Camp Rhino - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Forward Operating Base

A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...

(FOB) Rhino, also known as Camp Rhino, was the first US land base established in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

during Operation Enduring Freedom. It was located in the Registan Desert

Registan Desert

The Registan Desert is an extremely arid plateau region located between Helmand and Kandahar provinces in southwestern Afghanistan. It is a sandy desert consisting of small, red sandhills about 50 to high, sand covered planes, and open rocky and clay areas. It is sparsely populated by Baluchi and...

, 100 nautical miles (185.2 km) southwest of Kandahar

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

History

The FOB was captured by what is regarded as the longest amphibious raid in history. The site was observed by US Navy SEALs for four days prior to the Marines from the 15th MEU landing to capture it on 25 November 2001. Before its capture, it is believed that the small desert outpost was being built for use as a drug distribution hub. The facility was surrounded by a 10 feet (3 m) wall and four hardened guard towers. Within the facility there were numerous new warehouses, offices, and even a small mosque which was declared off limits to all personnel as a sign of respect. The paint on some of the buildings was barely dry. Sealed roads ran throughout the camp, and it was also bisected by a 3 foot (0.9144 m) cement moat.

While under the cover of darkness, CH-53E Super Stallions and AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters, from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...

on board the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu flew the Marine assault force 372 nmi (689 km) from the North Arabian Sea, through Pakistan, to secure the camp. The CH-53Es utilized aerial refueling from KC-130 tankers, while the AH-1Ws used an existing Forward Arming and Refueling Area (FARP) as they proceeded north. Once the initial insert of forces was complete via the CH-53Es, multiple waves of KC-130 and C-17

C-17 Globemaster III

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...

aircraft allowed for quick build-up of combat power. At its peak, approximately eight CH-46E from HMM-163, four CH-53E from HMH-465, three UH-1N, and four AH-1W aircraft from HMLA-169 were deployed there. These helicopters made squadron HMM-163(REIN). More UH-1N and AH-1W helicopters joined the mission from the 26th MEU.

Camp Rhino was in use from 26 November 2001 to 1 January 2002. At its peak, the camp contained about 1100 US Marines and sailors, Australian Special Air Service Regiment

Australian Special Air Service Regiment

The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...

soldiers, and dozens of embedded reporters. The troops were commanded by Brigadier General James Mattis

James Mattis

James N. Mattis is a United States Marine Corps general and the current commander of United States Central Command. Having replaced David Petraeus on August 11, 2010, he previously commanded United States Joint Forces Command from November 9, 2007 to August 2010 and served concurrently as NATO's...

, USMC. Camp Rhino also served as a detention facility for the American Taliban John Walker

John Walker Lindh

John Phillip Walker Lindh is a United States citizen who was captured as an enemy combatant during the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. He is now serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with his participation in Afghanistan's Taliban army...

. Life at the spartan Camp Rhino was rough. There were no showers or wash facilities, no messing facilities (only ration packs), every drop of water had to be flown in, and most troops were simply accommodated in a large, open warehouse building. Troops were either sleeping on the cold cement of the warehouse or on the cold dirt outside the camp. The uncertain, tactical nature of the base meant that lights were generally not allowed after dark, and aircraft only operated at night. The base was surrounded by extremely desolate desert terrain resembling the surface of the moon.

Strategic importance

Camp Rhino was the US-led coalition's first strategic foothold in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

and made the ground war in Afghanistan possible. While Rhino was being established, fierce battles between Taliban and Northern Alliance

Northern Alliance

The Afghan Northern Alliance is a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996.Northern Alliance may also refer to:*Northern Alliance , a Canadian white supremacist group...

troops were still underway near Kandahar

Kandahar

. But then the Taliban, realizing that US forces were now very close and were willing to operate at night, capitulated and retreated north to the mountains of Tora Bora

Tora Bora

Tora Bora , known locally as Spīn Ghar , is a cave complex situated in the White Mountains of eastern Afghanistan, in the Pachir Wa Agam District of Nangarhar province, approximately west of the Khyber Pass and north of the border of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan...

. Supported by the USMC

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

26th MEU, the coalition forces based at Rhino then moved up to capture the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar International Airport in mid-December 2001, following a three week period of consolidation at Rhino. Kandahar International Airport then became the main coalition base in southern Afghanistan, while Bagram Air Base

Bagram Air Base

Bagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,...

was established further to the north near Kabul

Kabul

Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...

. The majority of forces who had initially based out of Rhino had re-located to Kandahar by Christmas Day.

External links

On The Scene: Camp Rhino, CBS News, 11 Dec 2001
Forward Operating Base Rhino, globalsecurity.org
specialoperations.com
Registan Desert (Google Maps)

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Strategic importance

See also

External links