He struggled with survivor's guilt, post-traumatic stress disorder and physical after-effects in the. Navy, Ahmad Shah was an insurgent leader in Afghanistan, which is why the Marines in the Pech launched Operation Red Wings. But it didn't sport the Rangers logo. Far from the garden path of his home, Navy SEAL Matthew Axelson had dropped from a helicopter by rope into the mountains of eastern Afghanistan a day earlier. I think I would have enjoyed a documentary on the subject more than this . I realize I am not being speci?c, and I have no intention of being so. Awaiting us was the huge C-130 Hercules, a giant turbo-prop freighter. That was Matt Axelson, nickname Axe. 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Platoon Medic. Now, that's all very gallant. And while this process happened, the SEAL team secured the property, which means, broadly, making darned sure the Iraqis under this sudden house arrest had no access to any form of weaponry whatsoever. And when we found him, we scarcely knew who he was - al Qaeda or Taliban, Shiite or Sunni, Iraqi or foreign, a freedom ?ghter for Saddam or an insurgent ?ghting for some kind of a different god from our own, a god who somehow sanctioned murder of innocent civilians, a god who'd effectively booted the Ten Commandments over the touchline and out of play. Rocket propelled grenade. Our mission may have been strategic, it may have been secret. Brutal, no mercy. But as former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld once remarked, "What do you want to do? Synopsis: Set during the War in Afghanistan, the film dramatizes the United States Navy SEALs mission Operation Red Wings, in which a four-man SEAL team was tasked to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. That was Shane Patton. Those terrorist organizations laugh at the U.S. media, and they know exactly how to use the system against us. But that will do for broad guidelines. Unfortunately, he failed to graduate because of an injury, so Luttrell instead graduated with Class 228 on April 21, 2000. What a legend amongst common folk! It's hard to survive when a door comes straight at you at one hundred miles an hour from point-blank range. This might be, perhaps, a little daunting for regular soldiers. (I didnt give that much of a shit, Luttrell writes. Also, he paid attention to the upcoming missions and made sure his kids were always in the front line. On the same day I arrived, U.S. Marines took Tikrit, Saddam's hometown, and a few hours later the Pentagon announced that major combat had concluded. For example, Luttrell didnt flatline, Shah probably wasnt a member of al Qaeda, and the final battle depicted in the film never happened. But they represent a danger to us; they undermine our con?dence on the battle?eld in the ?ght against world terror. Compare these costs to the cost of buying a new or used tuxedo. We continued our operations, looking for the key insurgents, forcing or bribing the information out of them. Press J to jump to the feed. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Over 5 days, the men who want to be SEALs will run, swim, carry boats, tread in freezing water, crawl through sand, and more. At ?rst, this slightly irritated me; you know, telling a much junior guy what you want done, and it turns out he's already done it. It was about me getting my a** whipped. After the Army Rangers rescue Luttrell, the Army Rangers radioed into base that I had been found, that I was stable and unlikely to die. They also stop and have tea with the locals, which you wouldnt do with a dying man. These are drawn up for us to follow by some politician sitting in some distant committee room in Washington, D.C. And that's a very long way from the battle?eld, where a sniper's bullet can blast your head, where the slightest mistake can cost your life, where you need to kill your enemy before he kills you. Out there, often in uncharted desert wasteland near the water, we'd see rocket launchers in the distance and drive right onto them, only to ?nd they were just decoys, huge fake missile containers pointing at the sky, made out of scrap metal and old iron bars. When fighting, he was precise and professional. Much has been made of the accuracy of Lone Survivor, which has been widely praised for its realism and even named one of the most realistic war movies of all time. To provide much of its authenticity, writer-director Peter Berg worked closely with Marcus Luttrell, the Navy SEAL played by Mark Wahlberg in the film, and the author of the memoir of the same name. Even with a major city operation we never travel in groups of more than twenty, and the recon units consist of only four men. Each one of us had grown a beard in order to look more like Afghan ?ghters. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers. Their mission was to find and either capture or kill terrorists, as well as other high-ranking members of the toppled Saddam regime. Generally speaking, the Navy SEALs train the best recon units in the world. We planted our own explosives in the building and then deferred to our EOD guy (explosive ordnance disposal). So they just went right back at it. I'm not saying anyone else could recognize them. He and Morgan were swim buddies together in SEAL training, went through Sniper School together. Man, we can do it all. Like, The 43nd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009, Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000, and the president most associated with the War on Terror of the early 21st century. Despite this, I can guarantee you that if three SEALs were put into a crowded airport, I would spot them all, just by their bearing, their