Sculpted by Gary Casteel
 
1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
On March 4, 2002, as part of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan’s Paktia Province, U.S. Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Air Force Combat Controllers, and Pararescuemen, engaged al-Qaeda fighters entrenched on the 10,452-foot summit in the Arma Mountains overlooking the Shahi-Kot Valley.  The mission involved inserting a reconnaissance team to establish an observation post for directing air strikes against enemy positions below.
 
The engagement began around 1:00 a.m. when an Army MH-47E Chinook helicopter (RAZOR 03) attempted to land the team on the peak.  Unaware that al-Qaeda had heavily fortified the position, the helicopter came under immediate RPG and machine-gun fire.  Navy SEAL Petty Officer First Class Neil C. Roberts fell from the aircraft during the chaos.  The damaged helicopter made an emergency landing nearby.  A second helicopter (RAZOR 04) inserted the team, including Air Force Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman, in an attempt to rescue Roberts. Chapman distinguished himself by advancing under heavy fire to neutralize enemy bunkers. Subsequent insertions faced determined resistance in the snow-covered, high-altitude terrain, with U.S. forces relying on close air support amid intense close-quarters combat.
 
The 17-hour battle involved multiple helicopter assaults and reinforcements, culminating in the securing of the summit.  It resulted in seven U.S. service members killed and twelve wounded, making it the deadliest single engagement of Operation Anaconda and one of the most intense fights for U.S. special operators since Mogadishu in 1993.  Enemy casualties were significant. The action underscored the difficulties of high-altitude mountain warfare, the importance of accurate intelligence, and the extraordinary valor of joint special operations teams under extreme conditions.
 
The marker is located at Pugzee Farm in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.