
|last = Darack
|first = Ed
|title = Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
|publisher = [[Berkley Hardcover]]
|year = 2009
|isbn = 0425226190 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Luttrell
|first = Marcus
|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]
|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
|publisher = [[Back Bay Books]]
|year = 2007
|isbn = 0316067598 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Williams
|first = Gary
|title = Seal of Honor: Operation Redwing and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN
|publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
|year = 2010
|isbn = 1591149576 }}

{{Afghanistan War|state=collapsed}}

{{coord missing|Afghanistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Wing}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 2005]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States]]
[[Category:Operations involving American special forces]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Taliban]]

[[es:Operación Alas Rojas]]
[[fr:Opération Red Wing]]

Operation Red Wings

2011-08-06T19:27:15Z

83.233.139.169: /* American casualties */ capital letters

{{for|the 1956 series of U.S. nuclear tests|Operation Redwing}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Operation Red Wings
|partof=the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
|image=
|caption=
|date=June 28, 2005
|place= [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]]
|result = Taliban victory
|combatant1={{flag|United States}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban}} [[Taliban insurgency|Taliban insurgents]]
|commander1=LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]{{KIA}}<ref name=Book_Robinson>{{cite book|last = Luttrell|first = Marcus|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10|publisher = Back Bay Books|year = 2007|isbn = 0316067598 }}</ref> LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]{{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]]
|strength1=12 [[Navy SEALs]] 8 [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalkers]] additional helicopter crews 2 [[MH-47 Chinook]] 2 [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] 2 [[AH-64D Apache]] helicopters
|strength2=80–200 Insurgents <ref>[http://www.darack.com/victorypoint/ Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book VICTORY POINT in which they are comprehensively documented / Ed Darack]. Darack.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>
|casualties1= 19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down<ref name="cnn_asiapcf">{{cite web |date=July 4, 2005|url = http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/|title = Helicopter crash victims identified|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|casualties2= Unknown
}}
{{Campaignbox US war in Afghanistan}}
'''Operation Red Wings''' (also referred to as '''Operation Redwing''' and '''Operation Red Wing''') was a failed [[counter-insurgency|counter-insurgent]] mission in [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]], involving four members of the [[United States Navy SEALs]], which took place on June 28, 2005.

Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalker]] pilots) whose [[helicopter]] was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL.

==Initial Operation==
[[File:Operation Red Wing planning map.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The map given to the Navy SEALs detailing their mission.]]
On June 28, 2005, a four-man group from SEAL Team 10, led by LT [[Michael P. Murphy]] and consisting of petty officers [[Matthew Axelson]], [[Danny Dietz]] and [[Marcus Luttrell]], were on a mission to kill or capture [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], a [[Taliban]] leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers,"<ref name="osman">*{{cite book|last = Bahmanyar, Mir & Chris Osman|title = Seals: The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force|edition= October 21, 2008|publisher = Osprey Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yU8s6kvpmusC&pg=PA141| isbn= 1846032261|pages=141–144|date = 2008-10-21}}</ref> west of [[Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]].<ref name="armytimes_070618w"/><ref name="longwarjournal">{{cite web |date=April 17, 2008|url = http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php|title = Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout|publisher = long war journal| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Matt Dupee}}</ref>

The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

As the morning wore on, three local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,<ref name="townhall">{{cite web|accessdate=
|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2007/08/17/death_by_rules_of_engagement |title=Death by rules of engagement|author=West, Diane|date=August 17, 2007|publisher=TownHall.com}}</ref> Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "[[Liberal media bias|US liberal media]]" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit."<ref name="armytimes_070618w">{{cite web
|last = Naylor
|first = Sean D.
|title = Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission
|publisher = [[Army Times]]
|date = 2007-06-18
|url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
|accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders' goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders wherever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

==The firefight==
After letting the goatherds go, the team moved to their first observation point so as to throw off anyone attempting to intercept them at their old location. Here, Dietz continued attempts to reach HQ via radio for immediate extraction, but was continually unsuccessful. Approximately an hour after the goatherds disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 80–200 strong, causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position. The large variant in the number of opposing Taliban is due to differing accounts of the size of the enemy force. The team had been told that as many as 200 fighters could be protecting Shah, and according to Luttrell, the SEALS killed a significant number of enemy fighters during the subsequent engagement, however their numbers never seemed to diminish. This led Luttrell to believe they were receiving almost constant reinforcments.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="pritzkermilitarylibrary">{{cite web|accessdate=2008-12-10|url=http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/2008-05-19-marcus_luttrell.jsp |title=Interview with Luttrell|date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Pritzker Military Library]]}}</ref><ref name="irishabroad.com">{{cite web |date=October 17, 2007|url = http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/afghan-war-hero171007.aspx|title = Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero|publisher = irishabroad.com| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=April Drew}}</ref>

The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>
<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his [[cell phone]]. He was shot in the abdomen during the conversation.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="irishabroad.com" /> Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.

After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]], knocking him unconscious.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492_pf.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

==Failed rescue==
[[File:Navy SEALs in Afghanistan prior to Red Wing.jpg|thumb|Matthew G. Axelson, Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.]]
[[File:Kunar-booty-from-Op Red Wing.OGG|thumb|right|200px|Taliban video of captured American equipment being examined after the battle]]
One [[CH-47 Chinook#MH-47D|MH-47D]] helicopter, four [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] and two [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64D Longbows]] attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. The MH-47 helicopter, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Night Stalkers]], was shot down by a [[rocket propelled grenade]] shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a [[ravine]], killing all sixteen on board<ref name="rmn"/>. It was the deadliest day for [[Naval Special Warfare]] until the August 5th 2011 helicopter crash that killed 31 people, 22 of them being Navy SEALs<ref name="Daily Mail">{{ cite web |url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023123/Afghanistan-helicopter-crash-kills-31-US-troops-including-22-Seals.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |title = Afghanistan helicopter crash kills 31 troops including 22 SEALS | accessdate = 06-08-2011}}</ref>.

Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "''We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield.''"<ref name="msnbc_10619502">{{cite web |date=Dec. 27, 2005|url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10619502/|title = An interview with a Taliban commander|publisher = [[msnbc]]| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit}}</ref>

==Search and rescue==
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He stayed well hidden in a cleft of rock while the Taliban continued searching for him throughout the remainder of the day. He could hear enemy fighters close by, firing aimlessly into the underbrush, trying to drive him out, but they were never able to discover his location. [[AH-64 Apache]] and [[UH-60 Blackhawk]] helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced [[Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle]], that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.

As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked [[vertabrae]],<ref name="osman"/> Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day.<ref name=Book_Robinson/> He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa,<ref name="time1081394">{{cite news |date=Jul. 11, 2005|url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1081394,00.html|title = How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL|work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last= Tim Mcgirk}}</ref> who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.

Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team,<ref name="timesonline_article542369">{{cite news |date=July 10, 2005|url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article542369.ece|title = Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden|publisher = [[Times Online]]| accessdate = 2008-12-16|last=Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul }}</ref> and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.<ref name="rmn"/> A spokesman for the Taliban, [[Abdul Latif Hakimi|Mofti Latifollah Hakimi]], confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.<ref name="IntelCenter">{{cite book|last = IntelCenter| authorlink =|title = IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000–2007|edition= April 24, 2008|page= 646|publisher = Tempest Publishing, LLC| isbn= 0966543785}}</ref>

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2,<ref name="osman"/> the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached [[First Lieutenant]] Matt Bartels with his information.<ref>Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.</ref>

With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]".<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.

Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.<ref name="rmn">[[Rocky Mountain News]], "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005</ref>

== American casualties ==
[[File:Michael P. Murphy portrait.jpg|thumb|right|LT Michael P. Murphy, Medal of Honor Recipient.]]
{| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! style="width:190px;"|Name
! style="width:11px;"|Age
! Action
! style="width:190px;"|Hometown
|-
! colspan=4|[[United States Navy SEALs|SEALs]]
|-
|'''LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]'''|| 29 ||Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush||Patchogue, New York
|-
|'''STG2 [[Matthew Axelson]]'''|| 29 || Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush|| Cupertino, CA<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids">{{cite news |date=July 7, 2005|url = http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html|title = U.S. military searches for missing SEAL|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|-
|'''GM2 [[Danny Dietz]]'''|| 25 || Part of 4-Man SEAL team killed in an ambush ||Littleton, Colorado<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids"/>
|-
|'''FCC [[Jacques J. Fontan]]'''|| 36 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| New Orleans, Louisiana
|-
|'''ITCS [[Daniel R. Healy]]|| 36|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Exeter, New Hampshire
|-
|'''LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]''' || 33|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || San Diego, California
|-
|'''ET1 [[Jeffery A. Lucas]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Corbett, Oregon
|-
|'''LT [[Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.]] || 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Portville, New York
|-
|'''QM2 [[James E. Suh]]'''|| 28 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Deerfield Beach, Florida
|-
|'''HM1 [[Jeffrey S. Taylor]]'''|| 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Midway, West Virginia
|-
|'''MM2 Shane E. Patton''' || 22 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Boulder City, Nevada
|-
! colspan=4|[[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]]<ref name="cnn_asiapcf"/>
|-
|'''SSgt. [[Shamus O. Goare]]'''|| 29 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Danville, Ohio
|-
|'''CWO3 [[Corey J. Goodnature]]'''|| 35 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
|-
|'''Sgt. [[Kip A. Jacoby]]'''|| 21 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Pompano Beach, Florida
|-
|'''SFC [[Marcus V. Muralles]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Shelbyville, Indiana
|-
|'''MSgt. [[James W. Ponder III]]'''|| 36 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Franklin, Tennessee
|-
|'''Maj. [[Stephen C. Reich]]'''|| 34 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Washington Depot, Connecticut.
|-
|'''SFC [[Michael L. Russell]]''' || 31 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Stafford, Virginia
|-
|'''CWO4 [[Chris J. Scherkenbach]]'''|| 40 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down ||Jacksonville, Florida
|}
[[File:Nightstalkers in Operation Red Wing.jpg|thumb|400px|Army plaque in memory of the fallen Night Stalkers]]

== Aftermath==
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the [[Navy Cross]] in a ceremony at the [[White House]]. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the battle.

