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OFFICIAL NARRATIVE
In June of 2006, the 3rd Squadron of the 71st Cavalry Regiment (Recon), 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, prepared to execute Operation Gowardesh
Thrust, a Squadron size operation in the Gremen Valley, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.
The operation was designed to disrupt enemy operations in the Gremen Valley by
denying the enemy freedom of movement and the use of critical staging areas near the
border with Pakistan. The initial phase of the operation required a 16-man patrol to
infiltrate into the area of operations in advance of the Squadron's main effort.
The patrol, consisting of snipers, forward observers and scouts, would maneuver north
along a high ridgeline overlooking the Gremen Valley. From the high ground of the
ridge, the patrol would provide real-time intelligence and help direct fires against enemy
forces attempting to oppose the Squadron's main effort.
On the evening of June 17, 2006, a convoy transported the patrol to a pre-established
mortar firing position south of the village of Baz-Gal near the Gowardesh Bridge. The
following morning, the patrol infiltrated on foot from the mortar firing position into their
area of operation. For three days, the patrol moved north up the ridgeline through rugged
mountain terrain. Due to the difficulty of the climb and temperatures near 100 degrees,
the patrol moved mostly at night or in the early morning hours; stopping during the heat
of the day to observe the valley below.
On June 20, 2006, the patrol leaders, Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Cunningham and Staff
Sgt. Jared C. Monti, halted the patrol on the ridgeline of Mountain 2610, approximately 5
kilometers northwest of the village of Gowardesh. With an elevation of over 2600 meters,
Mountain 2610 commanded a view of several enemy known areas of interest, including
insurgent safe houses and the summer residence of Hadji Usman, an HIG commander,
who was a vetted Combined Joint Task Force 76 insurgent target.
Staff Sgt. Cunningham and Staff Sgt. Monti selected a flat area on top of the ridge
approximately 50 meters long and 20 meters wide, with a trail running along the eastern
edge. At the southern end of the position, there were several large rocks, a portion of an
old stone wall and a few small trees. The terrain sloped gradually upward to the north. At
the northern end of the patrol's position there was a line of dense vegetation composed of
trees, heavy brush and smaller rocks. In between the large rocks to the south and the tree
line to the north was a clearing approximately 40-50 meters in length. The terrain
dropped off steeply on the eastern and western sides of the position. The rocks and trees
around the position provided concealment and protection for the patrol as they observed
the valley more than 1,000 meters below.
The patrol spent the night of June 20, 2006, observing from their position on Mountain
2610. The following morning the patrol was dangerously low on both food and water. A
re-supply mission was scheduled for that day. The re-supply was originally coordinated
to occur in conjunction with the Squadron's main effort, which included a large air assault
into the Gremen Valley. The heavy helicopter traffic associated with the air assault
mission would have provided distraction for the re-supply; reducing the risk that the drop
would compromise the patrol's position. However, on the morning of June 21, 2006,
Monti and Cunningham learned that the Squadron operation had been pushed back until
June 24, 2006. The delay extended the patrol's mission by several days, making re-supply
critical; however, the absence of other aerial traffic increased the risk that the re-supply
would compromise the patrol. Because of the critical shortage of water, it was determined
that the re-supply would go forward as planned despite the risk of compromise.
The drop zone was located approximately 150 meters from the patrol's position. Staff Sgt.
Cunningham and Staff Sgt. Monti brought the majority of their patrol to the re-supply
drop zone to provide security and to transport the supplies back to the patrol's position. A
smaller group remained at the observation position to provide security and to continue to
survey the valley below. At approximately 1:30 in the afternoon, a UH-60 Black Hawk
delivered food and water to the patrol. The patrol secured the supplies and began
transporting them back to their observation position.
Spc. Max Noble, the patrol's medic, was one of the Soldiers who remained at the
observation position while the majority of the patrol picked up the re-supply. Spc. Noble
was using a spotting scope to look down into the valley. Prior to the patrol's return from
the re-supply drop, Noble observed a local national male in the valley using military style
binoculars to look up towards at the patrol's position. Spc. Noble informed Cunningham
and Monti as soon as they returned. They watched the man observing the patrol's position
for several minutes before he picked up a bag and walked away.
As dusk approached, the patrol established a security perimeter around their position and
scheduled guard rotations. The patrol members then divided up the supplies and prepared
for the night. Staff Sgt. Cunningham, Staff Sgt. Monti, and Sgt. John R. Hawes sat
behind one of the large rocks at the southern end of the patrol's position and discussing
courses of action in the event that their position had likely been compromised. Pfc. Brian
J. Bradbury, Pfc. Mark James, Pvt. Sean J. Smith, Spc. Matthew P. Chambers, Spc.
Shawn M. Heistand, and Spc. Franklin L. Woods were at the northern end of the position,
near the wood line. Sgt. Chris J. Grzecki, Spc. Noble, and Spc. John H. Garner were
along the trail on the eastern edge of the position using spotting scopes to monitor the
valley below.
