Mayhem 337: Memoir of a Combat Advisor in Afghanistan

by Chad Rickard

Overview

Late in 2008, Chad Rickard deployed as a member of an Embedded Transition Team to the highly contested Khost Province of Eastern Afghanistan. As a senior infantry advisor, Rickard embedded with the Afghan Army and spent nine months slugging it out with Haqqani Taliban along the Pakistan border region in a deadly battle for control of the Spera District. His riveting memoir brings recognition and honor to the Embedded Transition Team legacy that is but a footnote in U.S. military history. In "Mayhem 337," Rickard powerfully recounts his experiences during periods of intense combat. He graphically describes fighting side by side with Afghan Soldiers and U.S. Army Special Forces from the streets of Khost City to mountainous regions against numerically superior enemy forces.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781543985849
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	08/27/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	254
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Chad Rickard was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania. While attending college in 1991 he was inspired to join the military at the onset of the first Gulf War, following a family history of military service from the American Revolution, the Civil war, both World Wars and Vietnam. He spent the first 27 years of his adult life in service to his Nation. As will many Americans, his life was profoundly changed following the attacks on 9/11 and he chose to devote his life to the military, in lieu of other careers that would have kept him closer to home. Chad proudly served as an infantryman throughout his time in the U.S. Army and has been decorated numerous times for actions in combat, including several awards for Valor and a few Purple Hearts for wounds received in combat. He is a life-member of the VFW, the National Infantry Association, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He is currently retired and enjoys spending time with his family on the central coast of California.

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Prologue xii

Chapter 1 Afghanistan, Incoming and IEDs 1

Chapter 2 Welcome To Spera Combat Outpost 12

Chapter 3 Baptism by Fire 23

Chapter 4 Muzafor, Christmas and More Taliban 30

Chapter 5 Terazai Blood Bath 44

Chapter 6 Terazai Mop Up 59

Chapter 7 Air Assault Sabari; Dry Well 67

Chapter 8 Camp Clark; Indirect Fire Ambush 74

Chapter 9 Spera Combat Outpost; Round Two 88

Chapter 10 08 March; Turning Point 108

Chapter 11 With Spring Came Taliban 124

Chapter 12 The Battle of Khost City 132

Chapter 13 Indigenous Troop Limitations 152

Chapter 14 Spera Combat Outpost Round Three 162

Chapter 15 Goodbye Special Forces 175

Chapter 16 Camp Clark Ops, Spera Tragedy and Replacements 182

Chapter 17 Emergency Medevac; Spera District Center 188

Chapter 18 Tragedy Strikes Camp Clark 196

Chapter 19 The Aftermath 206

Chapter 20 My Last Trip to Spera Combat Outpost 211

Epilogue 221

Acknowledgements 225

Pictures 227