On September 27 2009 Special Forces were deployed into the Holliston area. The team consisted of 13 members and was divided into two Fire Teams (Alpha and Bravo) and a Recon Element, call sign Owl. Alpha was commanded by Squad Leader Wiki and Bravo was commanded by Squad Leader Polish. Owl Consisted of Commander Senex and Me the designated Executive Officer.
Our primary objective was search and rescue. Intelligence reported a small detachment of Halliban troops moving a U.S POW from a Training Camp located in the Delta Two region east toward the Saco River to be extracted. The reported extraction would be some where around the Charlie Five/Delta Five region. Intelligence also had reports that Sheik Moses would be arriving in the area and would be inspecting the Halliban training camps. Intelligence stated Sheik Moses would be heavily guarded while in the area.
Special Forces were inserted on a peninsula located at Charlie Six. A casualty collection point was established here. Our Commander Senex deployed Bravo Team to the west on a ridgeline located in Delta Five. Alpha Team was deployed to the Northwest located in Charlie Five on a ridge to reinforce our flank and reinforce the Northern shoreline and casualty collection point. Commander Senex and Myself headed north on a Leader?s recon. We would travel southwest from Sectors Charlie Five toward Delta Four to recon the area.
Approximately fifteen minutes into Owl?s patrol Bravo reported enemy contact in Delta Five. A small Halliban force of four was traveling east. They were accompanied by a U.S POW. Bravo engaged the force with small arms. Private Borndead was reported as wounded and down several meters West of Alpha?s position. Squad Leader Polish reports the small Halliban force was neutralized and the package was secured. Polish requested orders to move the package back into the casualty collection point. Owl requested a situation report from Bravo. Private Borndead reported he was still down along the side of the road. Owl transmitted via radio to Bravo we were moving south along the North side of the road to Borndead?s last known position. Approximately 70 meters down the road Owl engage one hostile from the opposite side of the road. I was shot; Commander Senex engaged and neutralized the threat. I was triaged then stabilized. Commander Senex and I quickly searched the area for Borndead but there were no signs of him. Commander Senex radio Bravo, he updated them of our current position and status. We began to move northwest away from the road. We then turned east and back to our line. Approximately thirty meters from our line we radioed Alpha of our position and began to move when we took small arms fire from a ridge located in Charlie Five. Several attempts to contact Alpha via radio to hold their fire were made.
Once in the casualty collection point Commander Senex contacted HQ via radio and requested confirmation on our extraction. We were ordered to travel northeast to the Southeast corner of Bravo Five for extraction. Commander Senex designated him and me to go out ahead and acquire a safe route to the extraction point. Bravo was assigned to executive protection and Alpha assigned to protect the left flank. Traveling north we encounter a ravine approximately 120 meters north of the casualty collection point. The clearing appeared to be a good place for an ambush so we diverted from the road and moved east down to the shoreline. Once at the shore we began to travel northwest along the coast. I radioed Bravo and updated their waypoints. At this time Alpha appeared to be offline and off the net. Bravo acknowledged the new waypoints and was moving to the shore line. Owl could then hear chatter coming from a hill located to the west of the Bravo Five Sector. Commander Senex order Bravo Team to hold and take cover while Owl searched the area. Both Commander Senex and I deemed there would be enough cover for Bravo to continue to move to the extraction. Commander Senex ordered Bravo via radio to form-up single file and proceed to the extraction point advising them there may be contact to the west. At this time several attempts to contact Alpha via radio were made but unsuccessful.
Bravo linked up with Owl and Bravo was ordered to continue north to the extraction point. Owl maintained its current position which was now the left frank of Bravo and east of the possible contact. A visual of the suspected contact was made. Owl confirmed the contact as Alpha Team. Once contact was made with Alpha it was confirmed Alpha was off the net. Commander Senex deployed Alpha to the northwest to cover Landing Zone One. A small detachment consisting of two members of Bravo was deployed to protect the objective inside Landing Zone One. Owl was disbanded and assigned to Bravo. Commander Senex took command of Fire Team Bravo and deployed Bravo to the southwest of landing Zone One. Commander Senex Contact HQ via radio and requested an evacuation. HQ acknowledged the bird was inbound and to hold at the Landing Zone.
At this point Commander Senex and I deemed our force as no longer combat effective. It was confirmed radio communication was down between Alpha and the other squads, It was also confirmed Commander Senex?s radio was now also offline, and members were showing fatigue and dehydration. There was also a concern that the in-clement weather may not only be affecting the radios, but also the performance of our weapons since the amount of time in the elements.
Several minutes later with only a Little-bird on the horizon the pilot informed Commander Senex that LZ-1 was not suitable for Blackhawk extraction and his orders were to extract only the package. I radioed HQ requesting a new Landing Zone. HQ ordered us to move 130 meters north and secure Landing Zone Two. I updated Commander Senex with our new orders. He formed up Alpha and Bravo and we began to move north to Landing Zone Two.
