thedrifter
03-09-07, 01:26 PM
A Very Special Special Forces Hero
By Matthew Dodd
"You're the only people I ever hoped would consider me a hero."
Those heartfelt words were spoken by then-Major Mark E. Mitchell, U.S. Army, to his wife and daughters at a Nov. 13, 2003 awards ceremony. Mitchell was the recipient of the first Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in our ongoing global war on terrorism, and the first DSC presented since the Vietnam War. Below is the citation and story of this American hero...
"For extraordinary heroism while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 3d Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during the period of 25 to 28 November 2001, distinguished himself while engaged in combat operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. As the Ground Force Commander of a rescue operation during the Battle of Qala-I-Jang Fortress, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, Major Mitchell ensured the freedom of one American and the posthumous repatriation of another."
There are some very important bits of information in that citation excerpt that I want to highlight. The first is that MAJ Mitchell was in the Special Forces (SF), or the "Green Berets." That fact tells me that chances are some of the details of his actions and the mission was at least sensitive, and most likely classified. In earlier 'heroes series' articles, I briefly mentioned that writing these high-level citations is challenging. Writing a 'public' citation around sensitive and classified information is especially challenging, with many words and phrases often 'pregnant with meaning.' To help me better understand what happened, I relied pretty heavily on the outstanding book, Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror by former Secretary of Defense, Caspar W. Weinberger and Wynton C. Hall.
The second important bit of information was the date of the citation: 25-28 November, 2001. 9/11 occurred just two-and-a-half months before his actions. Mitchell and his team were inserted into Afghanistan on or about 2 November. The political, historical, and global psychological ramifications of Mitchell's mission and actions need to be considered when reading his story.
Lastly, I draw your attention to the fact that it was a rescue operation, an unplanned one. The two Americans involved were both Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents, and the posthumously repatriated agent was Johnny "Mike" Spann. Spann will be remembered in history as the first U.S. combat death in the war on terror. Something else you will not read in the citation is that Major Mitchell's actions also led to another historical moment with the capture of the "American Taliban," John Walker Lindh.
"His unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership and personal sacrifice were directly responsible for the success of the rescue operation and were further instrumental in ensuring the city of Mazar-e-Sharif did not fall back in the hands of the Taliban. His personal example has added yet another laurel to the proud military history of this Nation and serves as the standard for all others to emulate."
A little background is required to fully appreciate Mitchell's courage, leadership, and sacrifice...
The Qala-i-Jangi (translated: "House of War") fortress was a massive nineteenth-century structure with half-mile long sides with thirty-five foot walls. It was divided into northern and southern halves with smaller buildings in the compound. There was no running water and only a small electrical generator for power. Two of those smaller buildings were armories, located in the southern half. The fortress was in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif and about one hundred Northern Alliance (Afghan) soldiers were assigned to protect it. It was in the southern half where upwards of six-hundred al Qaeda and Taliban fighters were imprisoned in mid-November. The CIA agents were assigned to Qala-i-Jangi to question the fighters in an effort to locate Osama bin Laden. One morning the prisoners staged a revolt and Mitchell and his men were summoned to support the besieged Northern Alliance soldiers.
Mitchell's team consisted of six SF soldiers, one U.S. Navy SEAL [see "Courage at Mazar-e-Sharif" DefenseWatch Apr. 26, 2005], and seven British Special Air Service (SAS) troops. Their initial efforts were to recover the two CIA agents inside the fortress. From radio communications with one agent, Mitchell learned the other agent's status and location were unknown but he was presumed to have been killed early in the uprising. With a bias for action, Mitchell led his forces in scaling the walls of the fortress. Inside, the fighters were emptying the armories, fighting the Northern Alliance soldiers, and firing on Mitchell's wall-top forces.
Mitchell directed his Air Force combat controller to call in a "danger close" airstrike. This is a term for being in very close proximity to your targets and, being less than two football fields away from the targets, Mitchell knew he was risking the lives of his team should anything go wrong with the strikes. Sometime during the air attack, the surviving CIA agent escaped from the fortress.
