Soldier's tale one of both heroism and sacrifice

Major Mark Mitchell, United States Army, was stationed in Afghanistan in November 2001 after 9/11.

He was friends with two CIA operatives, Mike Spann and David Tyson, who were going to Qala-i-Jangi to question prisoners in a prison camp. Major Mitchell asked them if they needed help. They said no; they were going to try to gather intelligence.

Later that morning, they received reports that the prisoners had taken over the prison camp and there was a lot of gunfire and later an explosion from a grenade. Mike and David had been rushed by the prisoners. Within seconds, they were in hand-to-hand combat. In the confusion, they were separated from each other. Dave managed to escape. Mike's whereabouts were unknown.

Major Mitchell and others rushed to the prison camp. He could speak Arabic and was briefed on the situation by a member of the Afghanistan Army. He rushed to a parapet and could see the action below him. He was faced with a "Sophie's Choice" moment. He could call in an airstrike, but it could potentially kill all the Americans. About 600 Taliban fighters began arriving at the scene. He had no choice; he called in the airstrike. If not, everyone was going to die.

F/A-18 Super Hornets equipped with 2,000-pound bombs came in and dropped them. One fell short, another missed, but the others hit the target in the southern part of the courtyard. Mitchell was in the north. By evening, the battle was still unresolved and they still hadn't found Dave Tyson or Mike Spann as they retreated out of the area. Later, they got word that Dave Tyson had gone over the parapet and escaped.

The next day, Mitchell led a group of the 10th Mountain Division troops and they went back in. The Taliban and prisoners were gone. They found the Army troops. Miraculously, every single one of them had survived. But they were all disoriented with various levels of shock and blood coming out of their eyes, noses, and ears. 

Later, they found Mike Spann. He had been killed and was the first casualty of the war in Afghanistan.

Roger Gregory served as captain in the 1st Infantry Division and served in Vietnam. He is a Priest River businessman.