The village of Wanat is located near the confluence of two streams in a valley of the north-central area of the Pech District of the Kunar Province of Afghanistan. It is 60 miles north of the Khyber Pass. It is 50 miles northeast of Jalalabad. It is 25 miles northwest of the border with Pakistan. It is an area that the insurgents still contest, so we sent a platoon there on an extended reconnaissance mission.

On July 11, 2008 the 45 soldiers of the 2^nd Platoon of C Company of 2^nd Battalion of the 503^rd Infantry Regiment of the 173^rd Airborne Brigade arrived to set up a temporary Vehicle Patrol Base. Over the last 15 months, the soldiers of the 2^nd Battalion have conducted 9,000 such patrols, so this was a routine defensive measure. They defined an area the size and shape of a football field with two rings of concertina wire and deployed their vehicles in the center.

200 feet beyond the wire, outside of the VPB, they established an Observation Post on a high point. It consisted of a few shallow holes surrounded by sandbags. On July 13, 2008 at 0430, the 9 soldiers in the OP were attacked by 200 insurgents. For 20 minutes the machine gun fire and the rocket propelled grenade fire was continuous and withering. Corporal Pruitt A. Rainey radioed the VPB to report 3 dead and 3 wounded. He requested more ammunition.

The platoon commander and another soldier ran the 200 feet carrying more ammo. A minute later, the enemy breached the perimeter of the OP. Referring to an insurgent, Rainey shouted to the lieutenant, “He’s right behind the sandbag!”

7 American paratroopers died at that OP, including the officer and Pruitt Rainey. 2 more died at the VPB. There were 15 other casualties – more than half the platoon was either dead or wounded. About 0500, Apache helicopters, A-10s and F-15s arrived and the tide of battle shifted. By 0700, the wounded had been evacuated. A week later, on July 20^th, the brigade commander Colonel Charles Preysler said:

These guys have fought for 15 months, and they have fought harder, and I mean this literally, they have fought harder and (had) more engagements, more direct-fire engagements, than any brigade in the United States Army in probably the toughest terrain. These guys are absolutely veterans and they know what they’re doing and they have that airborne spirit and they fought a very, very tough battle and held the ground and did everything they were supposed to do.

On July 23^rd, Pruitt will be buried in North Carolina. I will be there.

~~~

“John’s Burgers” is a restaurant in Johnsburg. Johnsburg is a town of 5400 people 25 miles from my home. Becky is from Johnsburg.

I traveled the 790 miles to Burlington, NC (part of a larger trip) to attend the funeral for Pruitt. Becky traveled likewise to take a job as a TV reporter, in which capacity she covered Pruitt’s funeral.

I met the State Captain briefly but long enough to know that I like him a lot. There is no talking allowed in his flaglines.

I also met this belle of North Carolina waiting for Pruitt in the cemetery. Her name is Fran.

And I met Carole, mother of Emily. When Emily was 14, Pruitt wanted to marry her.

Fortunately, good sense prevailed. Pruitt went into our army where he was very successful.

Emily gained some maturity and met someone else. They will be married on September 21^st.

Pruitt was going to attend the wedding as Emily’s guest. Instead, Carole attended Pruitt’s funeral as a PGRider.

I take comfort from the knowledge that Pruitt’s short life was so full.

video of the battle taken by the enemy

photos, visitation

photos, funeral, first half

photos, funeral, second half

AR 15-6 Investigation

CENTCOM investigation

Foreign Policy investigative report

the Douglas R. Cubbison report

Update, 18 months after the battle: Two days after the battle we abandoned the entire Waygal Valley to the Taliban.

Update, 23 months after the battle, a DoD press release:

               Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced today that the Army has completed action on the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) independent investigation of the July 13, 2008, battle fought by soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team at Wanat, Afghanistan.  This engagement claimed the lives of nine U.S. soldiers and resulted in 27 casualties.

                On Jan. 27, McHugh appointed Gen. Charles Campbell, former commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, to review the CENTCOM investigation and take appropriate actions with regard to officers identified therein.  Campbell’s examination involved a detailed analysis of the CENTCOM investigation, as well as a review of the original investigation conducted by the 101st Airborne Division.

                On March 5, based upon his initial review of the CENTCOM investigation, Campbell initiated adverse administrative actions against former officers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team’s chain of command.  As part of administrative due process, each officer was given full access to both the CENTCOM and 101st Airborne Division investigations.  Additionally, Campbell afforded each officer the opportunity to submit matters for his consideration.  They provided extensive additional written information to Campbell, which was not previously provided to the CENTCOM or the 101st Airborne Division investigators.  Campbell also met with each of the officers.

                After careful consideration of the additional information, Campbell concluded that the officers were neither negligent nor derelict in the performance of their duties and that their actions were reasonable under the circumstances.  Therefore, he withdrew the adverse administrative actions.

                “In every review and study conducted to date, the courage, valor, and discipline of the soldiers who fought at Wanat have been universally praised.  These soldiers were well-trained, well-led, and fought bravely to defeat a determined and intense enemy action to overrun their base in Wanat.  They persevered in a fashion that deserves broad recognition of their bravery and tenacity,” said Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff.  “Our hearts go out to the families of the fallen soldiers.”

                “We can never alleviate the suffering felt by the families and friends of the incredibly brave soldiers who were killed and injured during this battle, or adequately express our sympathy for their loss,” said McHugh.  “We remain grateful for and humbled by their extraordinary courage and valor.”

                In keeping with the Army’s pledge to the families of the fallen soldiers, Campbell and Marine Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski, the investigating officer for the CENTCOM investigation, briefed the families earlier today at Fort McPherson, Ga.  As stated in his report, Campbell told the family members that the U.S. officers, noncommissioned officers, soldiers and Marines at Wanat met the test of battle.  “By their valor and their skill, they successfully defended their positions and defeated a determined, skillful, and adaptable enemy who masses and attacks at times, ways and places of his choosing,” Campbell said.

                The redacted report of Campbell’s review is available on-line at http://www.army.mil/wanat.  A redacted copy of the CENTCOM investigation is available at http://www2.centcom.mil/_layouts/AccessAgreement.aspx. This press release is available at http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13635.

The USA’s official history of the battle is available at: http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/Wanat.pdf

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