Early the next day, Mitchell and his men returned to the fortress where the Northern Alliance soldiers and the prisoners were still fighting. Mitchell split his forces and deployed them on opposite sides of the compound. Another airstrike was called in, but something went terribly wrong and four British troops, four SF soldiers, and a combat controller were severely wounded. Mitchell's priorities shifted again. He terminated the airstrikes and called for medical evacuations of his wounded. The remoteness and isolation of the fortress meant that helicopters had to fly a great distance to evacuate the casualties. In the three hours it took the helicopters to arrive, medics and Mitchell's battalion surgeon provided life-saving treatment to the wounded warriors.
That night, with only five remaining team members and about ten Afghans, Mitchell returned to the fortress determined to quell the rioting. While under enemy mortar attack, he called in an AC-130 gunship and directed fire upon the enemy positions. The gunship blew-up the mortar position and an ammunition cache in a spectacular explosion. The next morning, with reinforced Northern Alliance soldiers still fighting the remaining prisoners, Mitchell and his men recovered and evacuated the body of CIA agent, "Mike" Spann. When the Northern Alliance soldiers flooded the remaining prisoners' last basement stronghold, out came the "American Taliban," John Walker Lindh.
Mitchell's citation concluded:
"Major Mitchell's gallant deed was truly above and beyond the call of duty and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the United States Army, and the United States of America."
Inserted deep within enemy territory about six weeks after the surprise 9/11 attacks; surviving for over three weeks in a very challenging environment; leading a small band of "silent warriors" from two countries and three Services; effectively developing and responding to evolving, unexpected situations on the ground; supporting a besieged and vastly outnumbered allied force in a nineteenth-century confined battlefield; and then enabling an imperiled CIA agent to escape, and recovering the body of a fallen CIA agent. What Major Mitchell and his men accomplished is nothing short of remarkable.
I am sure Mark Mitchell's wife and daughters consider him a hero. After telling the story behind his citation, I know that he now has many other grateful citizens who also consider him a hero.
Who could not?
By Matthew Dodd
"You're the only people I ever hoped would consider me a hero."
Those heartfelt words were spoken by then-Major Mark E. Mitchell, U.S. Army, to his wife and daughters at a Nov. 13, 2003 awards ceremony. Mitchell was the recipient of the first Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in our ongoing global war on terrorism, and the first DSC presented since the Vietnam War. Below is the citation and story of this American hero...
"For extraordinary heroism while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 3d Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during the period of 25 to 28 November 2001, distinguished himself while engaged in combat operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. As the Ground Force Commander of a rescue operation during the Battle of Qala-I-Jang Fortress, Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, Major Mitchell ensured the freedom of one American and the posthumous repatriation of another."
There are some very important bits of information in that citation excerpt that I want to highlight. The first is that MAJ Mitchell was in the Special Forces (SF), or the "Green Berets." That fact tells me that chances are some of the details of his actions and the mission was at least sensitive, and most likely classified. In earlier 'heroes series' articles, I briefly mentioned that writing these high-level citations is challenging. Writing a 'public' citation around sensitive and classified information is especially challenging, with many words and phrases often 'pregnant with meaning.' To help me better understand what happened, I relied pretty heavily on the outstanding book, Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror by former Secretary of Defense, Caspar W. Weinberger and Wynton C. Hall.
The second important bit of information was the date of the citation: 25-28 November, 2001. 9/11 occurred just two-and-a-half months before his actions. Mitchell and his team were inserted into Afghanistan on or about 2 November. The political, historical, and global psychological ramifications of Mitchell's mission and actions need to be considered when reading his story.
Lastly, I draw your attention to the fact that it was a rescue operation, an unplanned one. The two Americans involved were both Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents, and the posthumously repatriated agent was Johnny "Mike" Spann. Spann will be remembered in history as the first U.S. combat death in the war on terror. Something else you will not read in the citation is that Major Mitchell's actions also led to another historical moment with the capture of the "American Taliban," John Walker Lindh.
