America's Response 2001
On this night nineteen years ago, one MH-47E and two MH-60 DAPS departed Task Force Dagger’s staging base at K-2 airbase, Uzbekistan. The secret mission was a key piece in America’s response to the horrific attacks of 9/11. The three helicopters were saddled with delivering Special Forces ODA 595, a team that would gain the moniker, Horse Soldiers. I was the flight leader of this momentous mission. After crossing the first mountain range, nicknamed ‘the bear,’ our three fuel-thirsty helicopters descended into a narrow valley to rendezvous with an MC-130P tanker to extend our range. This vital jet fuel would get us deep into Afghanistan to deliver our precious cargo, ODA 595, but would not be enough to make it home without another refueling track. The weather was clear and cold. The dark sky revealed stars I’d never seen, and my favorite constellation Orion. The temperature would only drop as we ascended the elevations in Afghanistan. The gorgeous sky and twenty miles of visibilit