1
( Birds chirping )
- ( Soldier panting )
- Soldier #2: You all right?
( Radio chatter)
Soldier over radio:
3-6, go ahead.
Soldier #2:
Roger, we're set in.
Got security set up. Over.
Soldier #1: Roger.
We're gonna start down.
( Radio chatter)
Yeah, prepare to copy,
my group.
Soldier:
Send it.
Whiskey Delta 9-1
430, break.
- 5-2903.
- 5-2903.
( Chattering )
( Soldier speaking over broken
transmission )
Soldier: Behind the sacks,
there's ammunitions.
Soldier: Sergeant Byrne,
they're getting ammunition
from the house right now.
Soldier over radio:
3-3, this is 3-6.
Go ahead and move down.
Soldier #2:
Roger, we're moving. Over.
Soldier #3:
That's a good copy, 3-6 out.
Soldier: We're not going
to get any closer standing here.
Soldier over radio:
3-3-3, this is 3-6.
Whenever you guys are ready,
go ahead and push up.
- Soldier: Let's roll out!
- Soldier #2: Come on!
( Pulsating explosions )
- Soldier: Oh!
- ( Soldier #2 grunting )
Soldier over radio:
3-6, this is 3-2.
I need you
down here now, over.
Go there, start callin'
a 914, right now!
Spread out
and find your cover.
( Machine gun firing )
- Hey, what are you doing?
- Take these guys...
- Roger!
- You guys have to move him.
- Let's go.
- Let's grab that weapon.
I need you to stop
this bleeding
- as soon as we got here.
- I got it.
- Let's go, boys. Move. Move.
- Soldier: Move, move, move.
- Let's get a head count.
- Soldier: Keep going.
- Nice...
- Almost there, almost there.
- Estevez?
- Keep going, keep going.
Soldier:
Let's go, guys. Keep moving.
- Keep going, guys.
- Smith?
- Keep going.
- McKean?
Almost there.
Let's go, all the way up.
Soldier:
Fuck, I'm missing one.
- (Explosion)
- Go, go, go, go!
- Go, go.
- Where's he at?
( Distant gunfire )
( Explosion )
Soldier: LT, stay in the middle.
Spread out.
All right?
Spread out. Stay spread.
That way if he shoots again,
he only gets one of us.
- ( Gunfire continues )
- Stay spread.
Fuck.
( Birds chirping )
Soldier over radio:
We're pretty much
in an L shape right now, over.
Okay, roger.
Just make sure
we keep
that right flank security.
We got guys flanking hard
on your right flank.
Soldier over radio:
Roger, I copy.
Guys flanking hard
on our flank.
Roger. You're about
to get the brunt of it, over.
Come on, come on.
All right, let's go.
Soldier:
Go, go, go!
- Get on line!
- Contact! Contact!
Someone better flex...
flex right.
Immediately,
flex right.
Immediately,
flex right.
Right there,
right there.
Get that saw up!
( All firing )
Soldier:
Hey, cease fire. Cease fire!
Soldier #2:
Cease fire.
Hold up!
- Everybody stop!
- Soldier: Hey!
Soldier over radio:
Index, index.
Index.
End of exercise.
( Chattering )
Soldier:
We gotta figure something out.
Eran Harrill:
Barber, are you missing a lens?
Yeah, I got
my dark eye pro on me.
In your glasses,
are you missing a lens?
Barber:
Yeah.
You're missing a lens?
He is, yeah.
Barber: I can see
out of this one
more than I can this one.
Is that your firing eye?
How'd you lose a lens?
Barber:
My glasses were already broken
and while I was getting
my dark Eye Pro out,
the movement and the contact,
last iteration, it fell out.
So we're talking
a week and a half ago.
Barber:
Roger.
Eran Harrill:
Goodness gracious, Barber.
You have other glasses
you wear at home?
- Maybe.
- So now you're missing a lens.
That means when you go back
to civilian life,
you're still going
to be missing a lens, right?
- Yes, sergeant.
- Gosh, man.
This isn't a military thing.
Guys, individual things.
You have
to fucking correct that.
Like, your own self.
You have to be like, "Eh,
"when I go back, I'm only
going to have one lens.
"I got work.
I got other things...
I gotta drive."
- You hear what I'm saying?
- Yes, sergeant.
I shouldn't have
to preach to you guys
how to be grown men.
And that's what I'm...
this conversation
is just teaching you
how to be a grown man.
It has nothing to do
with military.
Gentlemen, nobody's going
to fucking care about you
more than you.
So if you don't care
about you,
and we're not tracking on it.
We're not going to push you
'cause we don't know.
- Make sense?
- All: Yes, Sergeant.
All right.
Harrill: What happened
with Barber at training,
I mean, is unacceptable.
But for me
as a leader,
something
that I have to correct.
Being a citizen soldier,
we all have
our civilian obligations
that we have in addition
to our military duties.
For instance, on this
last appointment myself,
I was a marketing director.
Colt Floyd was a combatives
and weapons instructor.
Damon Leehan was an X-ray tech
at a hospital.
Jared Colson
was a correctional officer.
Mycal Prince
was a police officer.
He was the first K9 officer
of his precinct.
Tyler Brown
was a mechanic.
So you have this whole group
of diverse individuals
who on the civilian side,
are doing regular,
normal, everyday stuff.
But now,
six months later,
they're on the side
of a mountain
fighting alongside
each other
in some of the worst conditions
that you can think of.
What's up, man?
So today I'm getting together
with Colt Floyd and Tyler Brown,
two guys that I deployed
with back in 2011.
I'm gonna throw some burgers on.
You guys want some brats too?
- Absolutely.
- All right.
For me,
one thing that I always felt
like I got in for was
to deploy at some point in time.
So then to have an opportunity
to get on this one
with the Guard seemed like
another natural thing.
I don't think
it still really hit me,
you know... we're actually
going on deployment,
going to Afghanistan,
gonna be in some tough stuff.
And even up to Shelby...
my impression of Shelby
when we got there was just,
like, you gotta be kidding me.
You know?
"This is gonna
get us ready for war?"
Yeah... "This is gonna
get us ready for war?"
Harrill: Hattiesburg
is just a tad bit different
from Afghanistan
- and Laghman Province.
- Soldier: Poquito.
- ( Soldiers laughing )
- Soldier: Just a little.
Take away the mountains,
it was the same.
Take away the mountains,
it was the exact same thing.
Soldier over radio:
All right, fire, boys,
and engage your target.
Engage your target.
Colt Floyd: Camp Shelby
sucked for the terrain aspect.
But we had a lot of time
to really build
that platoon relationship,
you know,
amongst ourselves.
( All laughing )
That's where the whole bond
starts... right there.
You know, Shelby...
that's where it really
all started.
Soldier:
Set him down, set him down!
Harrill: I remember one day,
Sergeant Wolff
had everybody grab
LT Leehan
and dunk him in the mud
as an introductory
to being first platoon's
platoon leader.
Cameraman:
Leehan, still smiling.
No, get him!
Get him!
( All laughing )
- Aw, man!
- All right, everybody down.
Harrill: Just the way
that LT Leehan handled that
really personified
the camaraderie we would have
and the brotherhood
that would be necessary
to get to the deployment.
Cameraman:
Smile for the camera!
Welcome
to First Platoon, sir.
All: Oooh!
- All right.
- ( All applauding )
Yeah, I'd say Leehan
helped me the most
because I felt kind of lost
first coming in.
My first drill with you guys
was in January
right before we left.
The next thing I remember
is us being told,
"Hey, we're only taking
two platoons to Najil."
And we ended up going in
way under-manned.
Harrill: This being
my first deployment,
I definitely looked up
to several individuals
for leadership
and guidance.
LT Leehan was one of them.
Sergeant Erik Wolff
and Sergeant Colson.
Sergeant Colson
wasn't your typical leader.
Tons of experience
and the most absurd appetite.
He'd always have food.
Jared Colson: 15 years
I've been doing this.
I've been through a lot
of fucking life experiences
that shape the way
I look at things,
that change my outlook,
my views, my perspectives,
the way I problem solve.
That's one thing
that the Guard is able
to do very effectively.
