This is an annual post: I commanded 2nd Bn (Airborne), 503rd Inf Regt – The ROCK – of the 173rd Airborne Brigade; command included nearly 15 months in Afghanistan. During this tour, The ROCK was in nearly 1100 engagements with the enemy; we employed 5400 indirect fire missions and 3800 aerial deliveries to protect our Paratroopers, allies and the population. The ROCK received a Presidential Unit Citation, a Valorous Unit Award, and three living Paratroopers earned the Medal of Honor (Sal Giunta, Kyle White, and Ryan Pitts), two earned the Distinguished Service Cross, and 27 earned the Silver Star. In total, over 400 valor awards were earned by ROCK Paratroopers. In addition, 169 Purple Hearts were awarded for wounds received in combat – 26 PHs were awarded to the families of the fallen. The ROCK is reputed to be the most decorated U.S. battalion in the Global War and Chosen Company is reputed to be the most decorated company. It was combat with battles. The Battle of Wanat was fought 13 July 2008 in the Waygul Valley of Nuristan Province - 14 1/2 months into our 15 month tour. In the battle, 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company – was attacked by approximately 200 insurgent fighters. At the end of the 4-hour fight, 2/C held the ground, but 9 Americans were killed and 27 were wounded. The fallen were – Sergio Abad, Johnathan Ayers, Jason Bogar, John Brostrom, Israel Garcia, Jason Hovater, Matt Phillips, Pruitt Rainey, Gunnar Zwilling. In the battle, SSG Ryan Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor and 11 Paratroopers earned Silver Stars. The Story of Chosen Company and the ROCK is about esprit, honor, valor, commitment, mental toughness, proficiency of the individual Paratroopers and the ability to work as a team in the most trying of circumstances. Wanat is a heroic and honorable story – a tactical victory achieved at a tragically high cost. This story has been captured in a number of forums –“The Chosen Few” by Gregg Zoroya, “Three Battles of Wanat” by Mark Bowden, “Wanat: Combat Action in Afghanistan, 2008, “The Hardest Place” by Wes Morgan and a number of other publications. Until the tragic 26 August 2021 suicide bombing that killed 13 at the Kabul Airport, as US Forces withdrew from Afghanistan, the Battle of Wanat was the largest loss of life in a single ground combat action in Afghanistan. Forever young ~ as what we do in life, echoes in eternity… #usarmy #valor #resilience #goldstarfamilies #leadership #ownership
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Tim Hall
1mo
This gives us all the sad reminder of our most humiliating defeat in US military history. 😭
Jonathon Moreno
1mo
Jason Hovater had a wonderful impression of you sir, Gunner Zwilling had, hands down, the best hair in the platoon, I have fond memories of these soldiers. I struggled for years with the survivors guilt, having believed their death was the result of not emphasizing enough the dangers of closing Bella and relocating to Wanat in my reports, thoughts that maybe I missed a detail that could've been decisive. After those years of struggle I decided that the best way to honor my brothers is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. I realized moving forward is the best thing to do, and that their memory isn't preserved in my guilt but in my stories that I remember about them.
David Eyre, P.E.
1mo
Well said. Thank you for sharing. I would say though that the lose of Extortion 17, a mission on which I lost a good friend, was a larger lose of life. 30 US Soldiers were lost on that mission (38 died overall), to include 15 SEALS and my friend CW5 David Carter. May we remember them all. ESSAYONS.
Paul Mikolashek
1mo
Bill, timely as this we will go over the Case Study on Wanat at the Army War College second year resident course. A great study on courage and accountability. Thanks sharing your annual post. PT
Adrian Lauriello
1mo
RIP
Rob Slater
1mo
I went to AF some years after you. Had a few talks not all of which I can remember with our AOB interpreters, some of which commanded hundreds of men in the days of the Northern alliance and back in the day fighting the Soviets. Men who if you knew who they were or what they were commanded respect for what they've done and what they were capable of.......... They sometimes talked of Nuristan and getting shot inside the helicopter before the bird even landed. I asked them what do you recommend if we have to go there? Their answer: "drop a nuclear bomb first". ,................. Sir you had a tough mission. If Afghan people recommend you drop a nuclear bomb on an area of their own country that's pretty good acknowledgment.
Kevin Reardon
1mo
Thank You Bill for always bringing attention to and paying respect to all those incredible human beings, in particular those who made the ultimate sacrifice in that action on that fateful day. We as a society and nation need to remember and recognize all who have, continue to, and will serve the greater good in our military. We collectively owe all who serve in our armed forces a debt that can never be satisfied. May God Bless all these these fine American patriots. May He Live within, strengthen, comfort, and grant His divinity to those whose loved ones made the supreme sacrifice and all those who served with them. Sky Soldiers! ROCK Paratroopers! 🙏
Peter Becker
1mo
Great American soldiers! Great military leaders! Thanks William. I started out in 1983 as an airborne ranger infantry officer. I retired as a Judge Advocate 24 years later. I continued to serve the US as a DOD and DOS contractor and DOJ official. Almost all overseas... in danger zones... I spent 7 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan, six months in Haiti, and Bosnia, and Ukraine. Another 2 1/2 years in sub-Saharan Africa. I'm now old and mostly retired... But there is nothing I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time and serve as a battle buddy with these magnificent soldiers... There is nothing more perfectly decent and human and honorable than these young, smart, strong and brave American 2/503 paratroopers. Thanks so much for reminding us of all of these magnificent soldiers. I remain so ever humble and forever grateful. V/r Pete
Noor S.
1mo
Appreciate to all USA forces they served for the of people of Afghanistan. ❤
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1moSky Soldiers are amazing. I remember PFC Juan Sebastian Restrepo, KIA on July 22, 2007. His name lives on in the NatGeo documentary “Restrepo”. I was humbled to meet his family, and shed tears with them, as we watched the film’s debut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Sebastián_Restrepo