Coalition forces beat attack on Afghan checkpoint

By Staff Sgt. Gary A. WitteSeptember 21, 2010

Forward observer fires at insurgents
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. William B. James of Columbus, Ga., forward observer for 4th Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Bulldog, shoots at the enemy during a more than three hour firefight at the Shege East Afghan National Police Chec... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Searching ridgeline from checkpoint
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pfc. Ryan L. Carson, a member of the Intelligence Support Team with Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, and an Afghan police officer search the nearby hillside just prior to a more than three-hour firefight at the Shege East Afghan Nat... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Observing mortar fire from checkpoint
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Coalition forces beat attack on Afghan checkpoint
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Ricardo E. Maya of Corozal, Puerto Rico, a squad leader with 4th Platoon, Company D, 1-327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Bulldog, keeps watch as 120mm white phosphorus mortar rounds hit the nearby ridgeline during a firefight at the ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (Sept. 20, 2010) - Soldiers of Task Force Bulldog held off insurgents for more than three hours Sept. 18 at the Shege East Afghan National Police Checkpoint.

An estimated two dozen insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and small arms at the post in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar Province.

International Security Assistance Forces and Afghan National Police responded in kind with small arms, heavy machine-gun and mortar fire. Neither ISAF nor ANP personnel were injured during the attack, officials said.

U.S. Army Sgt. Ricardo E. Maya kept watch from the checkpoint as 120mm white phosphorus mortar rounds were fired toward a nearby ridgeline where the insurgents were located. Maya serves as a squad leader with 4th Platoon, Company D, 1-327th Infantry - part of Task Force Bulldog.

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Joseph B. Pitt of Atlanta, Ga., platoon leader for 4th Platoon, also watched the effect of 120mm mortars through through the scope mounted on his rifle and directed his men to adjust fire at enemy positions on the nearby hillside.

(Staff Sgt. Gary A. Witte serves with the300th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)