Operation Red Wing
Encyclopedia
Operation Red Wings was a failed counter-insurgent
mission in Kunar Province
, Afghanistan
, involving four members of the United States Navy SEALs
, which took place on June 28, 2005.
Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and Night Stalker pilots) whose helicopter
was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.
Marcus Luttrell
, the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by an elderly Afghan farmer who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL. It was considered the worst loss of life in the Afghanistan campaign until the 2011 Chinook shootdown in Afghanistan
.
On June 28, 2005, a four-man group from SEAL Team 10, led by LT Michael P. Murphy
and consisting of petty officers Matthew Axelson
, Danny Dietz
and Marcus Luttrell
, were on a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah
, a Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers," west of Asadabad
.
The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.
The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.
As the morning wore on, a local goat herder and his son stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders, Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "US liberal media" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit." In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders' goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders wherever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.
The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.
After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his cell phone. He was shot in the back during the conversation. Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.
After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade, knocking him unconscious.
Two MH-47D helicopters, four UH-60 Black Hawk
and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. One of the MH-47 helicopters, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight 160th Night Stalkers, was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade
shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a ravine
, killing all sixteen on board. It was the deadliest day for the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command until the August 5, 2011 helicopter crash that killed 30 American soldiers, 17 of which were Navy SEALs and 5 of which were Naval Special Warfare Command support personnel.
Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield."
and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle, that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.
As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked vertabrae, Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day. He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa, who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah. The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.
Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team, and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed. A spokesman for the Taliban, Mofti Latifollah Hakimi
, confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.
Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2, the village elder, carrying a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached First Lieutenant
Matt Bartels with his information.
With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since Vietnam
". As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.
Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.
for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the Navy Cross
in a ceremony at the White House
. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions during the battle.
In April 2008, Ahmad Shah
, who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with Pakistan
i police in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres
game. In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.
A statue entitled The Guardians stands in the Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park, in Cupertino, California
. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
mission in Kunar Province
Kunar Province
Kunar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. It is one of the four "N2KL" provinces...
, 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...
, involving four members of the United States Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
, which took place on June 28, 2005.
Three of the SEALs were killed during the initial operation, as were other American Special Operations soldiers (SEALs and Night Stalker pilots) whose helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
was shot down while flying to provide support and rescue to the team.
Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell is a former Petty Officer First Class and United States Navy SEAL. He received the Navy Cross for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wing.-Early life:...
, the only surviving American SEAL, was protected by an elderly Afghan farmer who sent an emissary to the closest military base allowing a rescue team to locate the wounded SEAL. It was considered the worst loss of life in the Afghanistan campaign until the 2011 Chinook shootdown in Afghanistan
2011 Chinook shootdown in Afghanistan
On 6 August 2011, a U.S. Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter was shot down while transporting a quick reaction force attempting to reinforce an engaged unit of Army Rangers in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan...
.
Initial Operation
Michael P. Murphy
Michael Patrick Murphy was a United States Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in 2005 during the War in Afghanistan. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan; and the first member of...
and consisting of petty officers Matthew Axelson
Matthew Axelson
Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Gene Axelson was a United States Navy SEAL and Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Red Wings.-Early life:...
, Danny Dietz
Danny Dietz
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny Phillip Dietz Jr. of Littleton, Colorado was a U.S. Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the United States' 2nd highest citation for valor, the Navy Cross, on 13 September 2006.-Biography:...
and Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell is a former Petty Officer First Class and United States Navy SEAL. He received the Navy Cross for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wing.-Early life:...
, were on a mission to kill or capture Ahmad Shah
Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah was a high-ranking Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers", operating in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains....
, a Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers," west of Asadabad
Asadabad, Afghanistan
Asadabad or Asad Abad is the capital city of Kunar Province in Afghanistan. It is located in the eastern portion of the country adjacent to Pakistan...
.
The team was inserted at night via MH-47 Chinook helicopter several miles from the village where Ahmad Shah was suspected to be operating. The team had been tracking Shah for several months and had actually called off Operation Red Wing twice before when it was discovered Shah had moved locations at the last minute. Reviewing the pre-mission maps and photographs of the area, Luttrell stated that the team was very concerned about the lack of adequate cover in the area surrounding the village. This would make it difficult for the team to stay concealed. Their mission would be to surveil the village, make a positive identification of Shah, and then capture or kill him. If the enemy force was too great, they were prepared to call in a direct action force to assault the village.
The team, under cover of darkness and pouring rain, immediately moved to a preplanned observation point above the village to wait for daylight. Once dawn arrived, they realized their observation point was less than ideal due to a bad angle on the village and a fog bank obscuring their view. LT Murphy and Petty Officer Axelson scouted a new position and moved the team there just after daylight. This new observation post offered a better view of the village, but only one possible escape route, should they be discovered.