In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with [[Pakistan]]i police in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout]. The Long War Journal (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>

On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a [[San Diego Padres]] game.<ref name="famonline">{{cite web |date=30 June 2008|url = http://www.famonline.org/component/content/article/17-operation-never-forget/8917-operation-never-forget|title = Operation: Never Forget|publisher = pub| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Families of American Military, Inc. }}</ref> In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the [[POW/MIA]] flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [http://cupertinoveteransmemorial.org/ Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=2008-11-19|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Matt Wilson }}</ref>

== Controversy ==
The unofficial but publicly-accepted account of Operation Red Wing is almost entirely based on the book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. Many in the SOF community, including SEALs, Army Special Forces, and others, have charged that Luttrell's account of the events is widely embellished and even accused him of lying and trying to profit from the deaths of the men killed in the operation. Other accounts exist which paint a very different picture than the one portrayed by Luttrell and his book. For example, Ed Darack, a military journalist published by the Marine Corps' Gazette and author of "Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan", describes the strength of the Taliban force at only 8–10, compared to the 200+ claimed by Luttrell in his book. Darack's estimate is based on a large amount of intelligence, including aerial and eye-witness studies of the battlefield after the fact, including the men sent in to rescue Luttrell, as well as HUMINT from Afghan intelligence.<ref>[http://www.marinecorpsgazette-digital.com/marinecorpsgazette/201101/?pg=65#pg65 Marine Corps Gazette – January 2011]. Marinecorpsgazette-digital.com (2010-12-14). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref><ref name="ricks">[http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/lone_survivor_smackdown 'Lone Survivor' smackdown – By Tom Ricks|The Best Defense]. Ricks.foreignpolicy.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In Luttrell's own official after-action report filed with his superiors after his rescue, he estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20–35. Official media reports from the military estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20 as well.

In the Medal of Honor citation for LT Mike Murphy, the Navy cited 30–40 enemies.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/oc.html Official Citation]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In the Summary of Action related to the same MOH, the Navy cites an "enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia".<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html Summary of Action]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In this case the Navy's own published accounts contradict one another. It is important to also understand that neither a Medal Of Honor citation or SOA are considered official or credible historical references. Awards are often a taboo subject but they can be highly political in nature and in many well-documented cases do not accurately reflect history or events as they actually occurred. In recent times an often-cited example of this is the Silver Star awarded posthumously to [[Pat Tillman]]. In the award citation Tillman is described as gallantly fighting against a superior number of enemy forces and bravely exposing himself to enemy fire so his team could reposition safely. The truth however is that he was tragically killed by friendly fire, an accident. Tillman's award citation was a complete fabrication. This is not to suggest that LT Murphy's citation is also a complete fabrication, but simply to point out that awards citations are often biased historically. To date the only published accounts of Operation Red Wings based on actual intelligence reports are those by Ed Darack.

LT Murphy's father accuses Luttrell of lying about his son putting the decision to kill or release the goatherder to a vote, saying the tale dishonors the memory of his son and contradicts the version that Luttrell told the elder Murphy personally. A Naval Special Warfare Command spokesman, when asked whether putting an important decision to a vote is normal or accepted practice in the SEAL community, Ruh replied: “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anything put to a vote like that. In my 14 years of Navy experience, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that.” In reaction to this, Lutrell has stated that Lt. Murphy was not ceding command to his subordinates, but asking their opinions, and valuing the advice of his men, as would any good leader. The final decision was still very much in Lt. Murphy's hands.<ref name="armytimes.com">[http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/ Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission – Army News|News from Afghanistan & Iraq]. Army Times. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> Luttrell stated in his book “If you put me back in the same situation, I’d probably do the same thing again, if I didn’t know the outcome."<ref name="armytimes.com"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
|last = Darack
|first = Ed
|title = Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
|publisher = [[Berkley Hardcover]]
|year = 2009
|isbn = 0425226190 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Luttrell
|first = Marcus
|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]
|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
|publisher = [[Back Bay Books]]
|year = 2007
|isbn = 0316067598 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Williams
|first = Gary
|title = Seal of Honor: Operation Redwing and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN
|publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
|year = 2010
|isbn = 1591149576 }}

{{Afghanistan War|state=collapsed}}

{{coord missing|Afghanistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Wing}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 2005]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States]]
[[Category:Operations involving American special forces]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Taliban]]

[[es:Operación Alas Rojas]]
[[fr:Opération Red Wing]]

Operation Red Wings

2011-08-06T19:22:36Z

83.233.139.169: /* Failed rescue */

{{for|the 1956 series of U.S. nuclear tests|Operation Redwing}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Operation Red Wings
|partof=the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
|image=
|caption=
|date=June 28, 2005
|place= [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]]
|result = Taliban victory
|combatant1={{flag|United States}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban}} [[Taliban insurgency|Taliban insurgents]]
|commander1=LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]{{KIA}}<ref name=Book_Robinson>{{cite book|last = Luttrell|first = Marcus|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10|publisher = Back Bay Books|year = 2007|isbn = 0316067598 }}</ref> LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]{{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]]
|strength1=12 [[Navy SEALs]] 8 [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalkers]] additional helicopter crews 2 [[MH-47 Chinook]] 2 [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] 2 [[AH-64D Apache]] helicopters
|strength2=80–200 Insurgents <ref>[http://www.darack.com/victorypoint/ Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book VICTORY POINT in which they are comprehensively documented / Ed Darack]. Darack.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>
|casualties1= 19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down<ref name="cnn_asiapcf">{{cite web |date=July 4, 2005|url = http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/|title = Helicopter crash victims identified|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|casualties2= Unknown
}}
{{Campaignbox US war in Afghanistan}}
'''Operation Red Wings''' (also referred to as '''Operation Redwing''' and '''Operation Red Wing''') was a failed [[counter-insurgency|counter-insurgent]] mission in [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]], involving four members of the [[United States Navy SEALs]], which took place on June 28, 2005.

Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalker]] pilots) whose [[helicopter]] was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL.

