National Geographic Reenactment

[Fury]

Well next time you got to let me know. I got 3-color and would of been more then happy to of helped you guys out.

[Hoff]

I gotta say, Braddock plays a convincing dead guy.

[Matt]

They came to us.

I had to miss this due to a camping trip I was planning with my girlfriend and her family for months. Here's to hoping there's a next time!

[Bigfoot]

Oh my god. You guys have too much fun.

[Fury]

They came to us.

I had to miss this due to a camping trip I was planning with my girlfriend and her family for months. Here's to hoping there's a next time!

I think I would of told the girlfriend and family "sorry I'll camp with you next time".

That's very nice that they came to you guys. I guess it pays to have been around for awhile.

[Braddock]

This is what we reenacted.

Operation Anaconda

March 3 and March 4, 2002

Battle of Takur Ghar

In the late evening of March 3, Lieutenant Colonel Blaber received notice from Brigadier General Gregory Trebon, commander of TF 11, that two SEAL teams commanded by Lieutenant Commander Vic Hyder were to arrive in Gardez for immediate insertion into the Shahi-Kot Valley. The two SEAL teams, Mako 30 and Mako 21, planned to establish an observation point on the peak of Takur Ghar, which commanded the Shahi-Kot valley. Due to time constraints, a helicopter insertion would be needed for the teams to reach the peak before dawn. While the AFO forces suggested an insertion at a point 1300 meters east of the peak, the SEALs eventually decided upon an insertion to the peak itself.

The two teams were picked up by Razor 03 and Razor 04, two MH-47 Chinook helicopters at 11:23 PM on March 3. However, the Razor 03 Chinook experienced engine difficulties, and two new MH-47s were dispatched to replace the original helicopters. This delay meant that the SEALs could not be inserted into the LZ east of the peak until 2:30 AM on March 4, which did not allow enough time to reach the peak before daylight. In the fractured command situation at the time, Blaber was not notified that the SEALs were planning to insert at the peak in order to fulfill the order to infil Mako 20 and 31 that night. Nail 22, an AC-130 gunship reconnitored the peak and saw no enemy activity prior to the landing, but was called away to support other troops before Razor 03 and 04 arrived at the LZ. At around 0245 hours, Razor 03 landed at the LZ and was struck in the left side electrical compartment by an RPG. The stricken helicopter took off, but Petty Officer First Class Neil Roberts fell out of the open ramp. Razor 03 attempted to return and retrieve him, but the damage prevented proper control and the helicopter was forced to crash-land in the valley below approximately 4 miles away. Razor 04 returned to the peak to attempt to rescue Roberts, offloading Mako 30. The team came under immediate fire, and Air Force combat controller Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman was believed killed and two SEALs wounded. Mako 30 was forced off the peak due to its losses and requested the assistance of the Ranger quick-reaction force located at Bagram Air Base, lead by Captain Nate Self.

The quick-reaction force consisted of 19 Rangers, a tactical air control party (TACP), and a three-man USAF special tactics team carried by two Chinooks, Razor 01 and Razor 02. Due to satellite communications difficulties, Razor 01 was mistakenly directed to the "hot" LZ on the peak. As Air Force rules prohibited AC-130 aircraft from remaining in hostile airspace in daylight after the crash of an AC-130 in Khajfi in the Gulf War, the AC-130 support protecting Mako 30 was forced to leave before Razor 01 reached the LZ. Further communications difficulties meant that the pilot of the AC-130 was unaware that Razor 01 was incoming. At approximately 0610 hours, Razor 01 reached the landing zone. The aircraft immediately began taking fire, and the right door minigunner, Sergeant Phillip Svitak, was killed by small arms fire. A RPG then hit the helicopter, destroying the right engine and forcing it to crash land. As the Rangers and special tactics team exited the aircraft, Private First Class Matt Commons, posthumously promoted to Corporal, Sergeant Brad Crose, and Specialist Marc Anderson were killed. The surviving crew and quick-reaction force took cover in a hillock and a fierce firefight began. Razor 02, which had been diverted to Gardez as Razor 01 was landing on Takur Ghar, returned with the rest of the quick-reaction force and Lieutenant Commander Hyder at 0625 hours. With the help of the new arrivals and close air support, the force was able to consolidate its position on the peak. An enemy counterattack midday mortally wounded Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, a pararescue combat medic. The wounded were refused medevac during the daylight hours due to risk of another downed helicopter. Australian SAS soldiers had infiltrated the area prior to the first helicopter crash undetected as part of a long range reconnaissance mission when the Chinooks went down. They remained undetected in an Observation post through the firefight and proved critical in co-ordinating multiple Coalition air strikes to prevent the al-Qaeda fighters from overrunning the downed aircraft, to devastating effect. This plus the actions of the two SASR officers working with the 10th mountain earned the commander of the ASAS force in Afghanistan the US Bronze Star for his units outstanding contribution to the war on terrorism.

At around 2000 hours, the quick-reaction force and Mako 30 were exfiltrated from the Takur Ghar peak. As a result of this action, both Technical Sergeant Chapman and Senior Airman Cunningham were awarded the Air Force Cross, the second highest award for bravery. US and Afghan sources believe at least 200 Taliban and Al Qaida fighters were killed during the initial assault and subsequent rescue mission.

[Braddock]

and the right door minigunner, Sergeant Phillip Svitak, was killed by small arms fire

I played this guy.

I got to shoot a .50 cal machine gun.
It was way cool

[STU]

Jealous.......................ohhhh soooo Jealous.....................

Any parts for a really tall skinny guy? I can die real good boss.

[Chase]

Not today, boy. :P

[STU]

Not today, boy. :P

Maybe tomorrow........

[Hoff]

It's cool that they came to an airsoft group to play the part.

I bet it was a lot of fun (I'm jealous too... )

[Chase]

hehe. It was fun, but it was also hard work. Running up a mountain and being dragged/mashed into a helicopter can be hard on you.

I can honestly say that every one that participated in this worked for their cash.

[STU]

hehe. It was fun, but it was also hard work. Running up a mountain and being dragged/mashed into a helicopter can be hard on you.

I can honestly say that every one that participated in this worked for their cash.

You guys got f*ckin paid to do this???? Jealous isn't even in the ballpark anymore. Just pure envy. Green eyed monster and all.

[Skywalker]

Envy indeed. That IS badassery. Mofo's.

[Nightshade]

I got to do a controlled roll holding an M249 across my back countless times and then I had to fall out of the helicopter another countless times. When I got home my abs and lower back hurt and apparently I have a huge abrasion on the right side of my lower back.

Yes, it was cool. But like Hillbilly said, it was hard work.