We're able to look
at things practically
and not just according
to a manual.
Does that make sense?
We'd heard
that we were going
to be walking
into a firestorm in Najil.
We'd heard stories
about Najil.
We'd heard it was
a hot area.
So we were prepared.
We were prepared
to walk into a shitstorm.
( Rock music playing )
Harrill: COB Najil,
our new home
for the next
10, 11 months.
( Man chanting prayer
over loudspeaker )
Harrill: So I'll never forget,
4:00 in the morning hits
and they start
their call to prayer.
It's all you could hear.
It was just silent
other than that.
And that was kind of...
that was kind of freaky.
( Prayer song continues )
The first full day,
we had our first mission
to go to the cell tower.
We quickly learned
that the cell towers
would be a huge focus point
for the Taliban.
Tyler Brown:
I had a sit-down
with the outgoing
platoon leader.
He told me time and time
again... he's like,
"They're out there.
You get to this point,
you're gonna get hit.
You get to that point,
you're gonna get hit."
You just kind of have
this eerie feeling
like you're being watched.
Floyd: Then enemy
maneuver pretty quick
on those mountains.
They've been running
those mountains
for years and years.
They can have high ground
on you in a pretty quick time.
That's pretty scary.
Harrill:
How much further do we got?
Colson:
See, right up there.
Come on, you got
about 200 meters.
Harrill:
I can do this.
( Breathing heavily )
Harrill:
Nobody shot at us.
We was just hot as shit
and that was it.
Hold on, hold on, hold on.
I feel like
I'm about to puke.
Colson: Yeah, well,
welcome to Afghanistan.
You good to make it
over to that cell tower?
Harrill: Yeah, I'll make it.
I'll make it.
Colson: All right.
Sip water. Sip some water.
Harrill:
All right, all right.
It's just so mountainous.
It's so mountainous.
Everywhere is up.
( Chuckles )
Everywhere you walk is up.
Harrill:
We went back to the COB
and had tacos or whatever
we had that day
and wrapped it up
and called it a night.
Brown: It was a good
amount of time
where it was just
dead nothing.
We'd go out on patrols
and no traffic
for almost a good month.
Jordan Alex:
Come on. Get closer to him.
Get set, go!
Get closer to him.
Come on, Floyd!
Come on, Floyd!
Aw, Floyd's down!
Floyd's down.
Whoa!
Mycal Prince: Alex and his
new pet monkey.
He's cleaning my head.
Is he getting bugs
out of my hair?
Yeah.
They were watching us.
They made us feel comfortable.
And maybe we got
too comfortable.
Prince: Hey, that monkey
really likes you.
How long do you think
it will take...
He's got his nuts
on my neck.
Floyd:
I may or may not
have been
commentating a little bit.
Okay, so we're back here
live on location.
- Lieutenant Leehan.
- This is good...
Floyd:
We've got Prince on station.
Prince:
Ready?
Let's blow
this fighting position.
Go.
- Whoo-hoo!
- ( Guns firing)
I love Afghanistan!
One more! One more!
Who didn't pull their pin?
Soldier:
Who didn't pull their pin?
It's still there.
Let's do it again.
Yep, I got one more.
I've got three more.
Floyd: What's your
assessment of this, Prince?
I like it. I'm having fun.
Floyd:
Like it?
Here. You gotta grab...
( Grunts )
Come on!
( All laughing )
Really?
Oh, shit!
Harrill:
For that first month,
everything was silent.
We didn't see the enemy,
we didn't hear
the enemy.
It felt like it was
just my brothers and me
alone in the mountains.
You know, war...
war is boring
until it's punctured
by these moments
or heart-stopping terror.
July 11... that's a date
that I'll never forget.
The Main Element was going
to do a Key Leader Engagement
just south of Tili.
We were selected
to the overwatch position
for that mission.
Tyler Brown;
Punisher Base, 3-6.
Be advised, SP time now.
Got 1-3 US PAX.
Hey, Alpha, spread out.
Harrill: Hey, don't bunch
it up back there.
Keep your distance.
In Afghanistan, the one thing
that was very important
to to always
maintain the high ground.
Colson: It's hard to get
high ground in Afghanistan
because in that country,
there's always higher ground.
Keep your distance.
Typically, that higher ground
is occupied by the enemy.
Harrill:
Head on a swivel, guys.
Colson: We moved
into our OP position.
There wasn't shit for cover
and concealment.
2-1 Alpha, for 2-1.
Be advised,
our element is in position.
How copy, over.
We would do Key Leader
Engagements
with the village leaders
or the elders.
Lieutenant Leehan
would have us all stay back.
I would even stay back
and I'm always
by his side.
Wagoner:
There's Leehan crossing.
Harrill: All right,
let's stay alert.
Wagoner:
Keep your eyes peeled.
He'd be the one walking
up to that key leader
and introducing himself
to let them know
that we're here,
we're friends.
We want to get
the Taliban out of the area.
Looks like we need
to wrap it up.
Leehan:
Basically, our mission
was to come meet
with the village mayor.
Link up with him,
see what kind of actions
had been going on
as far as Taliban
or any insurgency.
So we came out,
I talked to him,
asked him for things
that they...
he may need for the village.
He told us
he needed security.
It developed from there
that they had some
suspicious-looking people
that he did
not know well
that were living
within the village.
Cameraman:
Okay, is there anything else
you'd like to add, sir?
All right,
appreciate you doing this.
Soldier over radio:
2-2 Bravo 7, please.
201 to get all
these people...
Soldier #2:
Main Element returned.
Excellent, excellent.
Once we get those heights,
we'll turn around and go in.
Harrill:
Yo, you hear that?
Brown:
Hear what?
Where the fuck
did that come from?
( Distant gunfire )
Colson:
Contact, contact, contact!
Brown:
Get down, get down, get down!
It's coming from
the other side of the river!
Lyon, you good?
Gore, you good?
Whoa! Get over here.
Get over here.
Harrill:
Hey! Hey!
Contact! Contact!
Over here!
What went through my mind
was, Holy shit,
that's a machine gun.
And I just threw my stuff down,
you know, hit the ground,
and started returning fire.
Colson: We started taking fire
from three different points
on the high ground.
The mountains...
three different angles.
In that vill!
In that vill!
Hey, right here!
Right here! Right here!
Contact over here!
Brown: Right there on top
of that big spur!
Colson:
That draw right there.
That's the first time
I heard the sound...
( Imitates bullet whistling )
Bullets are impacting
this giant boulder.
And it becomes
immediately clear
that I'm not being guarded
by the rock,
I'm guarding the rock.
Fragments chipping away
in front of our faces.
( Grunts )
Colson: Damn it,
where is that coming from?
Harrill: Hey, I'm in a bad spot!
I've got to move.
It was very clear
at that point
that we were
kind of sitting ducks.
And we needed to move.
LT Brown spotted
a kind of a courtyard
that was down the mountain.
The problem was
just a straight run
and a prayer down a mountain
that offered no protection.
Brown: Hey, listen,
we gotta bound back, all right?
Harrill: LT just looks at us
and he goes,
"When I say go, go."
Brown:
Hey, pick out a spot!
Know where you're going
before you get up!
As soon as we start shooting,
go, all right?
Colson:
Hey, cover us, cover us.
Brown:
I've got you covered! Go!
Colson:
Go! Go! Go! Go!
Brown: Go, go, move it!
Let's go!
Let's go, Bravo!
Let's go!
- ( Gunfire continues )
- Move, move, move!
Harrill:
Hey, hurry up! Hurry up!
Brown: Hey, let me know
when you guys are set!
We're gonna come
in after y'all!
Harrill:
Bravo set, Bravo set.
Colson:
Set!
Brown: I had
the other guys move first
and I was the last one
to go.
I already had a rock
picked out before I got up.
Hey, I'm moving back!
I'm moving back!
Harrill:
Get behind that rock.
Brown: The rounds
were just flying by us
left and right.
A round just went
right by my face.
( Bullet zinging )
Brown:
Whoo!
Brown:
All right, set!
2-7, 2-7, this is 3-6.
Harrill:
Come and boogie!
Brown: We're about halfway
back to you, all right?
Brown: We finally
made it to cover.
