User:Dainomite/Neil C Roberts

Neil C. Roberts
Neil C. Roberts
Buried	York, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1992-2002
Rank	Petty Officer First Class
Unit	United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group
Battles / wars	Enduring Freedom; Operation Anaconda; Battle of Takur Ghar
Awards	Bronze Star; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Navy "E" Ribbon; Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Southwest Asia Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; NATO Medal

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Neil Roberts (August 16, 1969 – March 4, 2002) was a US Navy SEAL, the first SEAL to die in combat in Afghanistan.

Overview

Roberts joined the United States Navy after graduation from high school, where he excelled in football and wrestling. He became a Navy SEAL in 1992. In March 2002, Roberts participated in the opening phase of Operation Anaconda, the U.S.-led offensive in the high mountains of eastern Afghanistan to surround and destroy a large group of al-Qaeda fighters.^[1]

Roberts was poised to exit the ramp of a MH-47 Chinook helicopter on a nighttime insertion, when the aircraft was hit by rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire, cutting hydraulic and oil lines.^[2] He slipped on some oil as the helicopter took off and was thrown from the helicopter, dropping about 5 to 10 feet to the snowy ground below.Roberts was armed with a M249 SAW, pistol and several hand grenades. Roberts survived at least 30 minutes before he was shot and killed at close range. Roberts was the first Navy SEAL to die in Afghanistan, and the first to die in combat since 1989.^[1]

Rescue forces, unaware of his fate, retook the ridge at a cost of several American lives. The U.S. military now calls that part of Takur Ghar Mountain, “Roberts Ridge”.^[1]^[2] In 2004, Chris Reeve Knives dedicated a knife model to his memory known as the Neil Roberts Warrior.

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c "NavySEALs.com Memorial". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
^ ^a ^b Schmitt, Eric (May 25, 2002). "U.S. Review of a Deadly Afghanistan Battle Finds Lapses". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

References

MacPherson, Malcolm (2006). Roberts Ridge: A Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan. Dell. ISBN 0553586807. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
Naylor, Sean (March 2006). Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. Berkley Trade. ISBN 0425207870. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

Category:1969 births Category:2002 deaths Category:People from Woodland, California Category:United States Navy sailors Category:United States Naval Special Warfare Command Category:United States Navy SEALs Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:American military personnel killed in the War in Afghanistan (2001–14)

[NCRNSC-1] "NavySEALs.com Memorial". Retrieved 2008-03-05.

[NYT-2] Schmitt, Eric (May 25, 2002). "U.S. Review of a Deadly Afghanistan Battle Finds Lapses". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

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