Korengal valley road afghanistan war series volume 11 christ, james f on. Jungers article should be read in full, but the two paragraphs below point out that the valley does indeed possess tactical significance. Firefight at op restrepo, korengal valley afghanistan. Most soldiers are decorated with tattoos, and one of the soldiers has seven set up a tattoo parlour in his barrack. Apr 15, 2010 the remote korengal valley has been the scene of some the most intense fighting in the afghanistan war. Most soldiers are decorated with tattoos, and one of the. The tagline for this documentary by junger is, korengal picks up where restrepo left off. My friends i am planning to travel to korengal valley soon and backpack around the area and spend some time up in the mountains of the korengal. At the new york times, sebastian junger shares what he knows about kunars korengal valley, the region abandoned by us forces last week and now overtaken by the taliban. The pakistan side of the border is in the tribal region which has historically served as a recruiting and training ground for terrorists. Aug 20, 2014 sebastian jungers new documentary korengal follows the same soldiers over the same fifteenmonth tour of duty in afghanistan as his acclaimed 2010 film restrepo, but it cannot be considered its sequel.
Rent korengal 2014 starring lamonta caldwell and miguel cortez on dvd and bluray. During their 15month tour, battle company saw more combat than any unit since vietnam. Outpost restrepo was named after juan restrepo, a platoon medic who was killed. Jul 02, 2010 the korengal valley sits near the pakistan border and is considered one of the deadliest regions in the country. Where can i find a precise map of the korengal valley. Sebastian jungers 2010 book war and the subsequent film restrepo document his experiences while embedded with a us army company in the korangal valley. Hell is the korengal shows one of many very bad told by the korengali elders that they were not wanted, the platoon turned back for the kop only to be ambushed from all sides. War is the result of five trips junger made to the korengal valley in eastern afghanistan between june 2007 and june 2008 for vanity fair. Jun 25, 2010 authors note this book was the result of five trips to the korengal valley in eastern afghanistan that i took between june 2007 and june 2008 for vanity fair magazine. How to kill, and one in pashto, the concise book on the virtues of. His first film restrepo was made while he was on assignment in afghanistan for vanity fair, and in 2010 he published war. Korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11 kindle edition by christ, james f download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Restrepo directors tim hetherington and sebastian junger dug in with a u. Book recounts authors trips to korengal valley nbc news. Misha pemblebelkin, left, and fellow soldiers from battle company, 173rd airborne brigade are shown here during a firefight at nowdefunct outpost restrepo in afghanistans korengal valley. Korangal valley is a valley in the daraipech district of kunar province in eastern afghanistan. Released during president obamas afghan surge, when there were some 30,000 us troops deployed in the. Restrepo offers frontline seats to afghanistans war, as sebastian junger and tim hetherington document a 15month deployment of a u. Jun 27, 2014 the tagline for this documentary by junger is, korengal picks up where restrepo left off. From 20078, author sebastian junger and i followed a platoon of soldiers in the remote korengal valley. Director sebastian junger on making korengal for soldiers. Korengal valley road afghanistan war series volume 11 paperback september 7, 2015 by james f christ author 4. One platoons tour of duty by david carr, 16 june 2010, new york times. This is the same unit as followed in sebastian jungers war, as well as the documentary restrepo, which both junger and hetherington directed. The korangal valley campaign was a series of military operations conducted by isaf forces against taliban insurgents in the korangal valley in kunar province, afghanistan, from october 2004 to april 2010. Haunted by combat, yet missing the brethren the new york times.
Is there any advice that people have for traveling there. The korangal is a narrow valley just six miles long. Yet the new film a flawed but intriguing companion piece to the 2011 oscar nominated. Were lovin life and getting ready to go to war, restrepo said, his arm. Jungers codirector on restrepo, the britishamerican photojournalist tim hetherington, who shot much of the early footage in korengal, died in 2011 while covering the libyan civil war. Army special forces and rangers had conducted an unknown number. Apr 14, 2010 the korangal is a narrow valley just six miles long. Their commander, captain dan kearny said that in a 15 month deployment they had something like 250 tics troops in contact and something like 70% of all the ordinance dropped in afghanistan was dropped in the korengal. The title refers to the platoon outpost, named after a popular soldier, juan restrepo, who was killed early on. A movie called restrepo was filmed there by sebastian junger and tim hetherington. The battle of wanat is mentioned in the film when battle company hears the news of their sister companys losses. Hell is the korengal shows one of many very bad days for the soldiers of attack company in the infamous korengal valley. What is courage korengal breaks down war in afghanistan. Along with the main korangal outpost, five satellite bases closed.