Everybody was okay.
And while the guys
were laying down fire,
I was calling back
to the COB
trying to work in air support.
Five seconds.
Ooh, that was quick.
Brown:
Hey, bomb's inbound.
( Exploding )
Soldier:
Yeah!
Hell! Viper 1-6, Viper 1-6,
that's a good impact.
Break, break.
Hector two fours, two eight.
Harrill: It was definitely
life or death.
I mean,
there was no way
we were getting out
of that situation
any other way
outside of the air support.
LT Brown,
leadership ability
was really telling
at that point.
Here he is,
a young second lieutenant.
He had no more war experience
than most of us.
But yet, when he spoke,
there was no question
we all knew
that he had made the decision
and that's what
we were going to do.
Brown: That definitely
changed everybody
right then and there
within a matter
of seconds.
Colson:
Later on in the deployment,
we would patrol the area.
We would patrol that road.
And I would look back
on that high ground...
that OP
that we had occupied.
And I thought to myself,
How the fuck
did none of us
get waxed that day?
You know what I mean?
How did none of us die?
It was either
sheer coincidence,
luck,
divine providence,
however you want
to look at it.
But somebody should have
died that day.
Somebody should have died.
And if the tables
were turned,
if it was us that occupied
those high-ground positions,
we would have waxed
every single one of them.
After that, all hell
just broke loose.
( Helicopter blades whirring )
Brown:
The Mayal Valley was okay
until you got
to a certain point.
And as soon as
you hit Kandahar, Parmawan,
you knew shit
was going to hit the fan.
We were headed
to that area to get 'em
to come out and fight.
Up to that point,
we were having a hard time
identifying where these guys
were shooting from.
- ( Gunfire )
- ( Soldier shouts )
( Shouting continues )
Brown: At first,
it was only small arms fire.
And then an RPG
hits the turret
with my platoon
sergeant in it.
- ( Gun fires )
- Byrne: Oh, shit.
That was right
over my head!
Hey, I just received fire
from our 3:00.
Right over my head.
- ( Gunfire continues )
- Come on!
- ( Crashing )
- ( Soldier shouts )
Sergeant Byrne's...
turret in his vehicle
was blown to shreds.
They call it over the radio,
you know...
"We think his arm's broke.
The turret's off the truck."
Move it, let's go!
Harrill: So we get called
out to plus them up
and provide extra security.
By the time that we got out
to their position,
bombs had already
been dropped
to defuse the situation.
And at that time,
Lieutenant Brown
had got the call
from command
to do a BDA...
a Battle Damage Assessment.
Brown:
2-1 Bravo, 3-6.
Go for 2-1, Bravo.
Brown:
Hey, 2-1 Bravo,
can you get with
your 2-6 element?
I need you guys to push up
and conduct a BDA
where that bomb just hit.
Harrill: Hey, roger,
that's a good copy.
2-1 Bravo out.
Colson:
3-6, 2-1 Alpha, over.
Brown:
This is 3-6. Go ahead.
Colson:
Roger. Be advised,
we're Oscar Mike, over.
Brown: Roger that.
I need you guys
to hurry
as fast as possible.
Colson:
Roger.
Colson:
We found the best route
we could up the mountain.
It was rugged terrain.
Soldier:
They better hurry up
before we get
our truck blown up.
Floyd: There's always
a sense of urgency.
Just think about those trucks
being stopped.
Immediately,
they're soft targets.
Brown: It was just
a matter of time, I felt,
before an RPG was just
going to rip through the side
of the vehicle.
Soldier:
That corn is way too close
for my comfort, brother.
There's something moving
in that cornfield, man.
Soldier #2: All right,
keep your eyes peeled.
Keep your eyes peeled.
( Bullet zinging,
glass breaking )
Solder:
What was that?
Soldier over radio:
100 meters.
That was an RPG!
Soldier: Vehicle just
got hit by an RPG!
Harrill:
Fuck.Fuck.
( Gunfire )
We need those guys
down here now!
Brown: 2-1 Bravo,
2-1 Bravo. This is 3-6.
Harrill:
3-6 go for 2-1 Bravo.
Brown:
Be advised,
we're under
heavy contact down here.
I need you guys
to hurry up.
Harrill: Roger.
We're moving out now.
Alex: We gotta move.
We gotta move.
We can't stay here.
Soldier:
I can't!
- ( Gunfire )
- Soldier #2: Move forward,
move forward!
- It's blocked.
- Move forward!
Soldier over radio:
200 meters.
Prince: In that cornfield
right there!
Soldier:
Hey, who found us?
Driver, move! Move!
Harrill:
Sir, how are we getting down?
- ( Bullet zinging)
- Harrill: Contact! Contact!
- Where is it?
- Colson: Shh. Hey, hey.
Shut up, shut up.
Let's move down
in that ravine right there
and reconsolidate
from there. Roger?
- Harrill: Yeah, roger.
- All right, get your guys.
Damn, I'm out.
I'm out. I need more rounds.
I need another round
of ammo.
There is was,
an RPG right beside us.
- RPG... oh!
- Damn it!
Brown: Roger. I'm feeling
this is a serious kick.
We need air support
like an hour ago, over.
Soldier:
Fuck me!
( Gunfire continues )
Colson: We ran into
about a 35-foot drop-off.
Just straight down...
straight drop-off.
Harrill: There was only one
way that we were going
to leave that mountain.
And that was jumping
down this... this cliff.
( Harrill panting )
We can't go down that.
Colson:
There's enemy combatants
on the other side
of this ridge over here
firing down on the village.
We gotta go down.
- We gotta go down.
- Harrill: Okay.
How are we going
to do that?
Colson:
We gotta shed our gear.
Brown: The whole time
we were sitting there,
rounds were just coming off
left and right.
But there was no way
we were leaving
until we
got those guys down.
( All shouting )
Byrne:
There's muzzle flashes coming
from all over
that fucking cornfield.
Floyd: It's jammed again.
I hate this thing. Shit.
Just had a round crack
over my head
and this thing's jammed.
Argh! It's jammed.
Hey, Sergeant Byrne,
it's jammed.
Soldier: All right,
take it easy. Take it easy.
Soldier #2:
Take it slow, take it slow.
Harrill: Thank you...
shit, shit, shit, shit!
Oh!
Floyd: Oh, it's not...
it's not fucking moving!
Why the fuck is this piece
of shit not working?
Fuck it.
( Fires )
Oh, God. Shit.
- Oh my...
- Colson: You good?
I'm good.
I'm gonna be all right.
My hand's fucked up.
Colson:
Hey, everybody good?
- Yeah.
- Any broken bones?
Nah.
All right, come on.
Let's go.
Harrill: 3-6, 2-1 Bravo,
we have all made it
down the cliff
and suited back up.
We are now headed back
towards your direction,
towards the truck
on the road. How copy.
Air support's on their way.
Here come the birds!
( Radio chatter)
Soldier:
Fuck yeah.
Let's air support
this bitch.
Colson:
Yeah!
Well, you know,
that's what happens
when people shoot at you.
Fuck.
Floyd: 2-1 Bravo,
what's your location?
Harrill: Roger.
We're coming up
right behind you
in the truck right now.
Floyd: Roger.
See if maybe you can
hurry it up a little bit.
You guys are kinda taking
your sweet time. Over.
Harrill:
Roger that. 3-2.
I'm trying to get back
for Taco Tuesday as well.
How copy-
Floyd:
Yeah, roger. 3-2 out.
Harrill: We all made it...
we all made it off the cliff.
Colson: I remember thinking
after I came home,
I swore to myself
I was never going
to climb another flight
of fucking stairs
for the rest of my life.
I was gonna take the elevator
everywhere I went
just 'cause I was
so damn tired of climbing.
When I commissioned,
I had two contracts
sitting in front of me...
the Fires brigade
and the Infantry brigade.
So I'm sitting
across the desk
from the female
that was there.
And she's like,
"All right,
you get 10 grand
to go to the Fires brigade.
But you have to give it up
to go to the Infantry brigade."
That was the first time
I had heard that...
that I had to give up
my bonus.
And I was like,
"Gosh dang."
But I wanted to go
to Ranger school,
so, you know, I picked...
I picked the Infantry.
Looking back on it now,
like, do you ever think
to yourself, "I should've
took the 10 grand"?
No, no, never, man.
I don't... I don't regret
giving that up.
Not one second.
I wouldn't trade it
for nothing.
( Man chanting prayer
over loudspeaker )
Harrill: On the morning
of August 14th,
we were sent on a mission
to do convoy security
for a support company.
Our mission
was to move supplies
up to Alingar District Center.
Along Route Iowa.
Erik Wolff: All Red elements,
all Red elements,
let's go ahead
and move out.
We have been cleared
to continue mission, over.
Wagoner: On the way to the FOB,
we had some intense talks
in that truck.
I remember
Lieutenant Leehan telling us
that he got off the phone
with his daughter
I believe the night
before that.
Her pet passed away
and so he was dealing
with that.
And he just...
he wanted to be there
to help with his daughter
and give her the support.
Hey, guys.
What are you up to?
I am... I'm in a truck.
Army truck.
Anyways, I thought
I'd give you guys a video.
Just say hi
and I miss you guys.
Love you.
Anyway, I'll talk to you later.
Love you, bye.
Wolff: On the way up
to Alingar District Center,
we had no issues.
No sights,
no true intel
of any possible lEDs
being set up.
Wagoner: The IED threat...
it was always there for us.
You're just anticipating
that detonation
on your truck.
- ( Thumping )
- Whoa, whoa.
Wolff: We arrived
at the Alingar DC on time.
Echo Company
off-loaded their trucks.
Wagoner: Unloading took
a little bit longer
than we thought we really
needed to get out.
So Lieutenant Leehan
decided
that we were going
to be lead vehicle.
Hey, it's Daddy-
Just thought I'd say hi.
Hi, Ethan.
Hi, Ethan.
Love you, buddy.
All right.
Give your mom hell. Love you.
Wagoner: Being the first
in the convoy,
me and Lieutenant Leehan
would dismount,
do our checks
on certain areas.
If something didn't look right,
we would just get out,
check it,
and then if it was good,
we'd get back in
and drive off.
Wolff:
Red-1, this is Red-7.
Need you to go ahead
and halt the convoy. Break.
Wagoner:
Hold on, hold on.
Yeah, it's nothing good.
Wolff: Better go ahead
and get your dismounts out.
Need to go ahead
and start clearing the route
for lEDs.
Break.
Wagoner: MZ, if I were you,
I'd walk behind us.
- There you go.
- ( Radio chatter)
Wolff: Report anything
out of the ordinary
back up to me
and I will relay to Red-6
and up to Battalion, over.
Soldier over radio:
2-3 Alpha, this is 2-7.
- Leehan: See anything?
- I don't see anything.
- Just garbage?
- Yeah.
Soldier over radio:
Roger, Red-1, I copy.
Route's clear.
Go ahead and load up,
dismount,
and then continue
on the mission.
2-1 Bravo, this
is 2-3 Alpha. Over.
Wagoner: Leehan,
are we good to start moving?
Hey, start going.
You're good.
Leehan: He's got...
oh, he's got room, sir.
Soldier over radio:
2-2 Bravo 7...
...to get all
these people out...
if we can get them
to our location, over.
Leehan: Trying to get
some speed to get up the hill.
Hey, driver, when you stop,
man, you've got to try
to be aware
of your surroundings.
Wolff:
Red-6, Red-6...
( Explosion )
( Muffled shouting )
Soldier:
Oh, we're hit.
- IED.
- Soldier: Shit.
Wolff:
IED! IED! IED!
Hit the number one VIC!
Wolff: Red-6, Red-6,
This is Red-7, over.
Wolff: Red-6, Red-6,
This is Red-7, over.
( Shouting, clamoring )
( Radio beeping )
Wolff: Red-6, Red-6,
This is Red-7, over.
( Beeping )
Wolff:
Dismounts, I'm getting
negative response
from Red-6.
Wagoner: We were all buckled
in and hanging upside down
trying to think to yourself,
what just happened?
And we kept screaming
for Lieutenant Leehan
and we weren't hearing
anything.
You know,
you just knew.
- We've got guys down.
- It's Leehan!
Hey! We need the medic!
- He can't breathe.
- They're coming right now.
Medic!
Leehan is not responding!
You all right, man?
Medic: Anywhere else hurt?
In your chest?
You felt... your arms?
Legs?
X-ray, this is 2-6...
Wagoner:
Get his fuckin' kit off.
Soldier:
Leehan!
Wolff: The noise
of that IED going off
sounded like no other explosion
I'd ever heard before.
I tried four or five times
if not more
to try to raise his truck
on the radio.
Red-6, Red-6,
this is Red-7, over.
Negative contact.
Red-7 out.
All I ever got back
was static.
The one thing that sticks
to me about Damon
was just his smirk.
No matter what was going on,
good or bad,
he always smirked.
Soldier:
Aw, man!
All right,
everybody down.
Cameraman:
Smile for the camera.
Smile for the camera.
Welcome
to First Platoon, sir.
- All: Ooh!
- All right.
Wolff: He was truly
irreplaceable.
He was the glue
that kept... kept us together.
I would say
we were best friends.
I had to cram
all those emotions
down deep inside
to continue
on the mission.
Harrill: The memorial service
for LT Leehan
was going to be
a Mihtarlam
It was about a three,
four-hour drive.
We wanted to make sure
that we were there
so we could pay
our respects
to an incredible leader.
Brown: I think we were
almost halfway down there.
And I'm in the lead vehicle
with Sergeant Prince.
Prince is in the turret
and we're slowly
creeping up the hill.
And Prince
tells me to stop,
tells us to stop.
So Colt stops the vehicle.
Hold on, hold on, hold...
Prince:
It's right there.
Yeah, it's an IED.
Brown:
Hey, roger, be advised,
3-2 Alpha has eyes
on a possible IED. Over.
Really?
Another IED?
It's right here.
I'm looking at it.
Is it this little
paper bag thing?
Wagoner:
Yeah, it's the paper bag thing.
Yeah, with fucking wires
hooked on it?
Yeah.
Who called that?
Brown:
Roger, 2-1 Bravo.
Be advised,
Prince has eyes on it.
That's a good fucking spot.
Brown:
Hey, good job, Prince.
I wouldn't have
even seen that, man.
Soldier:
Nice job, Prince.
Brown: We finally
get a call from battalion
telling us to hold tight,
EOD is on the way.
We decide to set up
360 security around the IED.
Soldier:
As-salamu alaykum.
2-1 Bravo,
this is 3-6. Over.
Harrill:
Roger, Go for 2-1 Bravo.
Brown:
Get with your 2-7 element
and see if I can
get some of you guys
to push to the high ground
to provide security. Over.
Harrill:
Roger. That's good copy.
Brown:
2-1 Bravo, 3-6.
Let me know when you guys
get set in.
Harrill:
Right, that's a good copy.
- RPG!
- ( Explosion )
- Whoa!
- Shit, that was close.
I head an RPG
over our heads.
( Explosion )
Soldier:
RPG! RPG!
Hey, we gotta go.
We gotta go, we gotta go.
Harrill:
3-6, be advised that the RPG
hit about 30 meters
from us. Break.
( Beeping )
We're going to push up
and we're going to try
to get a clear view
across the river. How copy?
Hammy, Hammy,
come on! Come on!
Let's go! Come on.
Brown:
Hey, Prince! Hey!
They're shooting from
the other side of the river.
Hey, look
on the other side!
Gunter! Hey, go grab
some ammo from the truck.
Hurry UP!
Prince: Damn it,
show me some movement.
Harrill: All right, now there...
there's buildings up there.
There's buildings up there.
Okay, all right.
We're in this
dangerous situation.
You got three lEDs
that are daisy-chained
together.
And the trigger man
is out there still somewhere.
At any point in time,
they could set these off.
Brown:
3-6, 3-6, 2-1 Bravo.
Colson:
3-6, go ahead.
Harrill:
Roger, 3-6, be advised
that there's
some buildings up here
that we're going
to have to clear.
Once we get them cleared,
let's try to establish
a clear line of sight
along that road
watching the rest
of the convoy. How copy?