"His unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership and personal sacrifice were directly responsible for the success of the rescue operation and were further instrumental in ensuring the city of Mazar-e-Sharif did not fall back in the hands of the Taliban. His personal example has added yet another laurel to the proud military history of this Nation and serves as the standard for all others to emulate."
A little background is required to fully appreciate Mitchell's courage, leadership, and sacrifice...
The Qala-i-Jangi (translated: "House of War") fortress was a massive nineteenth-century structure with half-mile long sides with thirty-five foot walls. It was divided into northern and southern halves with smaller buildings in the compound. There was no running water and only a small electrical generator for power. Two of those smaller buildings were armories, located in the southern half. The fortress was in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif and about one hundred Northern Alliance (Afghan) soldiers were assigned to protect it. It was in the southern half where upwards of six-hundred al Qaeda and Taliban fighters were imprisoned in mid-November. The CIA agents were assigned to Qala-i-Jangi to question the fighters in an effort to locate Osama bin Laden. One morning the prisoners staged a revolt and Mitchell and his men were summoned to support the besieged Northern Alliance soldiers.
Mitchell's team consisted of six SF soldiers, one U.S. Navy SEAL [see "Courage at Mazar-e-Sharif" DefenseWatch Apr. 26, 2005], and seven British Special Air Service (SAS) troops. Their initial efforts were to recover the two CIA agents inside the fortress. From radio communications with one agent, Mitchell learned the other agent's status and location were unknown but he was presumed to have been killed early in the uprising. With a bias for action, Mitchell led his forces in scaling the walls of the fortress. Inside, the fighters were emptying the armories, fighting the Northern Alliance soldiers, and firing on Mitchell's wall-top forces.
Mitchell directed his Air Force combat controller to call in a "danger close" airstrike. This is a term for being in very close proximity to your targets and, being less than two football fields away from the targets, Mitchell knew he was risking the lives of his team should anything go wrong with the strikes. Sometime during the air attack, the surviving CIA agent escaped from the fortress.
Early the next day, Mitchell and his men returned to the fortress where the Northern Alliance soldiers and the prisoners were still fighting. Mitchell split his forces and deployed them on opposite sides of the compound. Another airstrike was called in, but something went terribly wrong and four British troops, four SF soldiers, and a combat controller were severely wounded. Mitchell's priorities shifted again. He terminated the airstrikes and called for medical evacuations of his wounded. The remoteness and isolation of the fortress meant that helicopters had to fly a great distance to evacuate the casualties. In the three hours it took the helicopters to arrive, medics and Mitchell's battalion surgeon provided life-saving treatment to the wounded warriors.
That night, with only five remaining team members and about ten Afghans, Mitchell returned to the fortress determined to quell the rioting. While under enemy mortar attack, he called in an AC-130 gunship and directed fire upon the enemy positions. The gunship blew-up the mortar position and an ammunition cache in a spectacular explosion. The next morning, with reinforced Northern Alliance soldiers still fighting the remaining prisoners, Mitchell and his men recovered and evacuated the body of CIA agent, "Mike" Spann. When the Northern Alliance soldiers flooded the remaining prisoners' last basement stronghold, out came the "American Taliban," John Walker Lindh.
Mitchell's citation concluded:
"Major Mitchell's gallant deed was truly above and beyond the call of duty and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the United States Army, and the United States of America."
Inserted deep within enemy territory about six weeks after the surprise 9/11 attacks; surviving for over three weeks in a very challenging environment; leading a small band of "silent warriors" from two countries and three Services; effectively developing and responding to evolving, unexpected situations on the ground; supporting a besieged and vastly outnumbered allied force in a nineteenth-century confined battlefield; and then enabling an imperiled CIA agent to escape, and recovering the body of a fallen CIA agent. What Major Mitchell and his men accomplished is nothing short of remarkable.
I am sure Mark Mitchell's wife and daughters consider him a hero. After telling the story behind his citation, I know that he now has many other grateful citizens who also consider him a hero.
Who could not?