Not a Good Day to Die (73 page)

10.
There, Kevin Butler…pal replied.
Butler; my personal observations.

11.
Baltazar’s Third…heavy fire.
Baltazar; Luman; Schmitz.

12.
As his men…recover the rucksacks.
Crombie.

13.
Baltazar’s Second…creek bed.
Baltazar.

14.
Hagenbeck had intended…to show up.
1-187 Infantry After Action Review; special ops time line.

15.
March 3 began…than in Gardez.
Special ops time line; other special ops sources.

TAKUR GHAR

Chapter 1

1.
As dawn…was an order.
Special ops time line; other special ops sources; senior Army officer.

Chapter 2

1.
While the SEALs…to the valley.
Special ops time line.

2.
That plan…back in, tonight.”
McHale; another ODA 372 source; Thomas; Haas; special ops time line.

3.
With Trebon and…about four hours.
Special ops time line; other special ops sources;
Pitfalls of Technology
, pp. 7–8.

4.
Glenn P. gave…any different.
Special ops time line; Al.

5.
In and of itself…to the airstrip.
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 13–14; a JSOC officer; another special ops source.

6.
In Bagram, Hagenbeck…winter bite.
Hagenbeck; another source in the Mountain TOC; a special ops source; special ops time line.

Chapter 3

1.
The two Chinooks…fighting for.”
Al;
Pitfalls of Technology;
special ops time line; sources in the special ops community,
Weapon of Choice,
pp. 296–297….
pilot-in-command…
There were two pilots on a 160th Chinook. The more experienced of the two was referred to as the pilot-in-command; the less experienced pilot was referred to simply as the pilot. In the civilian world the less experienced pilot would be referred to as the
copilot
and I have used that word here, with the understanding that in strict Army terms, the word copilot has a different meaning. If more than one helicopter is flying a mission, an air mission commander flies in one of the helicopters and to provide command supervision and ensure all pilots-in-command are following the plan.

2.
Of course…version of events.
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 7, 14, 36; special ops time line; special ops sources.

3.
(
However…minimal.)
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 10.

4.
But the realization…any combat operation.
Wille; Bello; two other sources in the Mountain TOC; special ops time line; special ops sources.

5.
At 2:20 a.m…landed there.
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 8, 10, 11; Haas;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 297.…
apparently consisted of eight personnel…
The number of personnel in Mako 30 has been shrouded in mystery, due to the reluctance of the Pentagon to acknowledge the existence of Gray Fox, and hence, the presence of a TF Orange man on the initial infil on Razor 03. I concluded there were eight team members on the aircraft by working backward from the number of five SEALs and one combat controller (Chapman) Milani says went back to the mountain to look for Roberts after dropping off the aircrew plus Thor at Gardez.

6.
At 2:38 a.m…left of the Chinook.
Al;
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 11; Milani report (the chronology of the Takur Ghar battle put together by the official U.S. Special Operations Command investigator of the event, Colonel Andrew Milani, and released to me in redacted form under the Freedom of Information Act) pp. 10–11; special ops time line; a source in the special ops community; “Bravery and Breakdowns in a Ridgetop Battle,” by Bradley Graham,
The Washington Post,
May 24, 2002.

Chapter 4

1.
In Bagram…couldn’t miss.
Hagenbeck; another source in the Mountain TOC.

2.
The RPG slammed…cabin window.
Al;
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 11–12; Milani report, pp. 10–11; special ops time line;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 298; “Bravery and Breakdowns in a Ridgetop Battle,” by Bradley Graham,
The Washington Post,
May 24, 2002.

3.
Al’s copilot…from Takur Ghar.
Al;
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 11–12; Milani report, pp. 12–13; special ops time line;
Weapon of Choice,
pp. 11–12.

4.
The landing…went to work.
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 16; Milani report, pp. 13–15; a source in the special ops community.

5.
About 50 miles…he was alive.”
Turner….
Grim 32…
An AC-130 crew’s callsign changed from night to night. The numbers reflect which aircraft took off first from K2 (Grim call signs) or Masirah (Nail call signs).

6.
Thinking the Chinook…friendly forces.
Pitfalls of Technology
, p. 17; Milani report, pp. 13–14.

7.
At this time…and Mako 30.
Turner.

8.
Once Slab understood…on the radio.)
Milani report, p. 15; sources in the special ops community.

9.
Slab called…
mountain,
he thought.
Blaber.

10.
As they soared…forever.
Turner.

Chapter 5

1.
Battlefield friction…
top of the mountain. Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 17.

2.
Other than Slab’s…aviators and SEALs.
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 19; Blaber; other special ops sources; Preysler.

3.
Blaber and Slab…was inbound.
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 19–20; Blaber.

4.
Colonel Joe Smith…events on the battlefield.
Hagenbeck; Donnelly; another source in the Mountain TOC.

5.
Suddenly another…guy on the ground.
Special ops sources; sources in the Mountain TOC;
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 19–20; special ops time line.

6.
Perhaps acknowledging…transport aircraft.
Special ops sources; a senior Army officer.

7.
It took Razor 04…saving Neil Roberts.
Al; special ops time line; sources in the special ops community;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 300; “Bravery and Breakdowns in a Ridgetop Battle,” by Bradley Graham,
The Washington Post,
May 24, 2002.

8.
Razor 04 flew…last to Takur Ghar.
Special ops time line; a source in the special ops community;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 301.

9.
It took Grim 32…was not so.)
Turner; other special ops sources.

10.
When Razor 04…neared the peak.
Sources in the special ops community;
Weapon of Choice,
pp. 301–302.

Chapter 6

1.
Roberts hit the snow…Roberts was dead.
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 16–18, 26–28; Donnelly; Milani report, p. 18. Two sources in the special operations community. In the wake of the battle, rumors circulated that Roberts had been tortured and mutilated in hideous ways. These rumors were not true. Roberts also sustained a neck wound at some stage during his ordeal, but it was the head wound that was almost certainly fatal.

2.
Razor 04 was…4:55 a.m.
Milani report, p. 22;
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 21; Turner;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 302.

3.
Before the helicopter’s…nearby knoll.
Weapon of Choice,
p. 302; Milani report, p. 22; “Bravery and Breakdowns in a Ridgetop Battle,” by Bradley Graham,
The Washington Post,
May 24, 2002.

4.
The whirling of…nonflyable.
Weapon of Choice,
p. 302; special ops time line.

5.
As the helicopter…in the bunker.
Milani report, pp. 22–23;
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 21, 29;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 302; Turner.

6.
To Grim 32…about it,” Turner said.
Turner.

7.
Another SEAL climbed…quick-reaction force.
Milani report, pp. 22–24;
Pitfalls of Technology,
pp. 21–22; Turner; Self;
Weapon of Choice,
p. 302.

Chapter 7

1.
At 3:45 a.m…. Captain Nathan Self.
Pitfalls of Technology.

2.
Born and raised…and their weaknesses.
Self.

3.
By the time Trebon…all the details straight.
Self; Canon; Don….
tacsat…
Tactical satellite radio.

4.
Meanwhile, in Bagram…of misunderstanding.”
Pitfalls of Technology,
p. 22.

5.
As Razor 01 bucked…about the AC-130.
Self.

Chapter 8

1.
On the side of…monitoring the call.
Turner.

2.
Radio and phone…with Mulholland.
Special ops time line; sources in the special ops community; Donnelly.

3.
The folks most worried…might run into.
Turner.