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Wounded Soldiers Recall Weekend Attack's Details

Reconnaissance mission met with gunfire, grenades

Thursday, August 1, 2002
By Tanalee Smith
Associated Press Writer

The unit, which had been in Afghanistan just three weeks, was surprised by their enemies' refusal to surrender. "In my mind, I know that the enemy inside that building that day knew they were going to die once they fired on U.S. forces," Cirino said. "There was a greatly superior force outside. ... They knew they were going to die, but they wanted to kill or injure a bunch of Americans if they could."

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- AP
Standing guard outside a mud-walled compound in the severe mountains of eastern Afghanistan, Pfc. Brian S. Worth heard gunfire and saw a grenade come over the wall; moments later fragments tore into his back.

Four days after he was wounded in the opening seconds of the latest attack on U.S. forces, Worth remembered the pain and fear, but also the pride he felt in his fellow soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division.

"Everyone was really surprisingly calm," Worth said Wednesday at the hospital at the main U.S. military base in Bagram. "There weren't a lot of people yelling or screaming. ... Everyone knew exactly what to do. We've been trained really well."

The battle occurred while the troops were on a reconnaissance mission near the village of Ayub Kheyl, about seven miles from Khost, a region U.S. forces are combing for Taliban and al-Qaida holdouts.

Capt. Chris Cirino said the soldiers looking for a suspect surrounded the compound and sent a team of Afghan soldiers to ask those inside to come out.

The Afghans returned, saying the occupants had guns. When they went back to the compound to talk again, they were fired upon, and two Afghan fighters were killed instantly.
(More: The Daily Camera News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

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