Brown:
Hey, roger, I copy all.
Don't push too far
into that village, though.
( Harrill panting )
All right.
All right, no,
I'm right behind you.
I'm right behind you.
I'm right behind you.
- All right.
- Is it clear?
- You see anything?
- Hammy: All clear, all clear.
All right.
Harrill:
You see anything?
All right, go through
the next one.
Now see that?
See that clearing right there?
We can see
over the road.
I'm taking over here.
Hammy, come over here.
Set up right there.
Brown:
Roger. Be advised,
they're setting up position.
How copy?
Soldier:
663!
Brown: Hey, Prince, you got eyes
on those guys over there?
- Prince: I'm looking!
- Brown: Hey, make sure
you're watching
down in that group of trees.
Prince: Hey, sir, sir!
Across the way.
- Movement on the roof.
- Brown: What?
Harrill:
You good?
You good?
All right.
Hey, we got a guy
on the roof. Hey.
Hammy, get up here.
Get up here.
Right across the river.
Right up on the roof.
3-6, be advised,
directly to our right,
we have some villages.
It looks like there's individuals still
on the road.
We'll keep you advised
of the situation. How copy?
Brown: Roger that,
2-1 Bravo. Good copy.
Soldier: He does not look
like a local Afghan.
Harrill:
I think he has a weapon.
Let me see.
Yeah, he has a weapon.
All right.
You got a clean shot.
( Gun firing )
Did you get him?
I got him.
Brown:
2-1 Bravo, 3-6.
Road is clear.
We're ready to move out.
Get your guys to move
back down to the base.
3-6 out.
Brown:
Finally EOD shows up.
You know, we're telling...
we're briefing him,
"Hey, we just got hit,
you know, twice.
We need you
to take care of this IED
so we can
get out of here."
Soldier: EOD is up!
We're ready.
Yep, let's get going.
Soldier #2: Yeah.
Harrill: It's a good thing
that Sergeant Prince
spotted the IED
'cause with that,
he saved a lot of damn lives.
Damn.
Soldier: That was...
that was, like,
actually way bigger
than the first two.
Soldier #2: Yeah, that
looked like the actual charge.
Yeah.
From the point
of us loading up
and actually arriving
in Mihtarlam,
I bet we stopped,
like, six or seven times
due to the damage that
the RPGs did on the vehicles.
Remember, we used one
of the medic's surgical tape...
Yeah, tape
on the brake lines.
Put the tape
on the brake lines.
We made it through,
so talkin' about adapting
and overcoming...
Specifically,
'cause I remember thinking,
"Gosh damn it, can't you
just leave us alone?"
- Right, give us a day.
- For one day? For one day?
Can you just leave me alone
for one day?
- Let me go do this?
- Yeah.
And then you can jack
with me all you want...
- We'll play tomorrow.
- All you want.
Yeah, they just...
they wouldn't let up.
( Gun firing )
( Firing continues )
Officer:
Present arms!
Leehan's father:
One of the things that Damon did
was he went out with
the interpreter by himself
without his guys.
Finally got to the point
where the interpreter
was very nervous.
He didn't even like it.
And so his wife called
and said, "Hey,
"I think you need
to talk to your son.
He's kind of putting himself
in harm's way."
And so the next time
he called,
I talked to him
and I said, "Hey,
"I know you're trying
to bridge the gap
"and you're trying
to be a good soldier,
"but, you know,
we just want you home.
We don't want you
getting hurt."
And he said,
"Yeah, I know, Dad.
"But, you know,
this is something
I have to do
to show trust."
So he did
what he believed in.
As a result,
we found out at the funeral
that 350 Afghan leaders
and village people came
to his sending-off.
Because he did touch them.
Wolff: A couple weeks
after Damon died,
I was told that
Lieutenant Leehan
was not going
to be replaced.
We were completely
satisfied with this.
We had created that family
and didn't want
anybody else in it.
We were gonna fight
with what we had
and we were going to continue
on and get the mission done.
Brown: When Leehan got killed,
it was the first time
we'd lost somebody.
A lot of us,
including me,
wanted that...
that revenge
to go out and kick some ass
and get 'em back.
But at the same time,
you know,
being in a leadership role,
I had to make sure
that everybody stayed calm,
cool and collected
as a team.
The second platoon
was going to conduct a KLE
somewhere towards
Alishing DC.
I'm on the COB
for QRF
and we get a call saying
second's hit an IED.
Brown over radio:
3-2, this is 3-6.
Soldier:
3-6, 3-2, go ahead.
Brown: Get your guys
out and let's push through
on the east side
of this little brush
right here through the corn.
See if we
can spot this guy.
Camera rolling?
Alex: Yeah, I just
started it up again.
Let's give 'em a brief.
Just wanna
welcome everybody
to Damn-sure-bad,
Afghanistan.
We've got Daniel Marquez
on station with me.
Just had an IED blast.
We're going to try and find
this little corn ninja
down here in the corn.
I'm gonna shoot
his fuckin' ass off.
- I'm gonna shoot him.
- Shit's gonna be crazy.
- Alex: Hey, Sergeant Prince?
- Yeah?
You got that incendiary?
Prince:
Yeah.
Alex:
You should let me have it.
Prince: You can't throw it.
It'll burn down everything.
Alex:
We're gonna go in there!
Prince: I know.
You can't throw it
when you're in there.
Alex:
Not if we're exfilling.
Brown:
All right, let's move.
Look at the size
of that hole.
Gosh damn,
that's a big one.
There's no wonder
we couldn't find it.
It was damn near
dug underneath the asphalt.
Hey, see if we can
spot the wire.
Brown: You know,
the money comes from America
to pay these Afghan contractors
to build these roads.
But at the same time,
the Taliban uses their funds
and power to come in
and have
these construction workers
put these lEDs in the road
as they're paving over it.
You know,
there's little to no chance
to even be able to know
that they're under there.
All right, hey, hey,
push out, see if you can find
the end of the wire.
Rog, you gotta
spread out a little bit.
You guys let me know
if you can see
anything on the ground.
Harrill: 3-6, be advised,
we have eyes on your element
as you move through
the cornfields.
Brown:
Roger, I copy all. 3-6 out.
Alex: Hey, you guys
stay spread out.
Sir, this looks
like the end of it.
Floyd: If that's the end of it,
he can't be too far off.
He could be right out there
in that corn.
Brown: Hey, when we push
through this corn,
y'all try to be quiet
so we can hear this guy moving.
Make sure you guys
stay spread out.
All right, hey,
just push up to the edge.
We'll stop right here.
Brown:
You guys stay spread out.
Hey, look.
We've got movement in the corn
right there at 1:00.
Harrill:
That's ANA.
That's not ANA.
What the fuck is that?
Alex:
I wish we could make it
down to that creek
down there.
Brown: They're gonna
fucking draw us down there
and then they're gonna
fucking hit us.
Alex: Exactly what
I was thinking too.
Harrill: 3-6, be advised
that there is smoke
coming from the village.
Not sure if it's an indicator
of negative activity.
Just want you
to be cautious
that we have eyes on it
as well.
How copy?
Brown: It's probably
a fucking signal.
Go in a little bit more?
Hey, get with the plan.
Brown: The ANA just keep
walking out into the open.
You'd like to think
that the people
are leading
your counterpart ANA forces
are on your side,
but who's to say?
Who's to say who
they're taking money from?
Who's to say
who their allegiances are to?
Alex: Hey, sir,
should we follow?
Sir, are we going?
Brown: No. Hey,
we're not pushing any farther.
This is bait for an ambush.
Brown: To advance
any further through the corn
was just not tactically
a good idea, in my opinion.
So we pulled back
and didn't go any further.
We want to fight on our terms.
We don't want to fight
below our strength.
Harrill:
After being in Afghanistan
for nearly six months,
you could really start
to feel the bond
that had been created.
Brown:
You've already weeded out
all the guys that
are too scared,
that have made it known
that they don't want
any part of the fighting.
What's left is brothers,
and that's it.
Harrill: We would have
these late-night family talks
on the HESCOs
making fire pits
and kind of reflecting.
Sergeant Colson
found his appetite.
