Battle of Kamdesh

The Battle of Kamdesh took place on October 3, 2009. It was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed.

About Battle of Kamdesh in brief

Summary Battle of KamdeshThe Battle of Kamdesh took place on October 3, 2009. It was the bloodiest battle for US forces since the Battle of Wanat in July 2008. The attack on COP Keating resulted in 8 Americans killed and 27 wounded while the Taliban suffered an estimated 150 killed. The Americans declared the outpost closed and departed so quickly that they did not carry out all of their stored ammunition. The outpost’s depot was promptly looted by the insurgents and bombed by American planes in an effort to destroy the lethal munitions left behind. Seven aviators were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for helping defend the base. The area had not been occupied by any conventional US forces prior to 3-71 Cavalry’s takeover. The Allies hoped that extending these bases into Nuristan, one of the most remote and isolated eastern provinces in Afghanistan, could demonstrate to the entire Afghan population the government’s credibility and power. These bases were a key element of the American counterinsurgency strategy. In December 2006, the Nuristan provincial reconstruction team base was strongly recommended by Nuristani Province Governor Tamim Nuristani. In it it was renamed Camp Keating after the death of ABLE Troop’s Executive Officer Benjamin Keating, 10th Mountain Division, who died November 26, 2006 while conducting combat operations south of the camp. In the summer of 2006, all of Cherokee Company and one platoon from Able Troop, 3- 71 Cavalry Squadron dropped in two Chinooks on Landing Zone Warheit, a cornfield on a ridge near Kam desh, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Howard to garrison the area.

The camp was originally constructed to be a PRT, but due to extremely high levels of fighting in the area it remained a fire base instead of aPRT. In July 2007, the area was taken over by Special Operations forces, who operated on a very limited basis. The coalition forces withdrew from the base shortly after the battle. The site is located in the Hindu Kush, a steep granite mountain range characterized by steep granite boulders separated by fast moving fast moving rivers in deep narrow valleys. The climate of the area has hot summers, monsoon season in the summer and cold winters in the winter. The combination of rugged weather and volatile weather make any kind of combat missions in the region difficult. The base and the surrounding area surrounding it were repelled various attacks on the base and repelled the various attacks in the camp and on the area surrounding the base on various occasions. In October 2006, it was named Camp Keated in honor of Benjamin Keates, the 10th Cavalry Division’s executive officer who died in combat operations in the month of November 2006. In September 2007, it became known as PRT Keating. In March 2008, the PRT was renamed PRT KamDesh in memory of Lt Colonel Howard, who was killed in a fire attack on the camp the month before. The PRT is located at the intersection of the Landay-Sin and Darreh Ye Kushtoz rivers.