Dietz print for Zerok Attack
Donation protected
Hello all, I had the pleasure of serving with such valiant men in Afghanistan. I am raising money to get a James Dietz print of the JULY 4th attack on COP Zerok to be hung up in the company and for anyone who would want one. we will also give Casillas and Fairbairns family one for their son's sarifice during this complex attack. The initial cost will be 1000$ plus the cost for down payment deposit for the fallen and shipping. I am raising 36,000$ to ensure we have enough the oil painting $25,000, $10,000 for the prints 500-750 copies according to James Dietz, and 1,000 to be able to ship prints to you. Please support and thank you and God Bless the Soldiers of 509th and Able. Below is the (as best remembered) narrative of the fight.
As America laid their heads down for a restful night on July 3rd, 2009 the paratroopers of Able Nation 3-509th INF (ABN) were arising to a beautiful July 4th morning in COP Zerok, East Paktika, Afghanistan. Surrounded by jagged edged mountains peaking to the heavens, mist gracing the tops of the grass fields, the creek trickling while goats graze beside made the early morning picturesque seem serene and quite articulating a marvelous depiction of God’s awesome craftsmanship. At approximately 0530 in the wee morning hours, the sound of a rockets screamed towards the Earth striking the COP like the vengeance of God’s fists unto the Philistines. Before long, the whole COP awoke to the unforgiving explosions from 107mm Chinese spin-stabilized rockets and 82 millimeter Type 65 recoilless rifle heat rounds. As the men scrambled to towers one, two, three, and four helping to identify enemy positions and strength a call came over the radio stating, “be on the lookout for a possible Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED).” Tower 3 manned by PFC Josh Fuller, PFC Stanley Bonneville, SGT Brian Phillips, CPL, Joey Foster, and SGT Johnathan Daniels along with SPC David Fantell in east facing supplementary position noticed a jingle truck (a truck used to haul wood and other sorts) moving from the bazaar at a moderate speed. Notifying higher, Tower 3 and the supplementary position were instructed to engage if it turned and headed toward the COP. Once the truck turned, Tower 3 personnel and SPC Fantell opened fire on the jingle truck and brought it to a halt. However, the once still truck remotely detonated exploded its 5000 lb. payload sending shrapnel hurling at the speed of sound towards the COP impelling hunks of twisted metal and glass shards into towers, walls, buildings, windows and a shockwave of enormous pressure ultimately destroying the communications, wounding soldiers (who continued to fight), and leaving the COP in a vulnerable position to be overran. “Alamo, Alamo, Alamo” was sent over the Blue Force Tracker (BFT) stating the COP was being overrun (breaching of the outer wire) prompting all available aircraft to divert and support the element of ground from being destroyed. Soldiers along the North wall began shouting, “they’re on Indians (a term for used for targeting) and no man’s land (the grass field that sprawled the entire north sector).” Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) enemy gunners fired and hurled RPGs with precision exploding above and against the supplementary positions along the northern wall. Repetitive snaps and zings start to fill overhead and against the HESCO barriers from the enemy machine and semi-automatic gun positions. At first glance, it seemed as though the fire was from a formidable amount of enemy persons, but with haste and coordination the enemy snuck from the village bazaar to the east and advanced while delivering accurate and deadly fire. Once aircraft arrived immediately the A-10s (fixed wing) began gun and bombing runs unto multiple enemy locations by the direction of the on ground fire supporters. AH-64 Apaches (rotary wing) were conducting lateral simultaneous attacks where the fixed wing could not strike. These attacks ranged from danger close (within 300 meters) to 800 meters out. Third platoon was defending from Towers 3 and 4 and the supplementary positions facing East, while second platoon occupied Towers one and two defending the West and others advanced to the North wall and stood on the first layer of HESCOs utilizing the second layer for cover picking out targets ranging from 50-200 meters in the immediate area. The immense pressure started to build up for the paratroopers as more and more indirect was fired. After approximately 12 more rounds of 82mm recoilless rifle and (10) 107mm rockets, the enemy hit in the COP striking the center where the 120mm mortar was positioned destroying it and igniting the stockpile of white phosphorus mortar rounds causing a massive fire to billow. Man down! Man down! The mortar pit yelled as PFC Aaron Fairbairn laid motionless. Without hesitation or concern for his own welfare and safety SPC Justin Casillas (Silver Star awardee) quickly picked up Fairbairn to get him to medical care. With a heavier onslaught of indirect massing and hitting with no remorse, a round struck the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) edge and in the action of running with wounded Fairbairn, SPC Casillas was struck in the head with a golf ball sized shrapnel and immediately was killed. Fairbairn and Casillas were picked up by other fellow