As the morning wore on, a local goat herder and his son stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. Unable to verify any hostile intent from the herders, Dietz attempted to contact HQ via radio, but was unable to get an answer from anyone. Absent any higher-level guidance, LT Murphy put the decision as to what should be done with them up for a vote: Axelson voted to kill the Afghans, stating, "The military decision is obvious," in reference to the near-certainty that the herders would alert the Taliban. Dietz abstained, and Murphy allowed Luttrell the deciding vote, but warned him that the killings would have to be reported, and that they would be attacked by the "US liberal media" and would almost certainly face murder charges. Luttrell voted to release the herders. He would later state, "It was the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life. I must have been out of my mind. I had actually cast a vote which I knew could sign our death warrant. I’d turned into a f—ing liberal, a half-assed, no-logic nitwit, all heart, no brain, and the judgment of a jackrabbit." In discussing the option of tying them up and leaving them, Luttrell stated that the team had no rope or other means of securing them and that the presence of the herders' goats was threatening to give away their position. Taking the herders with them to a pick up point was also untenable given their need to move with stealth in that area, made worse by the fact that the goats followed the herders wherever they went. This would certainly expose their presence in the area and possibly lead to a Taliban attack.
The firefight
After letting the goatherds go, the team moved to their first observation point so as to throw off anyone attempting to intercept them at their old location. Here, Dietz continued attempts to reach HQ via radio for immediate extraction, but was continually unsuccessful. Approximately an hour after the goatherds disappeared over the mountain ridge, the SEALs were confronted by a force of Afghan fighters, estimated between 150-200 strong, causing Luttrell to believe that the released herders had given away their position. The large variant in the number of opposing Taliban is due to differing accounts of the size of the enemy force. The team had been told that as many as 200 fighters could be protecting Shah, and according to Luttrell, the SEALs killed a significant number of enemy fighters during the subsequent engagement, however their numbers never seemed to diminish. This led Luttrell to believe they were receiving almost constant reinforcements.The insurgents set up a "well organized, three-sided attack", which forced the SEALs to begin running down the slope of the mountain, all of them receiving injuries during the descent, either by gunfire and/or the fall. Even before reaching a new defensive position behind some felled logs, Murphy had already been shot in the abdomen, Luttrell had received a spinal injury, and Dietz's thumb had been blown off. Nevertheless, they all continued fighting, attempting to attrite the Taliban forces enough to cause them to retreat.
After 45 minutes of fighting, Murphy moved into the open, after noting the team's radio transmitters weren't functioning properly in the mountains, and placed the emergency call for support from his cell phone. He was shot in the back during the conversation. Nevertheless he returned to his cover after the call and continued to battle.
After two hours of fighting, only Luttrell remained alive, the other members of his team succumbing to multiple gunshot wounds. Eventually he was blown off the mountain ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade, knocking him unconscious.
Failed rescue
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972...
and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar. One of the MH-47 helicopters, carrying eight Navy SEALs and eight 160th Night Stalkers, was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade
Rocket propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
shot through the open rear ramp, causing the pilot to lose control of the craft. It hit a mountain ledge, and then fell to the bottom of a ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
, killing all sixteen on board. It was the deadliest day for the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command until the August 5, 2011 helicopter crash that killed 30 American soldiers, 17 of which were Navy SEALs and 5 of which were Naval Special Warfare Command support personnel.
Shah, the original target of the SEAL team, later gave an interview where he claimed that his forces had set a trap for the American forces, "We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield."
Search and rescue
The only survivor of the attack, Luttrell tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. He stayed well hidden in a cleft of rock while the Taliban continued searching for him throughout the remainder of the day. He could hear enemy fighters close by, firing aimlessly into the underbrush, trying to drive him out, but they were never able to discover his location. AH-64 ApacheAH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were flying through the valley almost all afternoon, and Luttrell attempted contact via his rescue radio. Due to dehydration and his mouth being filled with dust, he was unable to speak. He activated his emergency locator beacon, but without verbal confirmation of his identity, the pilots assumed the Taliban had captured a radio and were attempting to lure another helicopter in order to shoot it down. Before night fell, Luttrell killed three Taliban lookouts, with his silenced Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle, that were searching an adjacent ridge approximately 150 yards away.
