Introduction
The Taliban remained an invisible enemy for the American troops, laying land mines on the roads and harassing them with shelling. Nevertheless, in the summer of 2008, Afghan fighters almost destroyed the stronghold of American paratroopers with a direct attack and inflicted heavy losses on them. The 173rd Airborne Brigade of the US Army in the 21st considered one of the most combat for many years. In 2003, they participated in a parachute landing in northern Iraq; from March 2005 to March 2006, they were in Afghanistan. In the spring of 2007, another trip to Iraq was expected, but at the last moment, they left for Afghanistan.
The American command considered the most dangerous evacuation of the old base and promotion to a new one. However, these stages passed without any problems or opposition. A vital point on the outskirts of the village of Wanat was assigned to create a second platoon of Company C, starting on July 8. The platoon was short of ten men to full strength, but the fighters had powerful firepower. Despite all the difficulties, the soldiers showed principles like mutual trust, risk acceptance, and the commander’s intent and adequately accepted the battle with the outnumbered Taliban.
Mutual Trust
Realizing that they were left alone, surrounded by enemies who thirsted for their blood, they had no choice but to support their friend in such a difficult situation. Their feat would have been unattainable if they had not rallied with each other and stood up to the end against the enemy. The fact that they were not afraid, but continued to fight, speaks of the high moral values ​​of these fighters because they understood that if one of them surrendered, he would let down the entire unit, and therefore they stood to the end. The soldiers showed the camaraderie, love, and respect that these soldiers shared—they were willing to fight and even die for each other (Gibbons, 2018). For America, this battle was one of the most difficult in the history of the war in Afghanistan.
However, due to the incredible efforts of the soldiers, they got off with fewer losses. One can write odes about the strength of the spirit of these soldiers. The desire to sacrifice oneself for the sake of comrades can be considered one of the manifestations of true heroism, which is not inherent in every person. In war, it is necessary to act together; shared understanding is key to battle success.
Risk Acceptance
Immediately after the shelling began, the commander of Company C, who was at the decisive point, requested help, but it turned out that there was not much to help them right now. It took the reserve first platoon about two hours to raise the alarm and get on the armor to Wanat. The nearest howitzer battery was located behind two mountain ranges and was forced to fire, increasing the trunks to the maximum elevation. The current situation had a few possible solutions, all of which were weighed down by considerable risk, including defeat in battle and the loss of soldiers.
The following solution was considered the best one in this situation. Due to the danger of hitting their people and the lack of communication with the forward spotter, wounded Sergeant Pitts, the howitzers fired at several pre-shot targets on the hills (Zoroya, 2018). These targets were positioned a few hundred meters from the vital point. After weighing all the pros and cons, the decision was made, and although its result turned out to be far from the most effective, most likely, there was no better.
Commander’s Intent
The Taliban attack was again repulsed by fire from grenade launchers and hand grenades, but another paratrooper died in an attempt to get closer to the enemy. Three of the four remaining fighters broke through to the main stronghold, leaving Sergeant Pitts, who was presumed dead, alone. For the next half hour, the sergeant alone held the Taliban until help came to him, four paratroopers from the stronghold. Together they managed to repulse another Taliban attack, losing one dead. Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts received the Medal of Honor for heroism and bravery in close combat with the enemy (Gibbons, 2018). Pitts showed extreme heroism and how a commander should behave in a stressful situation. Their feat can be considered a manifestation of such a strong feeling as vengeance for his fallen brothers. He was an example for many future division commanders in history, and their exploits will be told for generations.
Conclusion
After analyzing the literature, it can be concluded that the US military showed exceptional heroism and succeeded as much as possible in an unfair battle. Through the principles of mutual trust, risk-taking, and commander’s intent, the contribution of the US military to the Battle of Wanat has far exceeded expectations. As a result of the fighting, nine American soldiers were killed, 27 were injured, and four Afghan soldiers were also wounded. The losses of the Taliban were estimated in wide range from 20 to 60 killed due to the impossibility of an in-depth investigation. The few survivors who participated in the battle were awarded the highest awards for their deeds. The historical experience gained from this mission should serve as a basis for decision-making in upcoming and current conflicts.
References
Gibbons, T. J., & Zoroya, G. (2018). The chosen few: A company of paratroopers and its heroic struggle to survive in the mountains of Afghanistan.Naval War College Review, 71(2), 12. Web.
Zoroya, G. (2017). The chosen few: A company of paratroopers and its heroic struggle to survive in the mountains of Afghanistan (pp. 1-350). Da Capo Press.