In 2004, Lt. Col. Blake Schwartz was an infantry platoon leader deployed to Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. For months, his soldiers conducted patrols and forged relationships with local factions and tribes, living in harsh conditions far from other Americans. Uruzgan province became a significant source of violence targeting coalition and Afghan forces. Members of the Taliban and Haqqani network infiltrated the province using routes from the south and east, and from there into the rest of Afghanistan.
In 2009, Schwartz, now a special forces team leader, returned to Uruzgan to support coalition operations. Enemy fighters in the Langar Valley, an insecure area straddling an important road network, were a particular target for Schwartz's soldiers. Schwartz made three attempts to enter the valley with his troops. In a last-ditch effort to counter a Taliban ambush, Schwartz authorized the launch of Hellfire missiles from an orbiting MQ-1 Predator. This had unintended consequences for Mission and Schwartz.
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Note: This episode was originally released in 2021.
Image credit: Spc. Daniel P. Schock, U.S. Army