As night approached, driven by thirst, shot in the leg and with three cracked vertabrae, Luttrell traversed 7 miles over the remainder of the night and following day. He remained unnoticed until, falling from a ledge, he was discovered by an Afghan shepherd named Sarawa, who summoned his companions to help carry the wounded Luttrell to the village of Sabray-Minah. The villagers took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them. The Taliban offered bounties for turning him over and threatened the villages inhabitants with violence if they did not comply. According to Pashtun custom, the villagers were honor-bound to protect someone they had taken in, and the entire village participated in guarding him. He was moved between houses several times and received medical attention from the village's physician.
Meanwhile, nearly two days after the initial confrontation, the military had 300 men searching for the team, and had located the downed helicopter and verified that all 16 aboard had been killed. A spokesman for the Taliban, Mofti Latifollah Hakimi
Abdul Latif Hakimi
Mullah Abdul Latif Hakimi, also known as Latif Hakimi or Hakim Latifi, was a purported spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan.Hakimi first claimed a suicide bombing on 28 January 2004, that killed a British soldier in Kabul....
, confirmed that the helicopter had been shot down by insurgent fire, and promised to deliver the video made during the assault to media outlets.
Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate the wounded Navy SEAL. On July 2, the village elder, carrying a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from Camp Blessing, a Marine outpost several miles away, and approached First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
Matt Bartels with his information.
With this news, the U.S. forces drew up extraction plans which according to Lt. Col. Steve Butow were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
". As the rescue teams closed in upon the village they ran into Luttrell and some of the villagers who were moving him from one hiding place to another.
Six days after the operation, an American search team located Murphy's body as well as the body of Dietz. For the next four days, they held out hopes that Axelson might be found alive.
American casualties
| Name | Age | Action | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEALs United States Navy SEALs The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their... |
|||
| LT Michael P. Murphy Michael P. Murphy Michael Patrick Murphy was a United States Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in 2005 during the War in Afghanistan. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan; and the first member of... |
29 | Part of 4-Man SEAL team, killed in an ambush | Patchogue, New York |
| STG2(SEAL) Matthew Axelson Matthew Axelson Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Gene Axelson was a United States Navy SEAL and Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Red Wings.-Early life:... |
29 | Part of 4-Man SEAL team, killed in an ambush | Cupertino, CA |
| GM2(SEAL) Danny Dietz Danny Dietz Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny Phillip Dietz Jr. of Littleton, Colorado was a U.S. Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the United States' 2nd highest citation for valor, the Navy Cross, on 13 September 2006.-Biography:... |
25 | Part of 4-Man SEAL team, killed in an ambush | Littleton, Colorado |
| FCC(SEAL/SW) Jacques J. Fontan | 36 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| ITCS(SEAL) Daniel R. Healy | 36 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Exeter, New Hampshire |
| LCDR Erik S. Kristensen Erik S. Kristensen Erik S. Kristensen was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy SEALs who was killed in action during Operation Red Wings... |
33 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | San Diego, California |
| ET1(SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas | 33 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Corbett, Oregon |
| LT Michael M. McGreevy, Jr. | 30 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Portville, New York |
| QM2(SEAL) James E. Suh | 28 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Deerfield Beach, Florida |
| HM1(SEAL) Jeffrey S. Taylor | 30 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Midway, West Virginia |
| MM2(SEAL) Shane E. Patton | 22 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Boulder City, Nevada |
| 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment | |||
| SSG Shamus O. Goare | 29 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Danville, Ohio |
| CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature | 35 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Clarks Grove, Minnesota. |
| SGT Kip A. Jacoby | 21 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Pompano Beach, Florida |
| SFC Marcus V. Muralles | 33 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Shelbyville, Indiana |
| MSG James W. Ponder III | 36 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Franklin, Tennessee |
| MAJ Stephen C. Reich Stephen C. Reich Major Stephen C. Reich was an American soldier and minor league baseball player who was killed in action while on a rescue mission in Afghanistan at age 34... |
34 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Washington Depot, Connecticut. |
| SFC Michael L. Russell | 31 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Stafford, Virginia |
| CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach | 40 | Killed aboard the helicopter when it was shot down | Jacksonville, Florida |
Aftermath
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the Navy CrossNavy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
in a ceremony at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions during the battle.
In April 2008, Ahmad Shah
Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah was a high-ranking Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers", operating in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains....
, who was the target of Operation Red Wing, was killed during a shootout with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i police in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
On June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of soldiers killed overseas were honored at a San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
game. In addition, the United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag and the San Diego Padres flag. The attendees were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.
A statue entitled The Guardians stands in the Cupertino Veterans Memorial Park, in Cupertino, California
Cupertino, California
Cupertino is an affluent suburban city in Santa Clara County, California in the U.S., directly west of San Jose on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The population was 58,302 at the time of the 2010 census. Forbes...
. The statue depicts both Matthew Axelson and James Suh, natives of the region, standing back-to-back.