Sunday, August 18th

Hero WOD: “Roberts Ridge” For Time: 10 Clean and Jerks 185/125 20 Kettlebell Swings 70/53 30 Thrusters 95/65 40 Chest to Bar Pull Ups 50 Bar Facing Burpees 60 Wall Balls 20/14 70 Cal Row

Background: In March 2002, a combined task force began Operation Anaconda against Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shahi Kot valley in eastern Afghanistan. During this campaign, a small U.S. force fought a 17-hour intense battle against enemy forces on the mountaintop of Takur Ghar, which came to be known as Roberts Ridge. At about 1 a.m. on March 4, Razor 3, a U.S. Army MH-47E helicopter tried to insert a special operations team on top of an enemy stronghold. While landing, it was hit by RPG rockets and gunfire, causing U.S. Navy SEAL Neil Roberts to fall from the helicopter. With the MH-47E heavily damaged, the aircrew made an emergency landing about three miles away. USAF Combat Controller Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, a member of the team, began coordinating close air support and a rescue effort to retrieve Roberts. Another helicopter, Razor 4, picked up the team and took them back to rescue Roberts on the 10,000-foot mountaintop. After landing, Chapman advanced on an enemy position, killing two of the enemy. When the team became pinned down by fire from three directions, Chapman broke cover to rush another enemy position, but was killed. His action saved the lives of the team by allowing them to break contact and move down the mountain away from the ambush. Chapman was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross.