This article is filed under the categorys afghanistan,kunar province,pech river valley and was published august 11th, 2010 by herschel smith. Pech river valley, afghanistan in this wild and outlaw region of rugged mountains, where fighting is a way of life, insurgents fire down. Tales from afghanistan will be a documentary film to preserve. Tactical nav is dedicated to the screaming eagles of the 101st airborne division air assault, and the brave warriors who were killed fighting in the pech river valley of afghanistan in 20102011. Us repositions troops in eastern afghanistan fox news.
Tactical nav is dedicated to the screaming eagles of the 101st airborne division air assault, and the brave warriors who were killed fighting in the pech river. Anyone who served in that country will probably have a similar story, and if you want to watch a movie that is told directly from that perspective, then the pech river boys documentary is the film for you. Security forces begin operations in the pech river valley dvids. Marines from task force lava conduct a pech river crossing in armored vehicles while a soldier from company a, 27th engineer battalion, part of task force spartan, observes. In afghanistan, kunar is a rare forested valley carved by the kunar river, which. Troops strive to hold the line in pech valley afghanistan stripes. A small stream flows from high up in the korengal and meanders down through the valley before emptying into the pech river. Aug 31, 2011 a us army vehicle fires on taliban positions on a mountainside, outside a base in the pech river valley of afghanistan s kunar province on oct.
If youre interested in what else the the captains journal has to say, you might try thumbing through the archives and. As the afghans tell the story, from the moment the americans arrived in 2001, the pech valley timber. All of the video you see in the documentary that is in afghanistan, was recorded by the soldiers themselves. When the american military was there, they faced the same challenges the afghan forces do today.
Feb 25, 2011 the withdrawal from the pech valley, a remote region in kunar province, formally began on feb. The film itself follows an infantry platoon in the pech river valley of afghanistan. Soldiers joined forces with afghan national army soldiers to complete the final phase of operation bulldog bite in the pech river valley in eastern afghanistans kunar province nov. Mathew standford, who was peppered with shards from the metal door, joined the growing ranks of the wounded at this remote combat outpost in afghanistan s restive pech river valley in kunar province, which borders pakistan. Artillery fire in afghanistan pech river valley smokybob63. Aug 22, 2019 the districts of watapur, darae pech locally called manogai and chapa dara collectively constitute pech dara, where most of the estimated 100,000 residents are members of the pashtun safi tribe. The kunar river is a tributary of the kabul river, part of the indus river basin. In the past the people of the korengal and pech river valleys were. Ferocious fighting in the steep mountains above the pech river. Security forces begin operations in the pech river valley. Now comes james foleys report on the pech river valley area. Kunar province, afghanistan afghan national security forces, with support from international security assistance force members, began operations today in.
An f15 eagle fighter jet screams above the pech river valley, in eastern afghanistans kunar province, for a show of force, right after a firefight between insurgents and troops from co. S marines patrol in afghanistan combat footage duration. Accessible through a narrow road along a fastflowing mountain river, the valley proved ideal terrain for taliban ambushes and improvised explosive devices planted along roadsides to. Kunar province, afghanistan an f15 eagle fighter jet screams low across the floor of the pech river valley in eastern afghanistans kunar province for a show of force right after a firefight with insurgents and troops from company d, 2nd battalion, 35th infantry regiment, task force cacti, 3rd brigade combat team, 25th infantry division. The mountainous terrain physically and culturally isolated the. Korangal valley is a valley in the daraipech district of kunar province in eastern afghanistan. The valley is formed by a right tributary of the pech river. After conducting an air assault onto the high ground. The afghan government maintains offices at the pech river valley, the entryway to korengal.
