Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation AnacondaAward-winning combat journalist Sean Naylor reveals a firsthand account of the largest battle fought by American military forces in Afghanistan in an attempt to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. At dawn on March 2, 2002, America's first major battle of the 21st century began. Over 200 soldiers of the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Division flew into Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot Valley—and into the mouth of a buzz saw. They were about to pay a bloody price for strategic, high-level miscalculations that underestimated the enemy's strength and willingness to fight. Naylor, an eyewitness to the battle, details the failures of military intelligence and planning, while vividly portraying the astonishing heroism of these young, untested US soldiers. Denied the extra support with which they trained, these troops nevertheless proved their worth in brutal combat and prevented an American military disaster. |
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10th Mountain A-team Afghan Afghanistan air assault Air Force aircraft Al Qaida Americans Apaches Bagram battalion battle Blaber blocking positions bombs brigade bullets bunker called Captain casualties CENTCOM CFLCC Chinooks close air support combat commander convoy crew Dagger Delta DShK enemy fighters fight fire flew flying Gardez going Grim 32 ground guerrillas gunner guys Haas Hagenbeck Halfpipe headquarters helicopter Hyder infantry intelligence Jimmy JSOC Juliet kilometers knew Kraft LaCamera landing Larsen leader Lieutenant Colonel Mako 30 Masirah McHale meters Mikolashek minutes mission mortar move Mulholland observation post Operation Anaconda ops time line pilots platoon Preysler Qaida fighters radio Rakkasan Rangers Razor 04 ridgeline Ropel Rosengard safe house SEAL senior Sergeant Serkhankhel Shahikot Slab soldiers Special Forces special ops special ops sources staff Takur Ghar Taliban target told Tora Bora Trebon trucks U.S. Army weapons Whale Wiercinski Zermat Zia's