==Initial Operation==
[[File:Operation Red Wing planning map.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The map given to the Navy SEALs detailing their mission.]]
On June 28, 2005, a four-man group from SEAL Team 10, led by LT [[Michael P. Murphy]] and consisting of petty officers [[Matthew Axelson]], [[Danny Dietz]] and [[Marcus Luttrell]], were on a mission to kill or capture [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], a [[Taliban]] leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers,"<ref name="osman">*{{cite book|last = Bahmanyar, Mir & Chris Osman|title = Seals: The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force|edition= October 21, 2008|publisher = Osprey Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yU8s6kvpmusC&pg=PA141| isbn= 1846032261|pages=141–144|date = 2008-10-21}}</ref> west of [[Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]].<ref name="armytimes_070618w"/><ref name="longwarjournal">{{cite web |date=April 17, 2008|url = http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php|title = Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout|publisher = long war journal| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Matt Dupee}}</ref>

The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

As the morning wore on, three local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,<ref name="townhall">{{cite web|accessdate=
|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2007/08/17/death_by_rules_of_engagement |title=Death by rules of engagement|author=West, Diane|date=August 17, 2007|publisher=TownHall.com}}</ref> Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "[[Liberal media bias|US liberal media]]" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit."<ref name="armytimes_070618w">{{cite web
|last = Naylor
|first = Sean D.
|title = Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission
|publisher = [[Army Times]]
|date = 2007-06-18
|url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
|accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders' goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders wherever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

==The firefight==
After letting the goatherds go, the team moved to their first observation point so as to throw off anyone attempting to intercept them at their old location. Here, Dietz continued attempts to reach HQ via radio for immediate extraction, but was continually unsuccessful. Approximately an hour after the goatherds disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 80–200 strong, causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position. The large variant in the number of opposing Taliban is due to differing accounts of the size of the enemy force. The team had been told that as many as 200 fighters could be protecting Shah, and according to Luttrell, the SEALS killed a significant number of enemy fighters during the subsequent engagement, however their numbers never seemed to diminish. This led Luttrell to believe they were receiving almost constant reinforcments.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="pritzkermilitarylibrary">{{cite web|accessdate=2008-12-10|url=http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/2008-05-19-marcus_luttrell.jsp |title=Interview with Luttrell|date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Pritzker Military Library]]}}</ref><ref name="irishabroad.com">{{cite web |date=October 17, 2007|url = http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/afghan-war-hero171007.aspx|title = Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero|publisher = irishabroad.com| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=April Drew}}</ref>

The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>
<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his [[cell phone]]. He was shot in the abdomen during the conversation.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="irishabroad.com" /> Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.

After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]], knocking him unconscious.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492_pf.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

==Failed rescue==
[[File:Navy SEALs in Afghanistan prior to Red Wing.jpg|thumb|Matthew G. Axelson, Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.]]
[[File:Kunar-booty-from-Op Red Wing.OGG|thumb|right|200px|Taliban video of captured American equipment being examined after the battle]]
One [[CH-47 Chinook#MH-47D|MH-47D]] helicopter, four [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] and two [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64D Longbows]] attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. The MH-47 helicopter, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Night Stalkers]], was shot down by a [[rocket propelled grenade]] shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a [[ravine]], killing all sixteen on board<ref name="rmn"/>. It was the deadliest day for [[Naval Special Warfare]] until the August 5th 2011 helicopter crash that killed 31 people, 22 of them being Navy SEALs<ref name="Daily Mail">{{ cite web |url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023123/Afghanistan-helicopter-crash-kills-31-US-troops-including-22-Seals.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |title = Afghanistan helicopter crash kills 31 troops including 22 SEALS | accessdate = 06-08-2011}}</ref>.

Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "''We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield.''"<ref name="msnbc_10619502">{{cite web |date=Dec. 27, 2005|url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10619502/|title = An interview with a Taliban commander|publisher = [[msnbc]]| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit}}</ref>

==Search and rescue==
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He stayed well hidden in a cleft of rock while the Taliban continued searching for him throughout the remainder of the day. He could hear enemy fighters close by, firing aimlessly into the underbrush, trying to drive him out, but they were never able to discover his location. [[AH-64 Apache]] and [[UH-60 Blackhawk]] helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced [[Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle]], that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.

As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked [[vertabrae]],<ref name="osman"/> Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day.<ref name=Book_Robinson/> He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa,<ref name="time1081394">{{cite news |date=Jul. 11, 2005|url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1081394,00.html|title = How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL|work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last= Tim Mcgirk}}</ref> who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.

Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team,<ref name="timesonline_article542369">{{cite news |date=July 10, 2005|url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article542369.ece|title = Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden|publisher = [[Times Online]]| accessdate = 2008-12-16|last=Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul }}</ref> and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.<ref name="rmn"/> A spokesman for the Taliban, [[Abdul Latif Hakimi|Mofti Latifollah Hakimi]], confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.<ref name="IntelCenter">{{cite book|last = IntelCenter| authorlink =|title = IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000–2007|edition= April 24, 2008|page= 646|publisher = Tempest Publishing, LLC| isbn= 0966543785}}</ref>

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2,<ref name="osman"/> the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached [[First Lieutenant]] Matt Bartels with his information.<ref>Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.</ref>

With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]".<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.

Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.<ref name="rmn">[[Rocky Mountain News]], "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005</ref>

== American casualties ==
[[File:Michael P. Murphy portrait.jpg|thumb|right|LT Michael P. Murphy, Medal of Honor Recipient.]]
{| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! style="width:190px;"|Name
! style="width:11px;"|Age
! Action
! style="width:190px;"|Hometown
|-
! colspan=4|[[United States Navy SEALs|SEALs]]
|-
|'''LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]'''|| 29 ||Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush||Patchogue, New York
|-
|'''STG2 [[Matthew Axelson]]'''|| 29 || Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush|| Cupertino, CA<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids">{{cite news |date=July 7, 2005|url = http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html|title = U.S. military searches for missing SEAL|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|-
|'''GM2 [[Danny Dietz]]'''|| 25 || Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush ||Littleton, Colorado<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids"/>
|-
|'''FCC [[Jacques J. Fontan]]'''|| 36 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| New Orleans, Louisiana
|-
|'''ITCS [[Daniel R. Healy]]|| 36|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Exeter, New Hampshire
|-
|'''LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]''' || 33|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || San Diego, California
|-
|'''ET1 [[Jeffery A. Lucas]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Corbett, Oregon
|-
|'''LT [[Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.]] || 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Portville, New York
|-
|'''QM2 [[James E. Suh]]'''|| 28 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Deerfield Beach, Florida
|-
|'''HM1 [[Jeffrey S. Taylor]]'''|| 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Midway, West Virginia
|-
|'''MM2 Shane E. Patton''' || 22 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Boulder City, Nevada
|-
! colspan=4|[[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]]<ref name="cnn_asiapcf"/>
|-
|'''SSgt. [[Shamus O. Goare]]'''|| 29 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Danville, Ohio
|-
|'''CWO3 [[Corey J. Goodnature]]'''|| 35 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
|-
|'''Sgt. [[Kip A. Jacoby]]'''|| 21 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Pompano Beach, Florida
|-
|'''SFC [[Marcus V. Muralles]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Shelbyville, Indiana
|-
|'''MSgt. [[James W. Ponder III]]'''|| 36 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Franklin, Tennessee
|-
|'''Maj. [[Stephen C. Reich]]'''|| 34 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Washington Depot, Connecticut.
|-
|'''SFC [[Michael L. Russell]]''' || 31 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Stafford, Virginia
|-
|'''CWO4 [[Chris J. Scherkenbach]]'''|| 40 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down ||Jacksonville, Florida
|}
[[File:Nightstalkers in Operation Red Wing.jpg|thumb|400px|Army plaque in memory of the fallen Night Stalkers]]

== Aftermath==
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the [[Navy Cross]] in a ceremony at the [[White House]]. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the battle.

In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with [[Pakistan]]i police in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout]. The Long War Journal (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>

On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a [[San Diego Padres]] game.<ref name="famonline">{{cite web |date=30 June 2008|url = http://www.famonline.org/component/content/article/17-operation-never-forget/8917-operation-never-forget|title = Operation: Never Forget|publisher = pub| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Families of American Military, Inc. }}</ref> In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the [[POW/MIA]] flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [http://cupertinoveteransmemorial.org/ Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=2008-11-19|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Matt Wilson }}</ref>

== Controversy ==
The unofficial but publicly-accepted account of Operation Red Wing is almost entirely based on the book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. Many in the SOF community, including SEALs, Army Special Forces, and others, have charged that Luttrell's account of the events is widely embellished and even accused him of lying and trying to profit from the deaths of the men killed in the operation. Other accounts exist which paint a very different picture than the one portrayed by Luttrell and his book. For example, Ed Darack, a military journalist published by the Marine Corps' Gazette and author of "Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan", describes the strength of the Taliban force at only 8–10, compared to the 200+ claimed by Luttrell in his book. Darack's estimate is based on a large amount of intelligence, including aerial and eye-witness studies of the battlefield after the fact, including the men sent in to rescue Luttrell, as well as HUMINT from Afghan intelligence.<ref>[http://www.marinecorpsgazette-digital.com/marinecorpsgazette/201101/?pg=65#pg65 Marine Corps Gazette – January 2011]. Marinecorpsgazette-digital.com (2010-12-14). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref><ref name="ricks">[http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/lone_survivor_smackdown 'Lone Survivor' smackdown – By Tom Ricks|The Best Defense]. Ricks.foreignpolicy.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In Luttrell's own official after-action report filed with his superiors after his rescue, he estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20–35. Official media reports from the military estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20 as well.

In the Medal of Honor citation for LT Mike Murphy, the Navy cited 30–40 enemies.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/oc.html Official Citation]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In the Summary of Action related to the same MOH, the Navy cites an "enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia".<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html Summary of Action]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In this case the Navy's own published accounts contradict one another. It is important to also understand that neither a Medal Of Honor citation or SOA are considered official or credible historical references. Awards are often a taboo subject but they can be highly political in nature and in many well-documented cases do not accurately reflect history or events as they actually occurred. In recent times an often-cited example of this is the Silver Star awarded posthumously to [[Pat Tillman]]. In the award citation Tillman is described as gallantly fighting against a superior number of enemy forces and bravely exposing himself to enemy fire so his team could reposition safely. The truth however is that he was tragically killed by friendly fire, an accident. Tillman's award citation was a complete fabrication. This is not to suggest that LT Murphy's citation is also a complete fabrication, but simply to point out that awards citations are often biased historically. To date the only published accounts of Operation Red Wings based on actual intelligence reports are those by Ed Darack.