Battle of nam dong, a 1964 battle in the vietnam war where communist forces failed to overrun a special forces camp. Besides a map of the korengal valley in afghanistan, included were clips from the documentary, restrepo. The two journalists spent 14 months between 2007 and 2008 embedded with the second platoon of battle company of the 173rd airborne brigade isolated in a deadly outpost in the korengal valley. Korengal picks up where that film left off, taking a deeper look at the soldiers experience of. Soldiers from second platoon hang out at the restrepo outpost. No s, every time our soldiers cross the the 62 grid. May 09, 2014 korengal picks up where restrepo left off. Korengal again gets soldiers to open up about war in. The remote korengal valley has been the scene of some the most intense fighting in the afghanistan war. The soldiers name their outpost for juan restrepo, a platoon medic killed in battle. Korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11. Jan 25, 2012 war is the result of five trips junger made to the korengal valley in eastern afghanistan between june 2007 and june 2008 for vanity fair. It follows 2nd platoon of battle company, 2503rd, 173rd airborne on their 2007 to 2008 deployment to the korengal valley of eastern afghanistan. A strategic passage wanted by the taliban and alqaeda, afghanistans korengal valley is among the deadliest pieces of terrain in the world for u.
Restrepo tells the story of the 2nd platoon of battle company in the 173rd airborne combat team on its deployment to the korengal in 2007 and 2008. Jungers article should be read in full, but the two paragraphs below point. As suggested by the new films title, which refers to the valley where outpost restrepo was located, korengal zooms out from the first films granular focus on the daytoday life of the. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Google kunar province, select images it will show you a map of kunar province in eastern afghanistan on the border with pakistan. The perfect storm, fire, and a death in belmont, before embarking on filmmaking. Read on to see sebastian junger and evan thomas talk about their books. Us troops have pulled out as part general mcchrystals counterinsurgency strategy. Operation rock avalanche american operation in the korengal valley in october 2007.
Restrepo is a 2010 american documentary film about the afghanistan war, directed by. Due to the overwhelming support for restrepo, junger was able to selffinance korengal. And theyd complete the human terrain mapping that is part of the new. In two great documentaries, restrepo 2010 and its sequel korengal 2014, junger and hetherington got the daily routine of an outpost onto film, with moving results. Korengal sebastian junger has made a kind of addendum and sequel to restrepo, the 2010 documentary about an army infantry platoon assigned to the korengal valley, in.
More than 40 american soldiers have died in the korengal valley. Korengal s subjects are youth and male friendship, and it deals in a peculiarly profound way with the unsettling sense that a young warrior. Sadly, troops left restrepo and the korengal valley without accomplishing much of anything. Restrepo, a film made by reporters embedded into a similar observation post in the korengal valley. The korengal valley is located on the border with pakistan in steep mountains and thick forests where it has served as a major conduit for smugglers for decades, especially during soviet occupation. The goal of the deployment was to clear the korengal valley of insurgency and gain the trust of the local populace. Sebastian junger explores why soldiers miss war in korengal. The counterinsurgency in afghanistans korengal valley is one day after. Korengal really is a documentary, while jarhead 2 is a hollywoodfictional movie, and the difference is obvious. The acclaimed documentary restrepo, which was made in 2010 by sebastian junger and tim hetherington, followed a platoon of us soldiers during their fifteenmonth tour of duty in the korengal valley in northeastern afghanistan. Korengal valley alternatively spelled korengal, kurangal, korangal.
May 30, 2014 jungers codirector on restrepo, the britishamerican photojournalist tim hetherington, who shot much of the early footage in korengal, died in 2011 while covering the libyan civil war. The houses are built into the hillsides, terraced like the fields, which at this time of year are thick with green shoots, making them look serene and fertile. Korengal picks up where that film left off, taking a deeper look at the soldiers experience of war. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the u. Korengal valley trip afghanistan forum tripadvisor. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11. Why the korengal valley matters fdds long war journal.
