'Defenders' neutralize threat to Bagram Airfield

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard Williams
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Members of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron with assistance from U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel proved their combat power May 19, 2010, repelling an early morning attack here.

The attack began with indirect fire which caused no significant damage, said Lt. Col. James Lowe, 455th ESFS commander.

Indirect fire or IDF is the use of rocket propelled grenades, mortars or other explosive devices to engage an area.

"We started receiving small arms fire and our perimeter security teams identified movements at several points along the perimeter fence," he said.

Once the Airmen gained positive identification on enemy positions, they engaged the enemy to neutralize any threats on the installation, he added.

Colonel Lowe, deployed from U.S. Air Forces Central Command staff, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., said the base was attacked from several positions as small teams of enemy combatants began to throw grenades, launch rocket propelled grenades and contined small arms fire towards the perimeter.

"I had just got on post in my tower," recalled Airman 1st Class Garrett Zeising, 455th ESFS. Once his changeover was complete, he assumed post and began a visual scan of the area.

Airman Zeising, deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, explained he had been in his tower on the south side of the airfield for about five minutes when he heard an explosion. "When I heard the explosion it was a small one and I thought it was an IDF
attack."

He stepped onto the catwalk of his tower and began to scan the area to look for a point of origin but did not see the initial explosion. As he proceeded back into his tower to grab his radio, Airman Zeising noticed some suspicious personnel.

"Two individuals were walking along the perimeter in (Army combat uniforms)," he said. "As they were walking, one raised a rifle and began firing."

Once he saw the individuals firing, Airman Zeising proceeded out to engage them and noticed two more individuals in the distance. "Once I started engaging, they moved to a covered position out of sight. I ran inside, grabbed my radio and when I was trying to call in, they reappeared and began to shoot randomly and throw grenades."

As Airman Zeising, a Logan, Iowa native, engaged the enemy, a support element of 455th ESFS personnel and Army quick reaction force moved to his position in support.
He neutralized two enemy combatants and when the other units arrived, the other enemy combatants were eliminated.

On the western perimeter another enemy team was trying to breach security, said Colonel Lowe, a Caldwell, Kan., native. "They engaged our towers trying to pin our Airmen down while other individuals tried to come over the barriers."

"We received two indirect fire attacks and I felt my tower shake a little bit," said Airman 1st Class Keegan Donnelly, 455th ESFS. "We then heard another area of the base was taking small arms fire and were told to do what we needed to do to neutralize any threats."

Airman Donnelly, who was located on the western perimeter of the airfield, began to scan the area around his tower and noticed two individuals behind barriers outside his location.

"I noticed the individuals about 50 meters off one of our other towers and I called it in," said Airman Donnelly, deployed from Luke AFB, Ariz. "One of our mounted patrols comes across the radio and says two Marines are going to walk along the inside of the wire and do a sweep."

Seconds after the radio transmission is passed to Airman Donnelly, the Marines came under fire. The Albany, N.Y. native's tower came under fire as well as the area around his position. "I immediately dropped to a knee and began to return fire," said Airman Donnelly.

As Airman Donnelly and other servicemembers in the area were engaging enemy combatants, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers called in Army helicopters to engage enemy positions along the perimeter as well.

In the end, the joint defense effort, led by the 455th ESFS 'Defenders,' eliminated more than 16 enemy combatants with minimal injuries to U.S. forces, said Colonel Lowe.

As the initial attacks on the perimeter began, many off-duty ESFS members began to gather, said Chief Master Sgt. Allen Graves. "The response was exceptional. Initially, we pushed around 20 Defenders to areas along the perimeter. All told, we sent more than 90 off-duty Airmen out to support our Airmen in the towers and on patrol."

Chief Graves, a Newport, Maine native, said they didn't even have time to recall anyone. "The Airmen know what their responsibility was and showed up with the 'Put me in coach' and 'Where do you need me' mentality."

"Our Airmen executed the defense of the base with speed and discipline. They led the fight, working together with our sister services and coalition forces to ensure the security of the airfield," said Col. Jack Briggs II, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander.

Colonel Lowe praised the performance of his Airmen, "Exceptional," he said. "I would call it monumental. They met and defeated a large and well-equipped enemy, who were bound and determined to kill as many coalition personnel as possible. My Defenders served nobly and valiantly. They leapt into the fray and fought with vigor and courage."

"I didn't expect to see what I saw," said Airman Donnelly. "I am proud of everything we did. We have trained for these situations and when the time came it all just kicked in and I did what I had to do."

Colonel Briggs said, "I could not be more proud of our Airmen. I am lucky to be serving alongside our outstanding Airmen who accomplish extraordinary things every day, especially our Defenders."

(Sergeant Williams is a deployed member of the 55th Wing Public Affairs office.)