LT Murphy's father accuses Luttrell of lying about his son putting the decision to kill or release the goatherder to a vote, saying the tale dishonors the memory of his son and contradicts the version that Luttrell told the elder Murphy personally. A Naval Special Warfare Command spokesman, when asked whether putting an important decision to a vote is normal or accepted practice in the SEAL community, Ruh replied: “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anything put to a vote like that. In my 14 years of Navy experience, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that.” In reaction to this, Lutrell has stated that Lt. Murphy was not ceding command to his subordinates, but asking their opinions, and valuing the advice of his men, as would any good leader. The final decision was still very much in Lt. Murphy's hands.<ref name="armytimes.com">[http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/ Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission – Army News|News from Afghanistan & Iraq]. Army Times. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> Luttrell stated in his book “If you put me back in the same situation, I’d probably do the same thing again, if I didn’t know the outcome."<ref name="armytimes.com"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
|last = Darack
|first = Ed
|title = Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
|publisher = [[Berkley Hardcover]]
|year = 2009
|isbn = 0425226190 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Luttrell
|first = Marcus
|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]
|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
|publisher = [[Back Bay Books]]
|year = 2007
|isbn = 0316067598 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Williams
|first = Gary
|title = Seal of Honor: Operation Redwing and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN
|publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
|year = 2010
|isbn = 1591149576 }}

{{Afghanistan War|state=collapsed}}

{{coord missing|Afghanistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Wing}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 2005]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States]]
[[Category:Operations involving American special forces]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Taliban]]

[[es:Operación Alas Rojas]]
[[fr:Opération Red Wing]]

Operation Red Wings

2011-06-13T12:04:53Z

83.233.139.169: /* Initial Operation */ Lt. Murphy did not command the entire ST-10

{{for|the 1956 series of U.S. nuclear tests|Operation Redwing}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Operation Red Wing
|partof=the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
|image=
|caption=
|date=June 28, 2005
|place= [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]]
|result= Taliban victory
|combatant1={{flag|United States}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban}} [[Taliban insurgency|Taliban]]
|commander1=LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]{{KIA}}<ref name=Book_Robinson>{{cite book|last = Luttrell|first = Marcus|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10|publisher = Back Bay Books|year = 2007|isbn = 0316067598 }}</ref> LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]{{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]]
|strength1=12 [[Navy SEALs]] 8 [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalkers]] additional helicopter crews 2 [[MH-47 Chinook]] 2 [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] 2 [[AH-64D Apache]] helicopters
|strength2=8–200 Insurgents <ref>[http://www.darack.com/victorypoint/ Operation Red Wings, Operation Whalers, and the book VICTORY POINT in which they are comprehensively documented / Ed Darack]. Darack.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>
|casualties1= 19 killed, 1 wounded, 1 Chinook helicopter shot down<ref name="cnn_asiapcf">{{cite web |date=July 4, 2005|url = http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/|title = Helicopter crash victims identified|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|casualties2= Unknown
}}
{{Campaignbox US war in Afghanistan}}
'''Operation Red Wing''' (also referred to as '''Operation Redwing''' and '''Operation Red Wings''') was a failed [[counter-insurgency|counter-insurgent]] mission in [[Kunar Province]], [[Afghanistan]], involving four members of the [[United States Navy SEALs]], which took place on June 28, 2005.

Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Night Stalker]] pilots) whose [[helicopter]] was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.<ref name="washingtonpost_AR2007061001492">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

[[Marcus Luttrell]], the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by local villagers who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL.

==Initial Operation==
[[File:Operation Red Wing planning map.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The map given to the Navy SEALs detailing their mission.]]
On June 28, 2005, a four-man group from SEAL Team 10, led by LT [[Michael P. Murphy]] and consisting of petty officers [[Matthew Axelson]], [[Danny Dietz]] and [[Marcus Luttrell]], were on a mission to kill or capture [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], a [[Taliban]] leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers,"<ref name="osman">*{{cite book|last = Bahmanyar, Mir & Chris Osman|title = Seals: The US Navy's Elite Fighting Force|edition= October 21, 2008|publisher = Osprey Publishing|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yU8s6kvpmusC&pg=PA141| isbn= 1846032261|pages=141–144|date = 2008-10-21}}</ref> west of [[Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]].<ref name="armytimes_070618w"/><ref name="longwarjournal">{{cite web |date=April 17, 2008|url = http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php|title = Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout|publisher = long war journal| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Matt Dupee}}</ref>

The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

As the morning wore on, three local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders,<ref name="townhall">{{cite web|accessdate=
|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DianaWest/2007/08/17/death_by_rules_of_engagement |title=Death by rules of engagement|author=West, Diane|date=August 17, 2007|publisher=TownHall.com}}</ref> Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "[[Liberal media bias|US liberal media]]" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit."<ref name="armytimes_070618w">{{cite web
|last = Naylor
|first = Sean D.
|title = Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission
|publisher = [[Army Times]]
|date = 2007-06-18
|url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
|accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders where ever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>

==The firefight==
After letting the goatherds go, the team moved to their first observation point so as to throw off anyone attempting to intercept them at their old location. Here, Dietz continued attempts to reach HQ via radio for immediate extraction, but was continually unsuccessful. Approximately an hour after the goatherds disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 8–200 strong, causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position. The large variant in the number of opposing Taliban is due to differing accounts of the size of the enemy force. The team had been told that as many as 200 fighters could be protecting Shah, and according to Luttrell, the SEALS killed a significant number of enemy fighters during the subsequent engagement, however their numbers never seemed to diminish. This led Luttrell to believe they were receiving almost constant reinforcments.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="pritzkermilitarylibrary">{{cite web|accessdate=2008-12-10|url=http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org/events/2008-05-19-marcus_luttrell.jsp |title=Interview with Luttrell|date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=[[Pritzker Military Library]]}}</ref><ref name="irishabroad.com">{{cite web |date=October 17, 2007|url = http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/afghan-war-hero171007.aspx|title = Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero|publisher = irishabroad.com| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=April Drew}}</ref>

The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.<ref name=Book_Robinson/>
<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com"/> After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his [[cell phone]]. He was shot in the abdomen during the conversation.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="irishabroad.com" /> Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.

