The Battle of Wanat was one of the deadliest battles during the war in Afghanistan. Countless official Army / Government and other civilian organizations have studied and produced papers regarding this battle.  What few talk about is – what was – one of the hardest enemies to fight; CORRUPTION. Afghanistan was filled with it. Here is a brief firsthand account from the RC East Commander, Retired Two Star Jeffrey Schloesser.
 
“The July 13, 2008 battle at Wanat, near the Pakistani frontier, was one of the bloodiest since the Afghan war began in 2001. A U.S. force of 49, plus 24 Afghan troops, desperately fought off an attack by some 200 Taliban fighters, calling in air strikes barely 30 feet from their own positions during the struggle. The platoon, in close combat with Taliban fighters, repelled the enemy after nearly four hours of intense fire at a cost of nine Americans dead and 27 wounded.”

Never Forget 

Jonathan Brostrom. 24, Aiea, Hawaii

Israel Garcia. 24, Long Beach, California

Jonathan Ayers. 24, Snellville, Georgia

Jason Bogar. 25, Seattle Washington 

Jason Hovater. 24, Clinton, Tennessee

Matthew Phillips. 27, Jasper, Georgia

Pruitt Rainey. 22, Haw River, North Carolina

Gunnar Zwilling. 20, Florissant, Missouri

Sergio Abad. 21, Morganfield Kentucky