Although 13 service members died last week in an ISIS suicide bombing in Kabul, US Forces were able to save over 30,000 people by evacuating them in military planes.
ISIS Bombing
Marine Captain Geoff Ball, commander of Ghost Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, wrote a post over the weekend recognizing the efforts of those who were killed.
“Nine of my Marines and Sailors gave their lives so that others may live, and almost 20 other members of the company were wounded by their side. There is no greater honor for a Marine to be called to save Americans. To be the last on deck as those who need our help are pulled to safety. To lay down our lives for others. That is what my Marines did. They will always be my heroes.”
Capt. Geoff Ball
The ISIS bombing happened at 5:30 p.m. The Islamic State group came through and detonated a 25-pound explosive vest as Marines and sailors were getting Afghan families out of a canal by the airport's Abby Gate.
Ball said, "All those working to save Afghans and Americans were fully exposed to the blast."
Huge Losses
Troops brought children over the wires as needed while everyone else walked through the gates. The gate was still open to allow the British forces to leave since they also accelerated their timetable.
Ball said with their efforts plus the British Parachute Regiment, 30,000 people came through the Abbey Gate. The gate was kept open an hour longer to let more people through, then the bomber hit.
Around 170 Afghans and 13 American soldiers were killed in the horrific explosion; more were wounded. The military calls this type of incident a "mass casualty event." However terrible the situation was, Ball was proud of his Marine's response.
"Senior leaders at the operations center remarked they had never seen a MASSCAS response move so quickly. The entire V21 team worked incredibly smoothly and efficiently during this moment and we lived up to our name, The Professionals. We held security, we moved our wounded, and due to our training, likely saved more than we should have.”
Capt. Geoff Ball
He also said Ghost Company is "...a family. It is resilient, and it is cohesive."
How many did we lose in whole war from 2003 to date?
Is that worth the cost?
& then damn pullout gave enemy OUR Tech & cash & ways to hunt down victims
Amen no lives should of been loss. Our men are. Brave but should of not lost their live. Biden is at fault they should of known this was going to happen shame to all. And what about our people they should of been moved out first
They did know. They had 2 days of intelligence that the bombing was planned and knew what the guy looked like from what ive been reading. And then Jobama and his phone call telling Ghani to lie about Al Queda. They can impeach a real President over some completely made up stuff but gotta cover for Jobama. Still hasnt been any of them held accountable for spying on Trumps campaign yet either. Thats why they call it justice. Its for Just Us.
Sorry, Captain Goff -- everyone of those deaths was avoidable had our government executed the evacuation correctly and started months ago. I am tired of all the "rhetoric" and "half truths". There will be MANY more deaths by the Taliban, all the while, using US Military weapons, vehicles, etc. I agree with the mothers and fathers of the lost Soldiers ... their blood is on the hands of Pres. Joseph Biden, who has washed his hands as did Pontius Pilate.
Amen
The way you started your response it sounds like you think Captain Goff is wrong in his assessment of what happened. Capt. Goff was ONLY talking about the Marines and Sailors on the ground.
The fact the president and his admin, including his senior military advisors, screwed the pooch on the evacuation does not detract from the bravery and professionalism of the military on the ground.
Biden calls the withdrawal a "success". With such a low threshold to measure "success", how does he rate the rest of his tenure?
interesting question! No doubt Biden & Dems will attempt victory laps but at least 1/2 the country isn't THAT stupid!
Yeap. You can bet they have a big event planned at the 9/11 memorial with lots of back slapping and bragging about ending the war coming up on the 20th anniversary.
well when we a have communist in our WHITEHOUSE that hates America and Americans and is hellbent on destroying our country it's easy to see that the victory laps THoSE damocraps are doing is for them killing more of our people . and on the inside they cussing because they didn't kill more. Americans have to stand up or we will loes everything you use to love . even if it comes to a war in our country. they have to go !!! you can not believe one word out of their mouths. and they have nothing good for our country. !!!
The cost of the 13 is accountable with those left behind, a failed POTUS
Biden and his supporters brag about the "size of the airlift" and minimize the debacle of unknown hundreds of Americans and billions of dollars of equipment left behind. Winston Churchill, after the massive sea evacuation of the defeated British and French armies at Dunkirk, 1940, where over 300000 soldiers got away but most of there equipment and thousands of fellow soldiers were left behind stated this: : We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations. But there was a victory inside this deliverance, which should be noted. It was gained by the Air Force.
Don’t you people get it? This is all about bringing in more Democrat votes. The border is being filled in and bused to strong red states to try to over throw the stronger republican grip. The same thing happened to Afghanistan. 125,000 translators really? Try about 5000 including their families. This is about being mass people in to sway the voting system. Why doesn’t Joke Biden let the Cubans in? Oh geez because they are strong conservatives. So they cannot get across the Florida beaches without being arrested.