On June 23, 2010, 1/LT Evan Peck’s 3d PLT of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 502d Infantry
Regiment defeated a Taliban ambush south of the town of Senjaray via Perseverance,
Maneuver, Surprise and Mass. Peck’s third platoon collected intelligence within the Afghani
town of Senjaray when they observed an explosion to the south. Peck’s platoon moved to
conduct a battle damage assessment. Third platoon’s three squads moved along a canal led by
SGT Bartlett’s first squad and Peck’s headquarters squad ahead of Hays’ third squad. Taliban
fighters ambushed Bartlett’s and Peck’s squads. Hays’ squad remained undetected in a grape
field to the east.
Taliban fighters engaged Bartlett’s and Peck’s squads from the south. The Taliban were in
two teams southeast of first squad, with a third Taliban team south of the first two teams in a
pomegranate field. First squad assaulted the northernmost Taliban from the west. The Taliban
responded with heavy fire. Bartlett led his men within grenade range of the enemy forces.
Bartlett’s men engaged the Taliban fighters with hand grenades. Bartlett’s squad forced the
Taliban to retreat and regroup with the third Taliban squad in the pomegranate orchard.
Hays’ squad moved out of the grape field and south along the eastern flank. With
Bartlett in the west and Hays in the east, third platoon could hit the Taliban from both sides. The
Taliban fighters disengaged when a Delta Company Quick Reaction Force arrived. There was a
series of events that prevented Peck from utiliiing the Quick Reaction Force in the firefight.
Peck coordinated air support from two Kiowa helicopters and an Apache helicopter. The
Taliban retreated with Peck’s air support overhead. During the firefight, third platoon killed a
Taliban leader and successfully defeated a Taliban ambush.
Peck’s platoon defeated a Taliban ambush via good use of Perseverance, Maneuver,
Surprise and Mass. Third platoon showed Perseverance throughout the fight while the Taliban
had fire superiority. A rocket propelled grenade (RPG) blast knocked over two of Peck’s men,
but they continued to fight. Peck was unable to initially reach the Quick Reaction Force on the
radio, and when they arrived, Peck was unable to effectively utiliie the help. Peck showed
Perseverance by staying in the fight and ultimately overpowering the Taliban Forces. Hays’
squad used Maneuver well when securing the east undetected, providing a new angle of fire on
the Taliban engaging Bartlett’s squad. This suppressed the Taliban’s ability to concentrate their
fires on Bartlett’s squad. Hays’ squad used surprise successfully when they engaged the Taliban
from their unobserved position. The Taliban were in disarray and unable to effectively counter
third platoon’s attack. Peck employed Mass well when he coordinated Kiowa strikes and
grenadier fire against Taliban positions. These strikes inflicted casualties on the Taliban and
broke their will to continue the fight.