Landing Zone Two had a dangerous ridge line to the west which if taken by hostile infantry would close Landing Zone Two. Commander Senex deployed Alpha team along the ridge and sent Bravo Team down to secure the actual landing area. I Radioed HQ and requested Evacuation. HQ denied evacuation until all members were at the Landing Zone. Commander Senex recalled Alpha from the ridge and ordered them to the landing zone. I again radioed HQ for evacuation. After several attempts to contact HQ, HQ radioed that Landing Zone Two was closed and Sheik Moses was upgraded from a target of opportunity to a secondary objective. We were ordered to eliminate Sheik Moses before a third extraction attempt would be made.
Within minutes via radio Private Winzar of Alpha Squad informed me that Sheik Moses was aware of our current location. Scanning Halliban communications Private Winzar also informed me that Sheik Moses was dispatching his forces from the south to move north towards our position. Commander Senex ordered his team backup to the top of the ridge. He ordered Alpha Team to setup a line of fire to the south and Fire Team Bravo to setup a line to the west. Within minutes we were engaged by a large Halliban force coming from the south. During an exchange of small arms fire several of our weapons went down including one of our heavy weapons. Commander Senex ordered the remaining members of Bravo to suppress the Halliban forces and for Alpha to break contact. There appeared to be some confusion with his order but Alpha did break contact and setup a new line of fire approximately thirty meters north of Bravo. Commander Senex then order Bravo to break contact, fall back, and reinforce Alpha. Once Bravo was in position Commander Senex struggled to maintain fire superiority. He setup a casualty collection point approximately 15 meters behind our line of fire. At this point my rifle went down and I ran to Commander Senex for a situation report and to request the use of the AK-47 he had slung on his back. He informed me contact with Alpha Squad Leader Wiki was lost, that Squad Leader Wiki was not with his squad, and there were eight members of the team with nonfunctioning rifles, and one also wounded. He ordered Private Jam the team?s medic to tend to the wounded then get back on the line with his team. Private Borndead was in the casualty collection point. His rifle was not repairable so he admirably opted to return to the line. I noticed that Alpha?s heavy weapon gunner was still in the casualty collection point stressfully working on his weapon. His battery was dying. I ordered him back to the line and to fire his weapon in bursts. I also recall Medic Jam back in the casualty collection point working on his rife. He informed me that his weapon was not making any noise and he did not know what was wrong with it. I ordered him to check the fuse. He was unable to locate it so Commander Senex diverted his attention to Private Jam and instructed him how to check the fuse. The rifle was put back online and he was sent to reinforce Bravo. By now two members of Alpha were missing and both teams were mixed amongst themselves. Commander Senex placed Private Borndead in charge of Alpha Team and reassigned Squad Leader Polish to Bravo Team as Team Leader. I remember Commander Senex saying, ?We flank now or be flanked? and ordered me to go right with him to link up with Private Shadow who he last saw running west.
Commander Senex and I moved west to flank around the Halliban forces. We took fire from the south and I was forced to find cover. I ordered Fire Team Bravo to provide suppressive fire while we attempted to flank to the west. When I looked back Commander Senex was gone. I moved west to cover along a small road where I last saw him but he was gone from the area. I then returned back to our lines and assumed command. I ordered both Fire Teams to provide suppressive fire to the south where we had the heaviest contact. I was informed by Private Beare there was a small detachment of Halliban troops moving around through Landing Zone Three to the east on our left flank. After several minutes the small arms fire coming from the south ceased. As I began to asses the status of my squad we began to take small arms fire behind us from the north, the Alpha Five/Bravo Five region. I ordered the squad to break contact and move west into the Bravo Four region.
I was contacted via radio by HQ that a bird was inbound and to move south east to Landing Zone Three located in Delta Six. The squad was formed up minus three members, including Commander Senex and Squad Leader Wiki. I was informed Private Shadow had regrouped with the squad. He last saw Commander Senex somewhere around the Bravo Five/Charlie Five sectors but was unaware of his status.
As we approached landing Zone Three a Blackhawk was sited on the horizon and I ordered smoke. Once the bird was on the ground I advised the pilot there were three members unaccounted for and requested several minutes to contact both Commander Senex and Squad Leader Wiki. After several unsuccessful attempts via radio I was ordered by JOC to either board the helicopter for evacuation or begin a search and rescue. At this time I did not have enough intelligence on the size or strength of the Halliban forces still in the area and deemed the grid required to search for Commander Senex and Squad Leader Wiki as too large of an area. I am regretful to report at this time both Commander Senex and Squad Leader Wiki are missing in action.
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