After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a [[rocket-propelled grenade]], knocking him unconscious.<ref name="osman"/><ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492_pf.html|title=The Sole Survivor – A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor|publisher=Washington Post|first=Laura|last=Blumenfeld|date=2007-06-11|page=A01 }}</ref>

==Failed rescue==
[[File:Navy SEALs in Afghanistan prior to Red Wing.jpg|thumb|Matthew G. Axelson, Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Michael P. Murphy prior to the battle.]]
[[File:Kunar-booty-from-Op Red Wing.OGG|thumb|right|200px|Taliban video of captured American equipment being examined after the battle]]
One [[CH-47 Chinook#MH-47D|MH-47D]] helicopter, four [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Black Hawk]] and two [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64D Longbows]] attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. The MH-47 helicopter, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Night Stalkers]], was shot down by a [[rocket propelled grenade]] shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a [[ravine]], killing all sixteen on board<ref name="rmn"/> – the largest single loss of life for [[Naval Special Warfare]] since World War II.

Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "''We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield.''"<ref name="msnbc_10619502">{{cite web |date=Dec. 27, 2005|url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10619502/|title = An interview with a Taliban commander|publisher = [[msnbc]]| accessdate = 2008-12-10|last= Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit}}</ref>

==Search and rescue==
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He stayed well hidden in a cleft of rock while the Taliban continued searching for him throughout the remainder of the day. He could hear enemy fighters close by, firing aimlessly into the underbrush, trying to drive him out, but they were never able to discover his location. [[AH-64 Apache]] and [[UH-60 Blackhawk]] helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced Mk 12 rifle, that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.

As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked [[vertabrae]],<ref name="osman"/> Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day.<ref name=Book_Robinson/> He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa,<ref name="time1081394">{{cite news |date=Jul. 11, 2005|url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1081394,00.html|title = How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL|work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last= Tim Mcgirk}}</ref> who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah.<ref name=Book_Robinson/><ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.

Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team,<ref name="timesonline_article542369">{{cite news |date=July 10, 2005|url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article542369.ece|title = Downed US Seals may have got too close to Bin Laden|publisher = [[Times Online]]| accessdate = 2008-12-16|last=Tony Allen-Mills, Washington and Andrew North, Kabul }}</ref> and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed.<ref name="rmn"/> A spokesman for the Taliban, [[Abdul Latif Hakimi|Mofti Latifollah Hakimi]], confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.<ref name="IntelCenter">{{cite book|last = IntelCenter| authorlink =|title = IntelCenter Terrorism Incident Reference (TIR): Afghanistan: 2000–2007|edition= April 24, 2008|page= 646|publisher = Tempest Publishing, LLC| isbn= 0966543785}}</ref>

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2,<ref name="osman"/> the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached [[First Lieutenant]] Matt Bartels with his information.<ref>Darack, Ed. "Victory Point", 2009.</ref>

With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]".<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.

Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.<ref name="rmn">[[Rocky Mountain News]], "SEAL was Heritage grad", July 9, 2005</ref>

== American casualties ==
[[File:Michael P. Murphy portrait.jpg|thumb|right|LT Michael P. Murphy, Medal of Honor Recipient.]]
{| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! style="width:190px;"|Name
! style="width:11px;"|Age
! Action
! style="width:190px;"|Hometown
|-
! colspan=4|[[United States Navy SEALs|SEALs]]
|-
|'''LT [[Michael P. Murphy]]'''|| 29 ||Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush||Patchogue, New York
|-
|'''STG2 [[Matthew Axelson]]'''|| 29 || Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush|| Cupertino, CA<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids">{{cite news |date=July 7, 2005|url = http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html|title = U.S. military searches for missing SEAL|publisher = [[CNN News]]| accessdate = 2008-12-14}}</ref>
|-
|'''GM2 [[Danny Dietz]]'''|| 25 || Part of 4-Man Seal Team killed in an ambush ||Littleton, Colorado<ref name="cnn_afghan.ids"/>
|-
|'''FCC [[Jacques J. Fontan]]'''|| 36 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| New Orleans, Louisiana
|-
|'''ITCS [[Daniel R. Healy]]|| 36|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Exeter, New Hampshire
|-
|'''LCDR [[Erik S. Kristensen]]''' || 33|| Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || San Diego, California
|-
|'''ET1 [[Jeffery A. Lucas]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Corbett, Oregon
|-
|'''LT [[Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.]] || 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Portville, New York
|-
|'''QM2 [[James E. Suh]]'''|| 28 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Deerfield Beach, Florida
|-
|'''HM1 [[Jeffrey S. Taylor]]'''|| 30 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Midway, West Virginia
|-
|'''MM2 Shane E. Patton''' || 22 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Boulder City, Nevada
|-
! colspan=4|[[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]]<ref name="cnn_asiapcf"/>
|-
|'''SSgt. [[Shamus O. Goare]]'''|| 29 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Danville, Ohio
|-
|'''CWO3 [[Corey J. Goodnature]]'''|| 35 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
|-
|'''Sgt. [[Kip A. Jacoby]]'''|| 21 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Pompano Beach, Florida
|-
|'''SFC [[Marcus V. Muralles]]'''|| 33 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Shelbyville, Indiana
|-
|'''MSgt. [[James W. Ponder III]]'''|| 36 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Franklin, Tennessee
|-
|'''Maj. [[Stephen C. Reich]]'''|| 34 ||Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down|| Washington Depot, Connecticut.
|-
|'''SFC [[Michael L. Russell]]''' || 31 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down || Stafford, Virginia
|-
|'''CWO4 [[Chris J. Scherkenbach]]'''|| 40 || Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down ||Jacksonville, Florida
|}
[[File:Nightstalkers in Operation Red Wing.jpg|thumb|400px|Army plaque in memory of the fallen Night Stalkers]]

== Aftermath==
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the [[Navy Cross]] in a ceremony at the [[White House]]. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the battle.