In June of 2006, the 3rd Squadron of the 71st Cavalry Regiment (Recon), 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, prepared to execute Operation Gowardesh
Thrust, a Squadron size operation in the Gremen Valley, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.
The operation was designed to disrupt enemy operations in the Gremen Valley by
denying the enemy freedom of movement and the use of critical staging areas near the
border with Pakistan. The initial phase of the operation required a 16-man patrol to
infiltrate into the area of operations in advance of the Squadron's main effort.
The patrol, consisting of snipers, forward observers and scouts, would maneuver north
along a high ridgeline overlooking the Gremen Valley. From the high ground of the
ridge, the patrol would provide real-time intelligence and help direct fires against enemy
forces attempting to oppose the Squadron's main effort.
On the evening of June 17, 2006, a convoy transported the patrol to a pre-established
mortar firing position south of the village of Baz-Gal near the Gowardesh Bridge. The
following morning, the patrol infiltrated on foot from the mortar firing position into their
area of operation. For three days, the patrol moved north up the ridgeline through rugged
mountain terrain. Due to the difficulty of the climb and temperatures near 100 degrees,
the patrol moved mostly at night or in the early morning hours; stopping during the heat
of the day to observe the valley below.
On June 20, 2006, the patrol leaders, Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Cunningham and Staff
Sgt. Jared C. Monti, halted the patrol on the ridgeline of Mountain 2610, approximately 5
kilometers northwest of the village of Gowardesh. With an elevation of over 2600 meters,
Mountain 2610 commanded a view of several enemy known areas of interest, including
insurgent safe houses and the summer residence of Hadji Usman, an HIG commander,
who was a vetted Combined Joint Task Force 76 insurgent target.
Staff Sgt. Cunningham and Staff Sgt. Monti selected a flat area on top of the ridge
approximately 50 meters long and 20 meters wide, with a trail running along the eastern
edge. At the southern end of the position, there were several large rocks, a portion of an
old stone wall and a few small trees. The terrain sloped gradually upward to the north. At
the northern end of the patrol's position there was a line of dense vegetation composed of
trees, heavy brush and smaller rocks. In between the large rocks to the south and the tree
line to the north was a clearing approximately 40-50 meters in length. The terrain
dropped off steeply on the eastern and western sides of the position. The rocks and trees
around the position provided concealment and protection for the patrol as they observed
the valley more than 1,000 meters below.
The patrol spent the night of June 20, 2006, observing from their position on Mountain
2610. The following morning the patrol was dangerously low on both food and water. A
re-supply mission was scheduled for that day. The re-supply was originally coordinated
to occur in conjunction with the Squadron's main effort, which included a large air assault
into the Gremen Valley. The heavy helicopter traffic associated with the air assault
mission would have provided distraction for the re-supply; reducing the risk that the drop
would compromise the patrol's position. However, on the morning of June 21, 2006,
Monti and Cunningham learned that the Squadron operation had been pushed back until
June 24, 2006. The delay extended the patrol's mission by several days, making re-supply
critical; however, the absence of other aerial traffic increased the risk that the re-supply
would compromise the patrol. Because of the critical shortage of water, it was determined
that the re-supply would go forward as planned despite the risk of compromise.
The drop zone was located approximately 150 meters from the patrol's position. Staff Sgt.
Cunningham and Staff Sgt. Monti brought the majority of their patrol to the re-supply
drop zone to provide security and to transport the supplies back to the patrol's position. A
smaller group remained at the observation position to provide security and to continue to
survey the valley below. At approximately 1:30 in the afternoon, a UH-60 Black Hawk
delivered food and water to the patrol. The patrol secured the supplies and began
transporting them back to their observation position.
Spc. Max Noble, the patrol's medic, was one of the Soldiers who remained at the
observation position while the majority of the patrol picked up the re-supply. Spc. Noble
was using a spotting scope to look down into the valley. Prior to the patrol's return from
the re-supply drop, Noble observed a local national male in the valley using military style
binoculars to look up towards at the patrol's position. Spc. Noble informed Cunningham
and Monti as soon as they returned. They watched the man observing the patrol's position
for several minutes before he picked up a bag and walked away.
As dusk approached, the patrol established a security perimeter around their position and
scheduled guard rotations. The patrol members then divided up the supplies and prepared
for the night. Staff Sgt. Cunningham, Staff Sgt. Monti, and Sgt. John R. Hawes sat
behind one of the large rocks at the southern end of the patrol's position and discussing
courses of action in the event that their position had likely been compromised. Pfc. Brian
J. Bradbury, Pfc. Mark James, Pvt. Sean J. Smith, Spc. Matthew P. Chambers, Spc.
Shawn M. Heistand, and Spc. Franklin L. Woods were at the northern end of the position,
near the wood line. Sgt. Chris J. Grzecki, Spc. Noble, and Spc. John H. Garner were
along the trail on the eastern edge of the position using spotting scopes to monitor the
valley below.
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