Geronimo’s and brought into the makeshift Casualty Collection Point (CCP) in the gym where the medics tried to save Fairbairn. Unfortunately, he also had succumbed to his wounds. As the enemy advanced, the brave Able Nation soldiers were fearless and accurately picking off the enemy with M249 Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW), M240B Machine guns, .50 Cal Machine guns, M4 Carbines, Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon Disposable (SMAW-D), Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW), 81mm and 60mm mortars. The enemy had now at this point held a stronghold from the inner wire and was trying to advance to the wall in hopes to breach. With great resilience and fortitude, the men of Able Nation did not quit. They dusted themselves off, picked up their wounded and continued to defend the outpost with no mercy. Reinforcements from FOB Orgun-E were dispatched carrying four mortarmen, one fire supporter, three medics, and a platoon (35 personnel) of 1st platoon Able to help repel the enemy coordinated attack. As two CH-47 chinooks, followed by two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, were racing towards the COP, the enemy had preplanned RPG locations along the friendlies usual flight routes. Chinook two was engaged and struck underneath by an RPG which almost brought it down, but stayed airborne and made it to the Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) in the midst of the fight. The Apache attack choppers engaged and killed the RPG gunner who almost sent the Chinook to the ground. Once on ground, wounded were loaded and ammo dropped off. The airborne assets were making gun runs on some of the fleeing enemy while the ground troops continued to engage with small arms, machine guns, and shoulder-fired rockets. The attack lasted for 2 plus hrs which resulted in 2 friendly killed in action (KIA), approximately 20 wounded, 5 bombs dropped, 10 rockets, and expenditure of all gun ammunition carried by the aircraft. Once the fighting ceased, the paratroopers on ground were exhausted, but remained vigilant. After 20 mins of no fighting, the enemy engaged again. This time the mortar section chief had to conduct direct alignment method of targeting (squad leader or an FO positions himself on the gun-target line between the target and the mortar so that he can see both. Corrections are made with respect to the gun-target line rather than the observer-target line) since the aiming poles were down. With exact precision, the mortar team eloquently bombarded the enemy causing them to spread thin. 1st platoon able who were adjacent to the COP along the West part of Indians cleared by foot while the soldiers defending the COP engage, trapped, and killed more. Seeing they were being killed and flanked depleting their numbers even more, the enemy fled toward Commander Perry’s house (a known Taliban supporter) ending the fight on July 4th. Not being allowed to engage his house, the few enemies who remained lived.
Click on link to see what Dietz prints look like.
James Dietz
As America laid their heads down for a restful night on July 3rd, 2009 the paratroopers of Able Nation 3-509th INF (ABN) were arising to a beautiful July 4th morning in COP Zerok, East Paktika, Afghanistan. Surrounded by jagged edged mountains peaking to the heavens, mist gracing the tops of the grass fields, the creek trickling while goats graze beside made the early morning picturesque seem serene and quite articulating a marvelous depiction of God’s awesome craftsmanship. At approximately 0530 in the wee morning hours, the sound of a rockets screamed towards the Earth striking the COP like the vengeance of God’s fists unto the Philistines. Before long, the whole COP awoke to the unforgiving explosions from 107mm Chinese spin-stabilized rockets and 82 millimeter Type 65 recoilless rifle heat rounds. As the men scrambled to towers one, two, three, and four helping to identify enemy positions and strength a call came over the radio stating, “be on the lookout for a possible Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED).” Tower 3 manned by PFC Josh Fuller, PFC Stanley Bonneville, SGT Brian Phillips, CPL, Joey Foster, and SGT Johnathan Daniels along with SPC David Fantell in east facing supplementary position noticed a jingle truck (a truck used to haul wood and other sorts) moving from the bazaar at a moderate speed. Notifying higher, Tower 3 and the supplementary position were instructed to engage if it turned and headed toward the COP. Once the truck turned, Tower 3 personnel and SPC Fantell opened fire on the jingle truck and brought it to a halt. However, the once still truck remotely detonated exploded its 5000 lb. payload sending shrapnel hurling at the speed of sound towards the COP impelling hunks of twisted metal and glass shards into towers, walls, buildings, windows and a shockwave of enormous pressure ultimately destroying the communications, wounding soldiers (who continued to fight), and leaving the COP in a vulnerable position to be overran. “Alamo, Alamo, Alamo” was sent over the Blue Force Tracker (BFT) stating the COP was being overrun (breaching of the outer wire) prompting all available aircraft to divert and support the element of ground from being destroyed. Soldiers along the North wall began shouting, “they’re on Indians (a term for used for targeting) and no man’s land (the grass field that sprawled the entire north sector).” Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) enemy gunners fired and hurled RPGs with precision exploding above and against the supplementary positions along the northern wall. Repetitive snaps and zings start to fill overhead and against the HESCO barriers from the enemy machine and semi-automatic gun positions. At first glance, it seemed as though the fire was from a formidable amount of enemy persons, but with haste and coordination the enemy snuck from the village bazaar to the east and advanced while delivering accurate and deadly fire. Once aircraft arrived immediately the A-10s (fixed wing) began gun and bombing runs unto multiple enemy locations by the direction of the on ground fire supporters. AH-64 Apaches (rotary wing) were conducting lateral simultaneous attacks where the fixed wing could not strike. These attacks ranged from danger close (within 300 meters) to 800 meters out. Third platoon was defending from Towers 3 and 4 and the supplementary positions facing East, while second platoon occupied Towers one and two defending the West and others advanced to the North wall and stood on the first layer of HESCOs utilizing the second layer for cover picking out targets ranging from 50-200 meters in the immediate area. The immense pressure started to build up for the paratroopers as more and more indirect was fired. After approximately 12 more rounds of 82mm recoilless rifle and (10) 107mm rockets, the enemy hit in the COP striking the center where the 120mm mortar was positioned destroying it and igniting the stockpile of white phosphorus mortar rounds causing a massive fire to billow. Man down! Man down! The mortar pit yelled as PFC Aaron Fairbairn laid motionless. Without hesitation or concern for his own welfare and safety SPC Justin Casillas (Silver Star awardee) quickly picked up Fairbairn to get him to medical care. With a heavier onslaught of indirect massing and hitting with no remorse, a round struck the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) edge and in the action of running with wounded Fairbairn, SPC Casillas was struck in the head with a golf ball sized shrapnel and immediately was killed. Fairbairn and Casillas were picked up by other fellow Geronimo’s and brought into the makeshift Casualty Collection Point (CCP) in the gym where the medics tried to save Fairbairn. Unfortunately, he also had succumbed to his wounds. As the enemy advanced, the brave Able Nation soldiers were fearless and accurately picking off the enemy with M249 Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW), M240B Machine guns, .50 Cal Machine guns, M4 Carbines, Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon Disposable (SMAW-D), Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW), 81mm and 60mm mortars. The enemy had now at this point held a stronghold from the inner wire and was trying to advance to the wall in hopes to breach. With great resilience and fortitude, the men of Able Nation did not quit. They dusted themselves off, picked up their wounded and continued to defend the outpost with no mercy. Reinforcements from FOB Orgun-E were dispatched carrying four mortarmen, one fire supporter, three medics, and a platoon (35 personnel) of 1st platoon Able to help repel the enemy coordinated attack. As two CH-47 chinooks, followed by two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, were racing towards the COP, the enemy had preplanned RPG locations along the friendlies usual flight routes. Chinook two was engaged and struck underneath by an RPG which almost brought it down, but stayed airborne and made it to the Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) in the midst of the fight. The Apache attack choppers engaged and killed the RPG gunner who almost sent the Chinook to the ground. Once on ground, wounded were loaded and ammo dropped off. The airborne assets were making gun runs on some of the fleeing enemy while the ground troops continued to engage with small arms, machine guns, and shoulder-fired rockets. The attack lasted for 2 plus hrs which resulted in 2 friendly killed in action (KIA), approximately 20 wounded, 5 bombs dropped, 10 rockets, and expenditure of all gun ammunition carried by the aircraft. Once the fighting ceased, the paratroopers on ground were exhausted, but remained vigilant. After 20 mins of no fighting, the enemy engaged again. This time the mortar section chief had to conduct direct alignment method of targeting (squad leader or an FO positions himself on the gun-target line between the target and the mortar so that he can see both. Corrections are made with respect to the gun-target line rather than the observer-target line) since the aiming poles were down. With exact precision, the mortar team eloquently bombarded the enemy causing them to spread thin. 1st platoon able who were adjacent to the COP along the West part of Indians cleared by foot while the soldiers defending the COP engage, trapped, and killed more. Seeing they were being killed and flanked depleting their numbers even more, the enemy fled toward Commander Perry’s house (a known Taliban supporter) ending the fight on July 4th. Not being allowed to engage his house, the few enemies who remained lived.
Click on link to see what Dietz prints look like.
James Dietz
Organizer
GB Stache
Organizer
Copperas Cove, TX