In April 2008, [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]], who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with [[Pakistan]]i police in the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]].<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/_commander_ismail_im.php Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout]. The Long War Journal (2008-04-17). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>

On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a [[San Diego Padres]] game.<ref name="famonline">{{cite web |date=30 June 2008|url = http://www.famonline.org/component/content/article/17-operation-never-forget/8917-operation-never-forget|title = Operation: Never Forget|publisher = pub| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Families of American Military, Inc. }}</ref> In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the [[POW/MIA]] flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

A statue entitled ''The Guardians'' stands in the [http://cupertinoveteransmemorial.org/ Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park], in [[Cupertino, California]]. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.<ref name="mercurynews">{{cite web |date=2008-11-19|url = http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_11029009|title = Cupertino ceremony honors uniformed men and women|publisher = Cupertino Courier| accessdate = 2008-12-14|last=Matt Wilson }}</ref>

== Controversy ==
The unofficial but publicly-accepted account of Operation Red Wing is almost entirely based on the book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10" by Marcus Luttrell. Many in the SOF community, including SEALs, Army Special Forces, and others, have charged that Luttrell's account of the events is widely embellished and even accused him of lying and trying to profit from the deaths of the men killed in the operation. Other accounts exist which paint a very different picture than the one portrayed by Luttrell and his book. For example, Ed Darack, a military journalist published by the Marine Corps' Gazette and author of "Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan", describes the strength of the Taliban force at only 8–10, compared to the 200+ claimed by Luttrell in his book. Darack's estimate is based on a large amount of intelligence, including aerial and eye-witness studies of the battlefield after the fact, including the men sent in to rescue Luttrell, as well as HUMINT from Afghan intelligence.<ref>[http://www.marinecorpsgazette-digital.com/marinecorpsgazette/201101/?pg=65#pg65 Marine Corps Gazette – January 2011]. Marinecorpsgazette-digital.com (2010-12-14). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref><ref name="ricks">[http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/lone_survivor_smackdown 'Lone Survivor' smackdown – By Tom Ricks|The Best Defense]. Ricks.foreignpolicy.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In Luttrell's own official after-action report filed with his superiors after his rescue, he estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20–35. Official media reports from the military estimated the size of the Taliban force to be around 20 as well.

In the Medal of Honor citation for LT Mike Murphy, the Navy cited 30–40 enemies.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/oc.html Official Citation]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In the Summary of Action related to the same MOH, the Navy cites an "enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia".<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html Summary of Action]. Navy.mil (2005-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> In this case the Navy's own published accounts contradict one another. It is important to also understand that neither a Medal Of Honor citation or SOA are considered official or credible historical references. Awards are often a taboo subject but they can be highly political in nature and in many well-documented cases do not accurately reflect history or events as they actually occurred. In recent times an often-cited example of this is the Silver Star awarded posthumously to [[Pat Tillman]]. In the award citation Tillman is described as gallantly fighting against a superior number of enemy forces and bravely exposing himself to enemy fire so his team could reposition safely. The truth however is that he was tragically killed by friendly fire, an accident. Tillman's award citation was a complete fabrication. This is not to suggest that LT Murphy's citation is also a complete fabrication, but simply to point out that awards citations are often biased historically. To date the only published accounts of Operation Red Wings based on actual intelligence reports are those by Ed Darack.

LT Murphy's father accuses Luttrell of lying about his son putting the decision to kill or release the goatherder to a vote, saying the tale dishonors the memory of his son and contradicts the version that Luttrell told the elder Murphy personally. A Naval Special Warfare Command spokesman, when asked whether putting an important decision to a vote is normal or accepted practice in the SEAL community, Ruh replied: “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anything put to a vote like that. In my 14 years of Navy experience, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that.” In reaction to this, Lutrell has stated that Lt. Murphy was not ceding command to his subordinates, but asking their opinions, and valuing the advice of his men, as would any good leader. The final decision was still very much in Lt. Murphy's hands.<ref name="armytimes.com">[http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/ Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission – Army News|News from Afghanistan & Iraq]. Army Times. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref> Luttrell stated in his book “If you put me back in the same situation, I’d probably do the same thing again, if I didn’t know the outcome."<ref name="armytimes.com"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
|last = Darack
|first = Ed
|title = Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers – the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
|publisher = [[Berkley Hardcover]]
|year = 2009
|isbn = 0425226190 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Luttrell
|first = Marcus
|coauthors = [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]]
|title = Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
|publisher = [[Back Bay Books]]
|year = 2007
|isbn = 0316067598 }}
*{{cite book
|last = Williams
|first = Gary
|title = Seal of Honor: Operation Redwing and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN
|publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
|year = 2010
|isbn = 1591149576 }}

{{Afghanistan War|state=collapsed}}

{{coord missing|Afghanistan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Wing}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 2005]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States]]
[[Category:Operations involving American special forces]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Taliban]]

[[es:Operación Red Wings]]
[[fr:Opération Red Wing]]