On every mission
we went in,
he was always managing
to find food somehow.
Sergeant Prince,
a K-9 officer
back in the States,
he would adopt
this puppy.
Well, there's Prince
with his new puppy.
Prince: Come here.
Come here. Come here.
Come here, come here.
There you go.
You big dummy.
Brown:
Prince found his K-9 unit.
Prince:
Screw that.
Harrill: But you could never
shake the feeling
that that one big mission
was right around the corner.
( Call to prayer playing )
Raymond Viel:
Operation Brass Monkey
was going to be
one of the largest missions
that we were going to do.
Brown: When me
and my platoon sergeants
seen the plan
that they had just come up with
and where
we were going to be,
we immediately felt like
we were in an extreme
disadvantage.
Just in case
y'all don't see this,
it was good knowing
all of you.
Megan, I love you.
Jesse, I hope
you don't die too.
Cameraman:
We'll be all right.
Brown: The first night
that we were planning
to get picked up
and brought out there,
we were told
the mission was cancelled.
So I passed it out
to all the guys...
"Hey, stand down.
We're cancelled."
Then the next day we hear,
"Hey, it's back on.
You guys are going tonight."
Spin everybody back up.
"Hey, we're going tonight.
Get ready."
And sure enough,
it got cancelled again.
The battalion
commander said,
"It's done.
We're not going."
And I remember going
and laying down
to sleep that night,
just kind of relaxed.
Nothing to worry about.
It was either 5:30
or 6:00 in the morning.
Sergeant Duff
beats on the door.
( Banging on door)
"The mission's back on.
Here's the time the birds
are gonna be here
to pick you UP-"
Viel: Ultimately,
the goal of the mission
was the clear the valley.
We knew there
was Taliban in the area.
Wanted to locate them
and take their arms
away from them.
Basically, we were going
into No Man's Land.
( Rock music playing )
We're out here
in No Man's Land
We're out there
in No Man's Land
The only way
out of No Man's Land
My brothers,
my God and me
I said,
the only way
Out of No Man's Land
My brothers,
my God and me
Hoo-ah!
Soldier: We were going
back into a place
that no American forces
had ever been before.
Soldier:
Quickly, quickly.
Harrill:
Go, go, go, go, go.
Brown: Hey, spread out,
all right?
Stay spread,
stay spread.
Keep going,
keep going.
Prince: Well, Mom,
this is what I signed up for.
Brown: My bird landed
in our position
further to the northeast.
And my platoon sergeant,
his guys landed
lower in the valley.
Our grid is 92698.
The plan was,
once we hit the ground,
set up 360 security
and hold tight
till daybreak.
Soldier:
Hey, Johnson,
you're scanning
over there, right?
Scan from here to there.
Theo, you scan
from there to there.
( Distant motor humming )
Brown:
As daybreak was approaching
and light was coming,
we instantly got
a worse feeling
because now
we could actually
see the type of terrain
we had just
been dropped in.
So I sent two of my guys
down to the edges
to find a way
down the cliff.
Floyd: Look how steep
that shit is.
Alex:
Straight down, right there.
Floyd:
Dude, there is no way
we're getting
to the bottom of that.
And they came back,
and they was like,
"Sir, there's no way."
You know, "There's no way
we're getting down this."
( Plane engine roars )
Prince: If I understand this,
there's the Taliban,
the New Taliban,
and then the Real Taliban?
Dan Kruse: This is
the Haqqani network here.
You have the Haqqani network
and then you have
some Taliban offshoots
and just friggin' thugs.
- And then...
- Prince: So we're battling
thugs right now?
No, we're battling
the Haqqani network.
We haven't fought
the Haqqani network yet.
There are four JPEL targets
in this area alone.
JPEL means they got a hit
out on their head.
And in this area alone,
there are four.
So, yeah, keep down
and keep your eyes open too.
You have no idea
what's up this back way.
( Motor rumbling )
Morgan Ashworth:
I remember sittin' in the valley
talking with somebody
and we came to the conclusion
that, "You know,
if we die here,
"the worst part of dying
for us
"is that the hair
on our arms
won't raise up
at our funeral
when they play
the National Anthem."
- Hey, John, anything?
- No.
No news is good news.
Soldier over radio:
2-1 Bravo, what's going on?
Prince: You see
right between those trees?
- Big rock on that ridge?
- Alex: Yeah.
Just to the right of it.
Alex:
Yeah, I can see it.
Floyd:
If we can get over to that,
I bet we can make it
up that side.
Roger, 3-6.
What I'm seeing,
we got vertical danger areas.
There's no way
we're going to be able
to get through this way, break.
Viel:
We can back up with 3-3.
We're going to move back
to your location, over.
Brown: Roger,
that's good copy. 3-6 out.
Brown: Then just kind
of out of nowhere,
this little fellow
comes up out of the riverbed.
Floyd:
Hey, sir, we've got a kid
coming up
out of the riverbed.
Brown: Hey, bring him
right over here.
Hey, Gunter,
go grab the Terp.
Floyd: Hey, Prince, go ahead
and bring that kid up here.
Brown: Hey, ask him
where he's from.
Ask him
where he came from.
He just so happens to be
from the village
we're going to.
Wolff:
He spoke perfect English.
He's like, "Just go down
this little goat trail.
There's a riverbed
and you can cross there."
You never really know
who your friends
and enemies are.
( Chuckles )
The country's entirely corrupt
at every level.
Generations of people
who know nothing but war.
You know?
And they're very self-serving.
Brown:
The boy takes my other two guys
back down there
and he shows them how he got up.
So they come back
to me like,
"See, sir, we can
make it down there."
You know, "It's gonna be
tough and dangerous,
but if we have to go,
this is the only way we're
going to be able to go."
Brown:
3-2, 3-2, this is 3-6.
Floyd: 3-6, this is 3-2.
Go ahead.
Brown:
Hey, be advised,
I need you guys
to pull security on this side.
Myself and 3-3
are going to make our way
down this side, over.
Floyd: Hey, Jordan,
keep eyes on that riverbed.
They're going to go ahead
and move through.
( Man speaking Pashto
over radio )
Kruse:
What did he say?
( Man continues in Pashto )
He's telling them,
"Get ready and wait
for my order."
Kruse:
Hey, Sergeant Byrne?
Hey, they said, "Get ready
and wait for the order."
Byrne:
3-6, Romeo, 3-7.
Can you just relay Taliban
and other enemy traffic?
Break.
Brown: They were calling
out where we were,
how many guys we had.
They pointed out that we were
in two different locations.
Brown:
3-2, 3-2, this is 3-6.
Floyd:
3-6, 3-2, go ahead.
Brown: Hey, be advised,
we all made it to the bottom.
We're going to push up
on this other side.
Once we get set in,
I'll have you guys
start moving this way.
Floyd:
This is 3-2. Roger.
Brown: Be advised,
we're picking up
a lot of radio traffic
from L-O-V-I.
Break.
Brown: They're calling
out locations on our movement.
So make sure you guys
got a head on a swivel
and get ready. Over.
( Man speaking
Pashto over radio )
Kruse:
What did he say?
Interpreter:
"You can take
a lot of ammunition
from the house."
Kruse:
Hey, Sergeant Byrne?
They're getting ammunition
from the house right now.
( Chattering )
Floyd;
3-6, 3-2, over.
Hey, this is Arrow 3-6.
Go ahead.
Floyd:
Roger, 3-6.
Just let us know
when you're set in
and we'll conduct movement
through the riverbed. Over.
Brown:
We're set in.
You guys go ahead
and move this way.
Floyd: Roger, this is 3-2.
We're moving. Over.
Brown: That's good copy.
3-6 out.
Alex: Sergeant Floyd
sent me up front.
I took point
of our element
and Sergeant Prince
took up the trail.
Kruse:
Yep, we got a guy.
Where at?
Kruse:
See the very tip top?
Just to the right of that,
we got a guy.
Mike Kennemer:
See if he has a weapon
and light his ass up.
Kruse:
I can't tell if this guy's
got a weapon or not.
Hey, Sergeant Byrne,
he's got a weapon.
It looked like an RPG.
Hey.
Your rifle...
