One of the Worst Calls Made During Roberts Ridge 🤯

This transcript discusses a critical command and control failure during the Roberts Ridge operation. A field artillery major who had never commanded or controlled anything before, much less a multi-unit infantry battle, was placed in charge of coordinating the mission. This officer made a fundamental error about the location where Roberts had fallen - believing he had fallen in the middle of the valley where the helicopter had landed, rather than on top of Tucker Guard ridge where he actually was. The major became obsessed with what he perceived as an enemy mortar platoon located 50 meters from the helicopter landing zone and began directing AC-130 gunships to engage the target, providing grid coordinates and clearing them to fire. However, this was actually a friendly 101st mortar platoon. Fortunately, the lead AC-130 pilot knew the correct location where Roberts had fallen and recognized that the grid coordinates being provided were in the valley, not on the ridge. Despite receiving approval to fire from the ground controller, the AC-130 pilot refused to engage, saying 'Negative, negative. We're not going to do that. Do not fire on them,' preventing what would have been a catastrophic friendly fire incident.