con?dence, their obvious discipline, the way they walk. The SEALs fled into a gulch and tried to contact their base, first via radio, then with their satellite phone. One time, he and I were on a two-mile training swim, and when I ?nally hit the beach I couldn't ?nd him. At first distrustful of any local, he ends up being aided 'like a neighbor' just as Jesus instructed us to be to all men as in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Lone Survivor movie hits home with two, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Lone Survivor movie hits home with two families with Bay Area ties. As president of Iraq, Saddam maintained power through the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) and the first Persian Gulf War (1991). Sometimes names of other ringleaders. One of the good things about this film, says Chris Bown, whose brother-in-law was among the SEALs who perished, is it reminds people there are guys over there, still fighting, still dying.. Axe was Marcus' twin brother's best friend. He was the son of a Navy SEAL, and his quiet, rarely uttered ambition was to be just like his dad, James J. Patton. Way out of the water. Same thing, right? My twin brother, Morgan, was his best friend. He was ?rst up, literally dragging me away. That's what they taught us. Over and over during training, we were told never to be complacent, reminded constantly of the sheer cunning and unpredictability of our terrorist enemy, of the necessity for total vigilance at all times, of the endless need to watch out for our teammates. All rights reserved. Place where al Qaeda fighters trained. A group of fundamentalist Muslims who took control of Afghanistan's government in 1996. Rogan has said Spotify doesnt give a f*** and lets him pick his guests. Between 2010 and 2018 the Lone Survivor Foundation provided more than 25,200 hours of therapeutic services in a military-friendly environment to vets and their families, all at no cost to those receiving it. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Then there was my best friend, Lieutenant Michael Patrick Murphy, also not yet thirty, an honors graduate from Penn State, a hockey player, accepted by several law schools before he turned the rudder hard over and changed course for the United States Navy. Perhaps the most surprising and meaningful scene was when Marcus, alone and in foreign hostile territory, receives help from a very unexpected source. Even though the Americans had reason to believe Afghans in that Taliban-controlled region were unfriendly, the SEALs let them leave. And that was why all of us were here. It wouldnt last. He used them in Halabja, right? Though not a member of the Taliban, he and other ACM members wanted an Islamic government, not a foreign-backed one. Rogan and Luttrell had been about to talk about politics when the podcast ended. After the battle, according to the book, Luttrell is found by a local man named Sarawa, who also tends to his wounds: In the film, a local man named Gulab rescues him: According to Luttrells 60 Minutes interview, Thats when an Afghan man appeared. Thus far, those mountain men had been kicking some serious a** in their skirmishes with our military. It all causes your senses to go up tenfold, as you move quietly, stealthily through the shadows, using the dead space, the areas into which your enemy cannot see. Patrick Griffin . That's what we were taught, out there in the absolute front line of U.S. military might. Suh was one of 16 troops killed when a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan on June 28, on a daring daylight mission to reinforce an outnumbered four-man SEAL reconnaissance squad in 8,000-foot mountainous terrain. However, while the movie recreates many of the realities of war in painstaking detail, it also diverges significantly from the real-life Operation Red Wings. As Americas military presence in Afghanistan continues to diminish, and remote mountain outposts are ceded back to tribal elders some of them Taliban supporters who have controlled the region for centuries, the film serves as a grim reminder that every casualty of war is a story, not a statistic. You can learn more about the foundation here and, if you are a veteran suffering from combat trauma, you can apply to attend here. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. This article was updated on 10-31-2016, the team members named and killed were incorrect, we sincerely apologize for this error. The Brits had just taken Basra. American troops boarding a helicopter in Afghanistan. Although these city houses were mostly two-story, Iraqis tend to sleep downstairs, all of them crowded together in the living room. Fired on from the rooftops, watching for car bombs, we learned to ?ght like terrorists, night after night, moving like wild animals through the streets and villages. I learned precisely how seditious and cunning an enemy could be. I'm not a real fast runner, but I'm quick through the water, and I reached him with no trouble. For people wondering why the podcast cut off abruptly after Marcus went to take a leak we decided that perhaps he had consumed a little too much to continue talking., Rogan added, in retrospect, I believe that was the correct decision. Sometimes we returned ?re, always to much more deadly effect than our enemy could manage. We thought that was kind of stupid, because we weren't trying to occupy anything. The very next day a serious bomb went off at a graduation ceremony for the new Iraqi police class, trained by the United States. You can ask them. It was the single deadliest mission in Afghanistan for US Navy SEALs. On April 14, 2003, he joined the invasion