Kennemer: Do you have him
good in your sights?
There's a slab of rock
he's hiding under.
Floyd:
3-6, 3-2.
Brown:
3-6, go ahead.
Floyd: Roger, we're
caught up. Over.
Soldier: We're not
getting any closer sitting here.
Brown:
Hey, 3-3,
this is 3-6.
3-2 is ready.
Whenever you guys
are ready,
go ahead
and push up.
- Alex: Let's roll out.
- Floyd: Come on!
- Cover!
- ( Explosion )
( Soldier grunting )
Floyd?
( Explosion )
Alex: Now there's stuff
flying over my head
and the CamelBak
landed in front of me.
So I knew something bad
happened.
And...
Alex:
Get up, get up, get up!
( Gunfire )
Go. Spread out.
Brown: 3-2, 3-3. Be advised.
Direct hit, direct hit.
( Gunfire continues )
Soldier on radio:
We got eyes on...
Soldier #2 on radio:
Do we have any... over?
Soldier:
Hey! No, no!
Fuckin' hit...
fuckin' hit.
( Chattering, shouting )
Justin Smith:
Bomb inbound!
Bomb's inbound!
Cover!
( Explosion )
Motherfucker.
Harrill:
Coming down, coming down.
Soldier:
Reset!
- Where do you want it?
- Hey, we need to move.
Take these guys out...
( Overlapping chatter)
Get these guys up
and move 'em, let's go!
Roger.
Soldier:
2038 to 2-8,
move it down the ridge,
approximately 150 meters
in a large group of trees.
Brown: Coleman,
I need you to stop his bleeding
- as soon as you get up there.
- I got it.
Let's go, boys.
Move, move.
Move, move, move.
Hey, LT, I'll show you
right where I saw 'em.
Brown:
Where, man?
That RPG
came from that fuckin'
big rock face, 100 meters.
Straight... right there.
Right there.
It came right on top
of that big rock.
Let's get some mortars
down here.
- Mortars.
- Anybody with mortars...
Smith: If you've got a
mortar in your pack, get it out!
Hey, Alex?
Anybody with mortars,
bring 'em down!
Soldier:
...176 meters.
Hey, Alex?
( Gun firing )
Soldier:
263 degrees, be advised...
Brown:
320s on that motherfucker!
320, go up!
Soldier: Stay right there.
I got more rounds coming.
( Explosion )
Smith: Up 10 meters.
Up 10 meters.
( Chattering )
Hey.
Kruse: Keep your eyes
on that road over there.
Sounds like they have
reinforcements on their way.
We're spread pretty thin
and if they come at us,
- they got us.
- Kennemer: Oh, I know.
Roger.
From that last impact,
move up the ridge
approximately 50 to 60 meters.
- All right, no more mortars.
- Soldier: No more mortars!
Cease fire!
Smith:
Bombs inbound!
Soldier #2:
Bombs inbound!
( Bomb exploding )
Once the engagement
went to a lull,
gave me the ability
to assess casualties
a little bit better.
Floyd: All right,
let's get a head count.
Keep going, brother.
You're almost there.
- Floyd: Maxon, two...
- Almost there, almost there.
- Tevis...
- Keep going, keep going.
Floyd: Let's go, guys.
Keep moving.
- Smith.
- Keep going, almost there.
- Floyd: McKean.
- Let's go, all the way up.
Keep going, guys.
You're almost there.
Almost there.
- Almost there, dude.
- Floyd: Torres...
- Almost there.
- Floyd: Sherlow...
- Almost there.
- Floyd: Fuck, I'm missing one.
Watch up there,
watch up there.
- You got it?
- Yeah.
There you go.
Kennemer: Hey, start scanning
that ridgeline up top.
We got somebody up there.
Christopher Gunter:
3-6!
Hey, what's up?
I'll relay!
Sergeant Prince is hit!
Hey, Sergeant Prince
is hit!
Brown:
How? Gunshot or what?
What?
( Soldier shouting )
( Explosion )
Brown:
How's he hurt?
Alex and I,
we took off
kind of back
that direction
and started looking
for Prince.
That's the guy
that I was missing.
( Radio chatter)
Alex:
Where's he at?
Fuck.
Floyd:
3-6, this is 3-2.
I need you
down here now, over.
Brown: I take off running
down to where Floyd's at.
Gunter! Start calling
a 9-line for us!
Right now!
Gunter, make it quick.
Gunter: 3-7, 3-7, 3-6 Romeo,
prepare to copy 9-line.
Brown: I come around
kind of the corner
and Floyd's standing right up
in the middle of the trail.
And I stop.
( Exhales )
You know,
he's just looking at me
with a... with a blank
stare on his face.
And he...
you know, he said,
"Prince is dead and he's
fallen off the side."
Brown:
Say again?
Alex: I fucking pulled him
out and his fucking...
- He's dead?
- Yes.
Brown: We're going
back to get him
as soon as this
bomb drops, all right?
Soldier: Gonna be
southwest 150 meters
down the ridge line,
large group of trees.
You were just there
right beside him?
Call sign Juliet Bravo.
Kruse:
You doing all right?
Just calm down.
Remember your training
and just let the rounds fly.
All right?
Sergeant Prince, man.
Kruse: You can't worry
about that now.
All right?
Right now we got to
make sure you get home.
Roger.
Three friendly wounded.
One friendly KIA.
You all right, brother?
Yeah. I got hit with some frag
and it took my leg out.
Brown: Hey, guys,
we gotta remember,
we gotta spread out,
all right?
Brown: We took a few minutes.
I got a team together.
And I said,
"All right,
"as soon as this bomb
hits 'em,
"we're going to...
a group of us
are gonna go down
and... and get Prince."
03... 28...
cleared hot.
Brown: After the birds
drop this bomb,
me, Carlson and Alex
are going to go down
and get Prince, okay?
Roger that.
We're watching.
Brown: You guys
continue to drop mortars
the entire time
we're down there.
Roger that.
Gunter:
I'm going with you.
I'm leaving my kit right here.
Hey, get this off.
Get this off.
Suck it up, all right?
Suck it up, all right?
Soldier:
Copy that.
Sir, One Mike you'll be in,
this may be danger close.
Brown: Hey, One Mike,
we've got a bomb inbound.
3-3, I need you to continue
with that 9-line.
I need it ASAP.
You need to tell the birds
they need to be escorted
out of here.
Soldier over radio:
We've got enemy
within 200 meters
of our location.
Roger, line one.
Whiskey Delta niner-one,
44-niner-52884.
Break.
Soldier over radio:
Line two,
036 Romeo
47-15.
Line eight, you in.
Coming through.
Hey, man, hey, hey.
Stay with it, stay with it.
What you gotta do?
What's the next thing
you gotta do?
- I gotta...
- What's the next thing
- you gotta do?
- I got to...
Tell me what it is out loud.
Say it.
Make sure everybody's safe
and I get the 9-line called in
- and we get...
- Is the 9-line done?
- Roger.
- What's the next thing
YOU got to do?
- Make sure...
- Hey, don't flag your weapon.
Okay? Who do you
got to make sure is okay?
I gotta make sure
Max and Tevis...
Where are they?
They're down there.
They were hit.
LT is checking on them now.
Okay, so you need
to go back there.
Okay. Right?
Is that what you're saying?
Roger.
Are you...
are you good to go back there?
- Roger, sir.
- You sure?
Yes.
3-7, 3-6 on my way.
Floyd: Roger.
Say again line one
and line eight, over?
Roger. Line one,
Whiskey Delta,
niner-1452...
( Chattering )
9-line is called up.
3-7. 3-6...
Smith: Bomb inbound!
Get down.
( Taliban speaking
Pashto over radio )
Interpreter:
Shooting four more rockets.
Kruse: They're gonna...
they're gonna shoot
four more rockets.
Four more rockets.
Soldier over radio:
Copy that.
- Hey!
- What's up?
LBI says we got
four more RPGs inbound!
All right?
SWT's coming on station now.
Hector, 2-8.
Harrill:
The guys knew
that by going down
to get Prince,
that they themselves
may not make it
back up.
It didn't matter.
You're never going
to leave your brother behind.