Accessible through a narrow road along a fastflowing mountain river, the valley proved ideal terrain for taliban ambushes and improvised explosive devices planted along roadsides to target afghan and international troops. A multimedia project on soldiers from gun dog company, 235th infantry regiment, 3rd bct, 25th id, task force bronco securing the pech river valley in eastern afghanistans kunar province for a hum. Afghan army ambitions meet limits in violent pech valley. A us army vehicle fires on taliban positions on a mountainside, outside a base in the pech river valley of afghanistans kunar province on oct. Our area of operations was far less violent than when we arrived, and we had built strong relationships. What follows is my imperfect reflection on the retrograde movement from the pech river valley in 20102011. They were stationed at cop michigan in the mouth of the deadly korengal valley. Hes with 4th platoon, dagger company of the 2nd battalion, 12th infantry regiment, at combat outpost nangalam in the pech river valley of afghanistans kunar province on. Peace returns to afghanistans valley of death gandhara rferl. Mar 01, 2015 in may 2010, bravo company 3rd platoon 27in of the legendary 101st airborne division was deployed to the pech river valley located in afghanistan s kunar province.
Ten years in afghanistans pech valley united states institute of. In the pech valley, pashto as well as askunu language is spoken. The withdrawal from the pech valley, a remote region in kunar province, formally began on feb. May 11, 2011 artillery fire in afghanistan pech river valley smokybob63. Afghanistans heart of darkness combating terrorism center at. But down the road along the pech river valley, the rest of the safis opposed the korengalis. Tales from afghanistan official trailer is finally live. Troops strive to hold the line in pech valley afghanistan. Watapur valley and the pech river region of afghanistan had a long history of armed conflict. Over the past few months, the ana independently conducted several patrols, successfully clearing the area of.
Pulling back in afghan valley it called vital the new. Why i joined the military writers guild justin lynch medium. Us and afghan forces have wrapped up a weeklong operation in the eastern pech river valley in kunar province. As the afghans tell the story, from the moment the americans arrived in. Kiowas in the pech river valley modern war institute. Why i joined the military writers guild justin lynch. These are the accounts from the men of bravo company 3rd platoon 27in. Progress in the pech river valley clarksville, tn online.
The main pech river valley and its extensions into the korangal and wanat waygal valleys were the scene of some of the fieriest fighting. The pech river valley, the bulldogs current area of operations, is a very rural area in the remote kunar province of northeastern afghanistan where the insurgent base remains strong despite the. During the operation, which the top us commander in the east claimed dealt a huge blow to the enemy, 49 taliban fighters and six us soldiers were killed. These include the chapa dara, waygal, korangal valley site of the film restrepo, watapur, and sharyak valleys. Petraeus, the top commander in afghanistan, visited soldiers in the pech river valley march 31st to show his appreciation and support for. Patrick dubois was a lieutenant, deployed as a kiowa helicopter pilot in afghanistan.
Tales from afghanistan is a short documentary film about bravo company 3rd platoon 27in of the 101st airborne divisions deployment. Jul 12, 2017 a small stream flows from high up in the korengal and meanders down through the valley before emptying into the pech river. It is made up of one major river valley and several small contributing valleys. I was in the pech valley from late april 2010 until early november 2010, so. The districts of watapur, darae pech locally called manogai and chapa dara collectively constitute pech dara, where most of the estimated 100,000 residents are members of the pashtun safi tribe. Jalalabad airfield, afghanistan, may 5, 2006 coalition forces and afghan contractors continued the early stages of work may 3 on a permanent bridge over the pech river. First, it was made by vets, for vets, to honor the memory of a brother that fell in the notorious pech river valley. Aug 11, 2010 nangalam, afghanistan each day in this hot summer fighting season, the thundering boom of u. A multimedia project on soldiers from gun dog company, 235th infantry regiment, 3rd bct, 25th id, task force bronco securing the pech river valley in eastern afghanistan s kunar province for a hum. Their police execute raids and patrols in a continuing attempt to shut down or limit the shadow government operating there. One day, about halfway through the deployment, he was part of a mission to provide support to a ground force in the pechthe valley of the pech river surrounded by rugged mountains, where some of the most intense fighting of the war in afghanistan took place. Oct 15, 2010 kunar province, afghanistan afghan national security forces, with support from international security assistance force members, began operations today in the pech river valley aimed at denying. Tf cacti helps afghan police establish footprint in pech. Pech river valley, afghanistan in this wild and outlaw region of rugged mountains, where fighting is a way of life, insurgents fire down onto u.