Korengal opens with views of the restrepo op the post the marines operated from in korengal valley being blown up and burning down. Sebastian jungers 2010 book war, and the subsequent film restrepo, document his experiences while embedded with battle company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade combat team manning the small outpost restrepo, named for fallen medic juan sebastian restrepo, in the korangal valley. The documentaries that help explain bergdahl the new yorker. Between may 2007 and july 2008, filmmakers sebastian junger and tim hetherington follow a 15man platoon into the remote outpost of restrepo. Sebastian jungers 2010 book war, and the subsequent film restrepo, document his experiences while embedded with battle company, 2nd.
Winner of the grand jury prize for documentary at sundance film festival 2010, restrepo chronicles the development of a platoon of u. Jul 09, 2010 restrepo offers frontline seats to afghanistans war, as sebastian junger and tim hetherington document a 15month deployment of a u. Dec 03, 2007 a strategic passage wanted by the taliban and alqaeda, afghanistans korengal valley is among the deadliest pieces of terrain in the world for u. The korengal valley holds a special place in the history of the afghan war. We wanted to make the most immersive and experiential war film we could. Soldiers enjoy newly received mail at the main base the kop. Asmar, afghanistan sebastian jungers bestselling book war reconstructs in visceral detail a day in 2007 when taliban insurgents ambushed a u. In the back of the book is a list of selected sources. He was embedded with a us army platoon and strictly speaking the book is nonfiction. Soldiers leave outpost in afghan valley of death the new. May 31, 2014 their 2010 documentary restrepo was nominated for an academy award. Jun 26, 2014 according to korengals press kit, the documentary picks up where restrepo left off. Nov 17, 2014 the korengal valley is located in a remote part of kunar province just south of the pech river valley in northeastern afghanistan. Unintended star of restrepo returns to afghanistan stripes.
The movie focuses on a remote 15man outpost, restrepo, named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was the scene of fierce fighting between isafs eastern command, consisting mostly of us forces, and taliban insurgents. The korengal valley is located in a remote part of kunar province just south of the pech river valley in northeastern afghanistan. The film consists of closeup interviews with soldiers in a platoon stationed at outpost restrepo, during and after their deployment. Authors note this book was the result of five trips to the korengal valley in eastern afghanistan that i took between june 2007 and june 2008 for vanity fair magazine. Jul 12, 2010 from 20078, author sebastian junger and i followed a platoon of soldiers in the remote korengal valley. The followup, korengal, bears the tagline this is what war feels like, but this time, director sebastian junger means something different. Soldiers wait in line during the arrival of isaf commander general oneil on a visit to the kop firebase. The korengal valley sits near the pakistan border and is considered one of the deadliest regions in the country. We felt that many in the us had no idea how soldiers actually live and fight, and our desire was to bridge that gap to reconnect people in the country with what. Look at the center, you should find a distric center asadabad. Army platoon of the 173rd airborne brigade during much of its 15month deployment in afghanistans korengal. Korengal is a 2014 documentary that picks up where the film restrepo left off, taking the viewer deeper into soldiers experiences of war in the korengal valley of afghanistan.
Read an excerpt of sebastian jungers war meet the press nbc. Apr 21, 2010 at the new york times, sebastian junger shares what he knows about kunars korengal valley, the region abandoned by us forces last week and now overtaken by the taliban. But to me, it is also a memoir of his experience of being as close to war as a civilian can get. The difference was like seeing the same landscape night and day. This book was the result of five trips to the korengal valley in eastern. The mountains rise up above it a couple of thousand feet and there is hardly any level ground. Sergeant mcdonough fires the 240 machine gun during a firefight with militant fighters around the hills surrounding the restrepo outpost. Armys 173rd airborne brigade posted to northeastern afghanistans kunar province. Hell is the korengal afghanistan war series by james f. Raw and from the deployment that brought you restrepo. Restrepo is a featurelength documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of u. The campaign ended with a us withdrawal from the valley, after suffering heavy casualties, and a taliban takeover of the area.
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