Pale Horse: Hunting Terrorists and Commanding Heroes with the 101st Airborne Division

by Jimmy Blackmon

Overview

Pale Horse is the remarkable never-before-told true story of an army aviation task force during combat in the Afghan War, told by the commanding officer who was there.

Set in the very valleys where the attacks of 9/11 were conceived, and where ten Medals of Honor have been earned since that fateful day the war began, the narrative races from ferocious firefights and bravery in battle to the quiet moments where the courageous men and women of Task Force Pale Horse catch their breath before they take to the skies again.

Jimmy F. Blackmon writes with a power and hard-hitting honesty that leaps off the page. He has the respect of the men and women of his brigade, and a command of the narrative to tell their story. From pilots of lethal Apache attack helicopters who strike fear in their enemies to the medevac soldiers who risk their lives daily, these are warriors from a variety of backgrounds who learned selflessness and found the closest brotherhood they ever knew through the crucible of war.

Pale Horse both honors and commemorates the service of this elite task force from the unique vantage point of the commander who led them in battle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250116895
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	502,329
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

JIMMY BLACKMON has served in various command and staff positions throughout the army in the two plus decades since he started out as a second lieutenant in army aviation. He has commanded soldiers at every level from platoon through brigade, including commanding soldiers in combat at the squadron and brigade level in the famed 101st Airborne Division. He has served two tours in the Balkans, two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan. He is married with four children, and lives in Virginia.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xiii

Surrounded by Talent 1

Pre-Deployment Site Survey 9

WANAT 29

Air Cavalry Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition 45

A Cavalry State of Mind 55

A Hateful Day 61

Leaving 69

It All Begins 73

Counterinsurgency 73

Korengal_Learning The Hard Way 89

Cowboys and Indians 101

Bari Ali 117

Mountain Warrior 155

The Plan Begins To Unravel 161

The Watapur 183

Summer 221

Ganjgal and Shuryak 231

Getting Out of Nuristan 261

Cop Keating 275

Cop Lowell 295

Bittersweet Goodbye 311

Afterword 315

Endnotes 319

Index 325

Editorial Reviews

A riveting account of extraordinary combat aviation operations during intense fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan by one of the U.S. Army’s finest, most experienced aviation commanders.” - General (Ret) David Petraeus, former Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan

"In turns suspenseful and violent...Blackmon uses authentic jargon, he never loses average readers. More importantly, he adds personal touches that humanize the story. A vivid, action-packed combat memoir, Blackmon's book explores what life is like for those boots on the ground, as well as in the air." - Kirkus Reviews

"This is the Afghanistan War as you have never seen it before—-the real ground truth—-stunning, heartbreaking detail that will drive home to any reader how much we ask of our soldiers physically and mentally—-and what they ask from—-and give to—-each other." - Bob Woodward, bestselling author and associate editor of The Washington Post

"In the mountains of Afghanistan, those of us who fought on the ground regarded the helicopter pilots of the 101st Airborne Division as nothing short of a godsend. They kept our supply lines open; they flew in our reinforcements and evacuated our wounded; and when things truly went to hell, they unleashed a deluge of hellfire that kept us from being wiped off the map. Jimmy Blackmon did more than lead these men and women into battle: in Pale Horse, he has captured the extraordinary story of these 'knights of the sky' in a manner that does justice to their skill, their courage, and the extraordinary sacrifices they made on behalf of the troops who depended upon them. An eloquent and inspiring account of an exceptional group of soldiers who personify the highest values of the American military."—Clinton Romesha, Medal of Honor recipient and author of Red Platoon: An Untold Story of American Valor

“Pale Horse is a fascinating window into combat on the most viscerally human level, and moving tribute to the brave men and women who fought.” —General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal, from the Foreword

"Pale Horse is a story full of heart stopping action as seen from the air! Men and women who fought boots on the ground owe their lives to the courageous personnel who provide support from the air. What these pilots do on a daily basis and what they do to save lives on the ground needs to be told. Truly unsung heroes. I personally would like to thank these men and women for the support they have provided us. Thank you!"—Nicholas Irving, Army Ranger sniper (Ret.) and New York Times bestselling author of The Reaper

"A fascinating insider account of American soldiers in brutal combat in some of the harshest terrain on the planet." —Sean Naylor, New York Times bestselling author of Relentless Strike

“Close Combat Attack (CCA) is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to aviation supporting and protecting ground forces in the thick of battle. Pale Horse is a look at the mechanism and personal stories behind the scenes of this lethal asset, as told against the backdrop of Afghanistan.” - Michael Golembesky, New York Times bestselling author of Level Zero Heroes & former MARSOC team member