Brown: You know,
at worst, if an RPG did hit us,
you know, we'd just deal
with it after it happened.
Come on, come on.
Tell them to hit
that shit already.
Brown: Tell him he better
not fucking miss!
Brown: Hey, bomb inbound!
- Cover!
- There it is!
( Explosion )
Soldier:
Good bombs, good bombs!
Hey, hold this rocket.
( More gunfire continuing )
Hey, save your ammo!
Save your ammo!
Let's go get him.
Let's go get him.
Brown:
Let's move.
Hey, we're going down
to get him, all right?
Watch out.
Please be advised
that we're currently
gonna keep shooting mortars.
- I've got comms. I'm gonna go.
- Roger that.
Let's go.
Brown: Let's go, let's go,
let's go down and get him.
- Stay spread.
- LT, stay in the middle.
Hey, spread out, all right?
Spread out. Stay spread.
That way, if he shoots again,
he only gets one of us.
Stay spread.
( Man speaking
Pashto over radio )
Hey, Sergeant Byrne?
They're preparing
for another attack right now.
They think
they're heroes now
and they're going
to hit us again.
Soldier over radio:
3-6, 3-7.
They're going in
for another attack.
Brown:
You got security.
We gotta get out
of this area, guys.
Viet:
We could get that bird
to drop the hoist right here.
Brown: No. We gotta move him up
to the corn, out of this way.
Out of this area, all right?
We might need
another guy down here.
Viet: We need another
guy down here.
Send one more guy
down here.
Brown: Alex,
you take the weapons, all right?
We gotta get his kit.
Where's his rifle?
Oh, by the way...
One, two, three.
- ( Grunting )
- ( Gunfire continues )
Alex:
I need to grab his legs more.
I'm sorry, brother.
I'm trying.
Alex: I'm going to
grab his legs, I guess.
We don't we get
some more guys.
Viet: We need another
guy down here now!
Brown:
Give me another guy!
Viet:
We need two guys!
Two guys.
Two guys down here now!
Hey, hurry "P!
( Explosions continue )
Come on, brother.
I got him down here.
He's not going down.
(all grunting)
- ( Explosions )
- Motherfuckers.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
( Grunting )
I gotta move spots.
Get me another guy up here.
Straight up the side.
( Panting )
( chattering )
- One, two, three.
- Okay.
- ( Explosion )
- One, two, three.
( All grunting )
Oh, shit.
Sorry, brother.
One, two, three.
( Explosion )
Smith:
Bombs inbound!
( Shouting )
One, two, three.
( Grunting )
( Radio chatter)
Kruse:
Hey, Sergeant Byrne?
Sounds like they got somebody
with that bomb.
Gunter: Hey, Code 3-6,
there's a flag
up in those fucking trees,
a white flag.
Up, right below those rocks
right there.
Just below that tree line,
there's a white flag.
( Soldiers cursing,
chattering )
You grab one side,
I grab the other.
You want to take a break
for a second?
I got security.
One, two, three.
( Helicopter blades
whirring )
Company, atten-hut!
- Specialist Gunter.
- Here, first sergeant.
Sergeant First Class Byrne!
Here, first sergeant.
Sergeant Prince!
Sergeant Mycal Prince!
Sergeant Mycal Lee Prince!
Brown: Sergeant Prince,
you were a husband,
a father,
a friend to many,
and will always be
a brother to us.
You will never
be forgotten, brother.
Thank you
for the time
and the memories
you spent with us.
Lord I
My Lord
I need
your helping hand
I was taught
To be patient
And I was taught
To be kind
But I don't mind
And oh
My Lord
I need
your helping hand
Lord I
My Lord
I need your
Helping hand
Yeah E
Brown:
...your village.
( Villager speaking
in Pashto )
When's the last time
you seen any of them come by?
- ( Speaking Pashto )
- In your village?
Floyd:
We were all smoked,
mentally, physically,
emotionally.
But I think
what defined us,
having lost
those two guys,
we still were able
to maintain that certain level
of professionalism.
You know,
"We're going to finish this.
This is not going
to be in vain."
You know,
that just kind of solidifies
the bond, man,
you know,
the brotherhood.
I'd be lying if I said
I didn't miss it.
You know, it was a shitty
place to have to live
for, you know, a year.
But it was our place.
You know, we owned it.
And I'd be lying as well
if I said
that I didn't miss it.
For as sucky as it was,
it was our suck.
And you woke up every day
knowing what your suck was.
You know?
And more importantly,
who was going to go through
your suck with you.
There was a saying,
"There's no stronger bond
than shared pain."
Floyd:
Boy, that's sure true.
- Couldn't be any more true.
- Yeah.
- I'll see you, man.
- See ya.
- Be good, man.
- Sir.
I'll see you.
Always good seeing you.
- You too.
- All right, take care, guys.
See you, man.
( Chattering )
Get in a little tighter.
There's no way for me
to express how important it is
that I get
to look you in the eye
and talk to you today.
So what I want
to tell you
is that term "citizen soldier"
and what it means.
What did you see yourself
doing in the service?
Now think about 1775,
when Boston
is under siege
and the Redcoats
are coming.
And Paul Revere
gets on his horse
and rides through
the countryside
saying, "The British are coming,
the British are coming."
All right?
And blacksmiths and innkeepers
drop their hammer,
drop their plates and towels
and bedding,
drop what they're doing
and move to the green
at Lexington and Concord
to meet an enemy
that was threatening
their communities.
We've been doing
this stuff since 1636.
All right?
The citizen soldier
has been alive since 1636,
over 370 years.
So I tell you this whole story
because I need you.
Your state needs you
and your community needs you.
All right?
We need you to choose
to keep the title
"citizen soldier."
There is something noble,
something honorable,
something romantic
about that term.
And I just hope
that you guys take that term,
"citizen soldier,"
with you till the day you die.
Hey
Brother
You gotta stand
Upright
R Right r
You came with
To come
To come alive
Wouldn't you think
that they forgot?
I'm just trying
to get some sleep
The long
and restless nights
Through darkness
It's the torch
you have to keep
The fire burns
within me
I'm out, I'm done
Who'll light the torch
when I'm gone
It's all yours
to carry
I'm out, I'm done
Who'll light the torch
when I'm gone
Who will even
shed a tear
If I could never come?
The ghost of me
Of yesteryear
Illuminates you on
The fire burns within me
I'm out, I'm done
Who'll light the torch
when I'm gone?
It's all yours to carry
I'm out, I'm done
Who'll light the torch
when I'm gone?
Hey
Brother
You gotta stand
Upright
Right
You came with
To come
Alive
Yeah
( Shouting, laughing )
( All laughing )
Soldier:
Okay.
Come on!
Hey, hey, he!!-
Hey, what's up?
This is Roche,
on this episode
of MTV Cribs.
As you can see,
we're remodeling right now.
We ain't got much...
got a bunch of grenades.
Got my gun.
Got a machine gun
with fuckin' thermals.
Uh, got a nice big
rock wall.
There's a hot tub
down there.
There's a pool down there
with a creak thing.
Cameraman: Oh, shit,
we're recording. Do a dance.
Oh, shit.
Hey, work it!
Go ahead.
He's a pissed off
guitar player.
( Strings clatter)
It sounds like shit!
( All laughing )
I tend to the dark
Lying cloaked
With insight
To defend this heart
We must cut like knives
So wait for me
On wounded knee
Cut from thee
Oh, so faithfully
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
Why should I lie
When it's cold
by my side?
And how can I live
When you're supposed
to die?
You keep saying
wait for me
Wait for me,
wait for me
Wait for me
Is it ever my turn?
There's no way for me,
way for me
Way for me, way for me
Do these embers
still burn?
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
I still see you
through the waves
It's on fire,
it's on fire
No more past
or sunny days
They're on fire
They're on fire
Do you see me
behind closed eyes?
I'm alive, I'm alive
Keep my bedside
cold at night
I'm alive
I'm alive
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
And when the light
goes out
It's the torch,
it's the torch
It's the torch
that shines on
Wait for me, wait for me
Wait for me,
wait for me
It's the torch
that shines on
Wait for me, wait for me
Wait for me,
wait for me
It's the torch
that shines on.