Alan C. Mack

And there was a problem.

There was no clear successor for us to deal with.

So their plan sort of worked, but not really.

Because the CIA had been embedded around the country and they hooked us up with four or five different warlords.

General Dostum was the one that we had at Mazar-e-Sharif in that area.

So the horse soldiers, if you will, but they didn't get that name until they infilled.

And I'll tell you why in a minute.

But so my job was to take them in.

This was October 19th, they took them in.

And there was another set of Chinooks.

As in 2001?

2001, right?

So we typically operate in teams of two helicopters, right?

You know, Chalk 1, Chalk 2.

And they were going up to the big mountains, the 22,000 foot mountains.

I was going to like 12 or 14,000.

So I could carry the entire team, which is 12 guys and their equipment, as opposed to normally would split them up for redundancy and just more performance for the aircraft in the mountains.

And so they ended up, what's his name?

Fahim was the other warlord.

And he said if he didn't get his green berets first, he would not only not cooperate with us, but he would attack Dostum, you know, and then throw our planes.