The military projects that it will last about two months, part of a shift of western forces to. Sep 07, 2011 the pech valley is the face of the war in eastern afghanistan. Near the confluence of these two rivers a tiny bridge spans the gap. Jun 06, 2011 but since terrorists operate in the pech river valley, we are here to eliminate them. The city is located within a valley at the confluence of the pech river and kunar river between two mountain ridgelines running along both sides of the valley from northeast to. In may 2010, bravo company 3rd platoon 27in of the legendary 101st airborne division was deployed to the pech river valley located in afghanistans kunar province. Located at the mouth of the korengal valley in afghanistan, it was often referred to as the most dangerous place on earth. Jun 20, 2016 the film itself follows an infantry platoon in the pech river valley of afghanistan. It is located in the eastern portion of the country adjacent to pakistan.
Regular readers know my position on abandoning the pech river valley in afghanistan, and chasing the insurgents into their havens to kill them, so there is no need to rehearse that issue. Pech and the neighboring korangal valley have been the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the nearly 10yearold afghan war. Photos of women adorn the wall, above a shelf containing grenades, in u. This adds a certain level of authenticity that most documentary films miss. I left the pech river valley of afghanistan in 2009, proud of what my battalion accomplished. Today, the american military rarely moves into the valley, but handpicked afghan commandos, some trained by the cia, fight constantly with militants there. Ten years in afghanistans pech valley the web site cannot be. The korengal is keeping the pech river valley safe, the pech is keeping kunar province stable, and hence what we are hoping is all that takes the pressure off kabul.
The 101st airborne division unit heads out on patrol as part of their larger mission to establish security in the pech river valley. As an aside, jim has done and is doing some of the best reporting coming out of afghanistan. Nangalam, at the junction of the pech and waygal rivers, is the largest town in the district. The river has numerous tributaries forming valleys on both sides. Apr 28, 2015 i left the pech river valley of afghanistan in 2009, proud of what my battalion accomplished. The vast majority of kunars population is pashtun, with the pechbased safi. The pech river valley, the bulldogs current area of operations, is a very rural area in the remote kunar province of northeastern afghanistan where the. Operation stone steps training enables afghans to stand on. Jul 12, 2010 the pech river valley, the bulldogs current area of operations, is a very rural area in the remote kunar province of northeastern afghanistan where the insurgent base remains strong despite the. Pech, afghanistan fighting was the norm in pech, a mountain valley in eastern afghanistan.
One day, about halfway through the deployment, he was part of a mission to provide support to a ground force in the pechthe valley of the pech river surrounded by rugged mountains, where some of the most intense fighting. Tales from afghanistan provides a raw and real look into operation enduring freedom through interviews and archival footage. The city is located within a valley at the confluence of the pech river and kunar river between two mountain ridgelines running along both sides of the valley from northeast to southwest. The pech river system is fed from glaciers and snow from the hindu kush range to its north.
Korengal abandoned, pech river valley still problematic. But since terrorists operate in the pech river valley, we are here to eliminate them. Jalalabad airfield, afghanistan, may 5, 2006 coalition forces and afghan. The river rises in central nuristan province and flows south and southeasterly through the center of kunar province, joining the kunar river asmar river, loy seend at the provincial capital of asadabad. Formerly inhabited by speakers of a pech valley dardic indic language called nangalami, the village was destroyed by afghan troops in 1978. An interview with staff sergeant ramses martinez about his squads involvement in the pech river valley of the kunar province in afghanistan. Nangalam, afghanistan each day in this hot summer fighting season, the thundering boom of u. The pech valley is the face of the war in eastern afghanistan. The big guns at camp blessing, the 1st battalion, 327th infantry regiments headquarters in.
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