Firebase Tinsley
Encyclopedia
Firebase Tinsley, formerly known as Firebase Cobra, is a United States military fire support base
, located in Oruzgan Province
in Afghanistan
. This base was established by the Charlie Company "Cobras" of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry who were deployed with the 25th Infantry Division (Light) out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The base was named Firebase Cobra until the death of Capt. John Tinsley near there in August 2009.. It was featured in National Geographic's "Inside the Green Berets" television series. The U.S. Army's 3rd Special Forces Group is stationed there.
On November 2, 2007 the SF Group, and members of the Afghan National Army
and Afghan National Police
, left the base to get the nearby village of Sarsina, to perform a humanitarian aid and medical capabilities mission. Staff Sergeant Carlo A. Alcazar of CA 745 reported that only a few families came in for the medical treatment offered by the troops from Firebase Cobra, and that the Taliban prevented many from getting the medical service. After completing their humanitarian mission, the soldiers examined the village. “What was alarming,” said Captain Stephen P. Ward, who accompanied Alcazar and the rest of the men, “was the buildings had locks and barricaded doors, which was a clear indication that the village wasn’t abandoned, but had been turned into a defendable position." Eventually, the men discovered that the village had been evacuated and at least 300 Taliban militants were entrenched into several fighting positions in an attempt to ambush Coalition forces in the area. According to a GlobalSecurity.org report, "at one point CA 745 had to go in and rescue the Special Forces Commander who got caught between the American and Taliban lines when they reoriented their vehicles in a fighting position, eventually reaching him and pulling back."
Staff Sergeant Alcazar, Captain Ward and Sergeant First Class Drew Kimmey, another member of the group, were all honored for their action. Sgt. 1st Class. Kimmey received a Silver Star
, and Staff Sgt. Alcazar and Capt. Ward both were awarded Bronze Stars.
Fire support base
A fire support base is a military encampment designed to provide indirect fire artillery fire support to infantry operating in areas beyond the normal range of direct fire support from their own base camps....
, located in Oruzgan Province
Oruzgan Province
Orūzgān or Urōzgān , also spelled Uruzgan or Rōzgān , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the center of the country, though the area is culturally and tribally linked to Kandahar in the south. Its capital is Tarin Kowt...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. This base was established by the Charlie Company "Cobras" of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry who were deployed with the 25th Infantry Division (Light) out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The base was named Firebase Cobra until the death of Capt. John Tinsley near there in August 2009.. It was featured in National Geographic's "Inside the Green Berets" television series. The U.S. Army's 3rd Special Forces Group is stationed there.
On November 2, 2007 the SF Group, and members of the Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
and Afghan National Police
Afghan National Police
The Afghan National Police - ANP - is the primary national police force in Afghanistan. It serves as a single law enforcement agency all across the country. The Afghan police force was first created with the establishment of the Afghan nation in the early 18th century...
, left the base to get the nearby village of Sarsina, to perform a humanitarian aid and medical capabilities mission. Staff Sergeant Carlo A. Alcazar of CA 745 reported that only a few families came in for the medical treatment offered by the troops from Firebase Cobra, and that the Taliban prevented many from getting the medical service. After completing their humanitarian mission, the soldiers examined the village. “What was alarming,” said Captain Stephen P. Ward, who accompanied Alcazar and the rest of the men, “was the buildings had locks and barricaded doors, which was a clear indication that the village wasn’t abandoned, but had been turned into a defendable position." Eventually, the men discovered that the village had been evacuated and at least 300 Taliban militants were entrenched into several fighting positions in an attempt to ambush Coalition forces in the area. According to a GlobalSecurity.org report, "at one point CA 745 had to go in and rescue the Special Forces Commander who got caught between the American and Taliban lines when they reoriented their vehicles in a fighting position, eventually reaching him and pulling back."
Staff Sergeant Alcazar, Captain Ward and Sergeant First Class Drew Kimmey, another member of the group, were all honored for their action. Sgt. 1st Class. Kimmey received a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, and Staff Sgt. Alcazar and Capt. Ward both were awarded Bronze Stars.