"An extraordinary book of real clarity and vision that illuminates war across the ages. On the dusty trails, high mountain passes, and thin air of the Hundu Kush, Jimmy Blackmon gives us the crucible of combat in all its bitter glory. A must read for anyone who wants to understand Afghanistan and America's path through our longest war"—Admiral James Stavridis, USN, (Ret), Supreme Allied Commander at NATO 2009-2013, Dean, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

“Army Helo pilots are a different breed. They fly fast, low, day and night in direct support of their ‘band of brothers’ in the ground fight. Jimmy Blackmon superbly captures the courage, heroism, skill and camaraderie in telling the story of his 101st Airborne ‘Pale Horse’ air cavalrymen during their yearlong combat tour in the dangerous and unforgiving battlefields of Afghanistan.” —Dick Cody, General, US Army 31st VCSA

From the Publisher

04/25/2016
Blackmon, a commander of Task Force Pale Horse during his U.S. Army aviation unit's deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, introduces readers to the aviation units' soldiers, battles, successes, and challenges, but provides little analysis or insight. He provides a good description of all their tactical missions—reconnaissance, attack, and logistics support—in the difficult terrain and weather conditions of the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. The book makes very clear, and is a tribute to, the tactical expertise and bravery of all of the aviation personnel, particularly the pilots who served in the task force. The period Blackmon covers is noteworthy for including some of the more well-known events of the recent war in Afghanistan, including the battle of Wanat, the search for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, and the battle of Ganjgal. Though these major events are associated with a great deal of public controversy, Blackmon fails to address that. Similarly, there is little analysis of policy, operations, or strategy. Blackmon shares an enjoyable story about his unit and the aviation support systems, but it's an uncritical work that neglects to place the battles in any larger context or note whether they had any appreciable effect on the war. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

12/01/2015
Since the onset of the War in Afghanistan in 2001, the conflict has occupied the attention of Americans and generated several personal accounts by military personnel. Despite these records, the air war that took place high above the rugged and often formidable terrain has seldom been told. Blackmon, who commanded an aviation task force called Pale Horse between 2008 and 2009, provides a powerful and hard-hitting narrative of the daily lives of those men and women who fought against the forces that thrived in the remote northeastern corner of Afghanistan. Based on his diary, Blackmon's work relates the day-to-day activities of his small squad flying Chinook helicopters in support of American ground forces struggling to contain attacks from well-entrenched Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters. Describing what is akin to a modern-day cavalry riding a steel beast, Blackmon's story helps fill a gap in our understanding of America's involvement in this lengthy battle. VERDICT An excellent addition to the growing literature on America's 21st-century wars.—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Library Journal

2015-11-17
Blackmon narrates the blow-by-blow experience of flying helicopters through embattled mountains during the Afghan War. The 101st Airborne Division is legendary for its actions in the D-Day invasion and Battle of the Bulge. As a squadron commander in the 2000s, the author helped lead the division's modern incarnation. Small teams of infantrymen patrol the Afghan countryside in weaponized choppers, and the narrative is an endless series of ambushes and firefights. His subject matter is in turns suspenseful and violent, but Blackmon's writing remains calmly technical: "Smoke began to fill the cockpit as the fire continued to burn in the back of the helicopter. Sergeant McLowhorn disconnected his safety strap and retrieved an extinguisher." While the book is intended for military buffs, and Blackmon uses authentic jargon, he never loses average readers. More importantly, he adds personal touches that humanize the story. Blackmon grew up in Georgia and labels himself as a born fighter, and he idolizes his fellow servicemen, who come off as selfless, courageous, and professional. The author honestly reflects on PTSD and the damage it has wreaked on his colleagues. In one scene, a flight surgeon recounts his nightmares, which involve blown-off limbs and abandoning soldiers in the battlefield to die. Blackmon doesn't delve much into civilian politics, and his outlook is rigidly martial, but he seems to empathize with the people and problems of the Middle East. "For me, there was no questioning the necessity of our mission in Afghanistan," he writes. "What troubled me was how we could convince isolated tribesmen like those in the Helgal to embrace our vision of their future. It must have seemed like such a foreign concept to them, like my grandmother trying to convince me that castor oil was good for me as a child." A vivid, action-packed combat memoir, Blackmon's book explores what life is like for those boots on the ground, as well as in the air.

Kirkus Reviews