of Iraq with SEAL Team 5. $20 says the next Call of Duty / Black Ops franchise will have a scene in the mountainous woods. Marcus Luttrell's book about the Navy Seal Operation. James Suh Dan Bilzerian, as ; Healy Jerry Ferrara, as . . In the teams, he was always professional. That's the way of our brotherhood. He was 29. There might be someone upstairs trying to ?re down on us, which could be a massive pain in the a**. Those mountains up in the northeast, the western end of the mighty range of the Hindu Kush, were the very same mountains where the Taliban had sheltered the lunatics of al Qaeda, shielded the crazed followers of Osama bin Laden while they plotted the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York on 9/11. In the film, the military comes to the rescue of Luttrell in a roar of gunships and men descending from helicopters. Trouble was, he was a bit slow, and that was truly his only ? He had only one sibling, an older sister, but he had about three hundred cousins, every one of whom he was sworn to protect. Directed by Peter Berg and starring Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, and . Our missions in the city were sometimes interrupted by intense searches for whatever or whoever happened to be missing. . No one ever dared yell at any of us while he was around. Cheers boys.". This is the name of the mountain range where the SEAL members were sent to fight the members of the Taliban. To Afghanistan . Get your game faces on. In his 2007 book. Petty Officer ________________was a 22-year-old son of a Navy SEAL. I never met one person with a bad word to say about him. This was the central figure's best friend in the Afghan village. Around that time, with the search for weapons of mass destruction still under way, we were detailed to the gigantic Lake Buhayrat ath Tharthar, where supposedly a large cache had been hidden by Saddam. They saw only the calm, cheerful navy man who could undoubtedly have been a professional golfer, a guy who loved a laugh and a cold beer. But caution was usually advisable around there, despite the fact we had a very tough man in the White House who'd made clear his policy of harsh retaliation at the merest suggestion of an attack on U.S. air traf?c, civilian or military. It would have been a whole hell of a lot quicker to head directly northeast across the gulf. Solomon Suh, who moved in with his daughters family after his sons death, used to drive down from Benicia on Sundays and spend the day with the bronze likeness of his son, who was 28 when he died, occasionally reading to him from the Bible. The sixth member of our group was James Suh, a twentyeight-year-old native of Chicago who was raised in south Florida. Matthew died doing what he wanted to be doing, says his mom, fighting for his country. Every time we see him, we try to remind Marcus how grateful we are that he survived, and that he had the courage to tell the story, Donna Axelson says. A holy war waged by Muslims against infidels. There was a kind of sullen look to them, as if they were sick to death of having the American military around them. In Baghdad we were up against an enemy we often could not see and were obliged to get out there and ?nd. In Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, a book that Luttrell co-authored, several helicopters flew over different areas to confuse those on the ground. Im assuming it ended as is? ), The Number of Afghan Fighters Has Been Exaggerated. Fuck. We knew what we were coming for. ** Relative location of the bodies The day was June 28th, 2005. It was also the ?rst inkling we had of the rise from the ashes of Osama bin Laden's followers. Lone Survivor Vocabulary & Cast of Characters Learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. He might even cut your throat if he had a chance. It's been an insidious progression, the criticisms of the U.S. Armed Forces from politicians and from the liberal media, which knows nothing of combat, nothing of our training, and nothing of the mortal dangers we face out there on the front line. Read our extensive list of rules for more information on other types of posts like fan-art and self-promotion, or message the moderators if you have any questions. We could all use someone like @marcusluttrell in our lives. No one ever has. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. "That went really well, didn't it?" I remember him giving his very beautiful girlfriend Heather a gift-wrapped traf?c cone for her birthday. Bahrain stands on the 26 north line of latitude. Later, his schoolteacher gave his class an assignment to write a short story. ", "Right away, Marcus. It was just another example of how amazingly sharp you need to be in order to wear the SEAL Trident. Rental costs. In an article on OnViolence.com, Michael and Eric Cummings detail many of the creative liberties the movie takes with its portrayal of the mission. Why the hell don't you take a shower? Chinook Pilot #2. James Suh. If our team had ultimately found Saddam in his hidey-hole, we'd probably have shot him dead for a lot of reasons but especially on the strength of those wasted desert runs. +965 6552 7941. jurassic world aftermath vr. It made her miss James more being around the guys and not having him there, says her husband, Chris. Director: Peter Berg Writer: Peter Berg I never had to tell him anything. Of course he did. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. _______________ in charge of the training camp and the instructors during Hell Week. When word came on July 4, 2005, that the bodies of fellow SEALs Danny Dietz and Mike Murphy had been recovered, but that her son was still missing, Donna Axelson leaned on her strong religious faith to remain hopeful. We loaded and stowed our essential equipment: heavy weaps (machine guns), M4 ri?es, SIG-Sauer 9mm pistols, pigstickers (combat knives), ammunition belts, grenades, medical and communication gear. Dietz was shot multiple times, but kept returning fire until he died. You could hardly meet a better person. An event of statement in a narrative that in miniature suggests a larger event that comes later. He could be brutal in battle. We always made certain the blast was aimed inward, just in case someone was waiting behind the door with an AK-47. (Though theres a difference there, too: In the film, Gulab stays behind after Luttrell leaves. That was all the information we had. I can say from ?rsthand experience that those rules of engagement cost the lives of three of the ?nest U.S. Navy SEALs who have ever served. If I ever rounded a mountainside in Afghanistan and came face to face with Osama bin Laden, the man who masterminded the vicious, unprovoked attack on my country, killing 2,752 innocent American civilians in New York on 9/11, I'd shoot him dead, in cold blood. Veteran and military casualties from every one of the nation's wars are buried at the cemetery, from the Civil War to the things in Afghanistan and Iraq. well . His favorite book was Steven Press?eld's Gates of Fire, the story of the immortal stand of the Spartans at Thermopylae. When this was under control, with the A-guidance, we would question the ringleader, demanding he inform us where his terrorist cell was operating. They weren't trying to miss, they just weren't very good shots. Fortunately, his neighbor, Billy Shelton, was a US Army veteran. Eric . "Get away from me, Marcus!" No one ever thought he did. Bush was, Dictator of Iraq during the early years of the War on Terror. In the film, Taraq comes to the village, grabs Luttrell, and drags him out to a log to behead him, raising a machete in the air. However, one point was crystalline clear, at least to the six SEALs in that rumbling Hercules high above the Arabian desert. Awarded to persons serving with the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguish themselves with heroism not justifying the Medal Of Honor (MOH). Honestly that was some of the worst quick scoping I've seen in a long time. And that riled him. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army. They cared, above all, about the quality of the informant's information, the priceless data which might save dozens of American lives. It was one week after the U.S. forces launched their opening bombardment against the city, trying to nail Saddam before the war really started. This was payback time for the World Trade Center. But they were most certainly their descendants, their heirs, their followers. Suh was one of 16 troops killed when a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan on June 28, on a daring daylight mission to reinforce an outnumbered four-man SEAL reconnaissance squad in . Until you've encountered one of these guys, you don't understand the meaning of the word hate. We didn't mind this, but we didn't love it either. Home; Brands; Category; About us; Contact us; Need help? Although I admit in my ?rst week in Iraq we were subject to . In the film, Matthew Axelson (played by Ben Foster) claims that Shah killed 20 Marines in the week before Operation Red Wings. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. For his nearest and dearest, he used a particularly large gift shop, otherwise known as the U.S. highway system. It's a reminder that they are human beings who are vulnerable even though they are some of the nation's best in the armed forces. Our particular unit was situated on the south side of the capital city of Manama, way up in the northeast corner of the island. Compare with classmates. The numbers. The four Navy SEALs on the ground including Axelson went missing after a furious firefight, during which they were encircled by heavily armed Taliban. Which was more or less why the brass had sent for us. I also saw the al Qaeda training camp north of Baghdad. Nonetheless we had to drive through the city in an unprotected vehicle over another causeway, the Sheik Hamad, named for the emir. I wished Mike Murphy had been there. Scott: . You're dealing with a race car here.". I asked. There was nothing left. determined. In our view, the question of whether Saddam Hussein had biological and chemical weapons was answered. We'd advance, city block by city block, moving carefully through the dark, ready for someone to open ?re on us from a window, a building, somewhere on the opposite side of the street, even a tower. The actual accident had happened just two days earlier. Marcus Luttrell is the protagonist, narrator, and hero of Lone Survivor. Find out where to watch online amongst 45+ services including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video. Follow him at Twitter.com/BruceNewmanTwit. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the U.S. militarys highest decoration. Sometimes we would get an address. They're big on causeways, and I guess they will build more, since there are thirty-two other much smaller islands forming the low-lying Bahrainian archipelago, right off the Saudi western shore, in the Gulf of Iran. Within an hour, they came under heavy fire by Shah and his men. The operation, dubbed Red Wings, quickly descended into catastrophe. Rogan signed a deal worth more than $100 million with the streaming service in 2020, according to The Wall Street Journal, and some Rogan listeners have been skeptical about the move, wondering whether the company would be censoring Rogan or controlling his content.