19 years ago today, October 19, 2001, after an uncomfortable 4-hour flight, about 200 Army Rangers jumped out of 4 MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft into Afghanistan as part of Operation RHINO, some of the first troops to land on the ground as we began our attacks on the Taliban. On the jump were 4 PSYOP soldiers including Fieldcraft's very own George Bell. We sat down with George for a couple of minutes to hear about his experience.

You can also read more about the operation here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rhino
https://history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-100-1/cmhPub_70-100-1.pdf

Extract from Weapon of Choice: ARSOF in Afghanistan (page 110):
Tactical PSYOP for Rhino On 12 September 2001,
Tactical PSYOP Detachment (TPD) 940, B Company, 9th POB, began target audience analysis for Afghanistan, specifically the Taliban regime, the Afghan populace, and the al-Qaeda network. Research continued until TPD 940 was sent to the 75th Ranger Regiment on 18 September, carrying its loudspeaker scripts that introduced forces, covered surrender appeals, and issued civilian noninterference warnings. After being briefed on Objective Rhino, TPD 940 decided to narrow its messages down to four. After several rehearsals with the Rangers, it departed for an initial staging base in the Middle East on 12 October, arriving there on the 14th. For five days, TPD 940 conducted final planning, underwent several inspections, and participated in detailed rehearsals of actions on the objective. Inspections included personnel, weapons, ammunition, and combat equipment as well as the PSYOP product scripts and minidisc copies of the scripts in Urdu, Pashtun, and Arabic that would be used during the operation. The 9th POB Product Development Detachment (PDD) had also prepared leaflets that were to be left on the objective. They were to communicate America’s resolve to stop terrorism and to let the enemy know that it had been there.

Four of the most experienced PSYOP soldiers from TPD 940 114 were selected to make the parachute assault with the Ranger task force: SSG Jack Thomas, SGT Mario Perez, SGT Gene Ball, and Corporal (CPL) John MacGinnis (pseudonyms).86 On 19 October, the Ranger task force prepared for the parachute assault operation that night. Just before donning their parachutes, the Ranger commanders and sergeants major gave last-minute words of encouragement, and the 75th Ranger Regimental Chaplain invoked a blessing on the force. Everyone, wearing parachutes and full equipment, was packed aboard the MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft. Seated on the floor, the 4-hour flight was long, cold, and uneventful except for the occasional flare punctuating the darkness outside the paratroop doors. As TPD 940 flew to the objective, the soldiers’ minds raced with possible scenarios of once they landed: “Would the drop zone be mined?” “How would they react to enemy contact?” What would they do if one of the team were wounded or killed?” SSG Thomas described his recollections after jumping out of the MC-130 at 800 feet above the ground: It was completely black outside. . . . I could see one of the secondary objectives burning furiously from a bomb hit. . . . I heard sporadic fire coming from Rhino. . . . As I was descending, the last of the aircraft flew overhead, dropping its load of Rangers. Just as it passed over, flares started popping out of it, illuminating the night sky and the airfield below just in time to orient myself on the horizon and prepare to land. I hit the ground like a rock and promptly found myself entangled in parachute suspension lines and ¼-inch cotton webbing. I cut myself free, chambered a round in my weapon, activated my [night vision goggles] NVG, and scanned the immediate area for the enemy. Convinced that I was in no immediate danger, I gathered my chute and stuffed it into my kit bag, found a Ranger buddy, and moved to the assembly area. As we waited in the assembly area, my element leader spotted an unidentified person coming toward us from the vicinity of the compound. Several of us quickly acquired him and lased him with our PEQ-2s. Fire control was incredible as we watched and waited with lasers dancing all over the target until one found the glint tape arm band identifying him as a friendly Ranger. Once assembled, we moved toward our primary objective. [Tactical PSYOP Team] Figure 26. 75th Ranger calling card. 115 TPT 943 (SGT Perez and CPL MacGinnis) was leading with TPT 941 (myself and SGT Ball) in trail. While moving toward the objective, gunfire re-erupted to our right rear flank. Our immediate response was to get down. Since we did not have a clear field of fire, we just stayed put. A lone Taliban had stumbled into a squad of Rangers guarding our right flank. It was decided that another airstrike on the compound was necessary to ensure that no other enemy would walk into our formation by chance. Word was passed that an airstrike was imminent, so we lay flat on the ground, pulled security, and waited. The AC-130 Spectre gunship strike can only be described as impressive. I was awestruck because 500 meters from my location high explosive shells were impacting on the compound. Once the strike was over, we moved to our initial broadcast position. As the lead Ranger element moved toward the objective, SGT Ball and I set up our loudspeaker and began to broadcast our first message. It told anyone in the area that U.S. forces were present and that they needed to exit the buildings, stay away from the airfield, drop any weapons, and get down on the ground if they wanted to survive. We played the message for about 5 minutes. The broadcast resounded across the valley floor into the compound. There was no doubt that anyone in the area had fair warning. This done, we bounded forward to join the rest of the Ranger element at building #1, secured a room, and awaited orders. We were told to assist in searching the building for any intelligence and weapons, and to be watchful for booby traps. We found a Soviet RPK machine gun with a belt of ammo in the feed tray, expended shell casings, belt links on the ground, a [rocket-propelled grenade] (RPG) launcher with 10 to 12 rounds nearby, and two AK-47 assault rifles. The rooms had articles of clothing strewn about, mattresses and bedding, and other personal effects. After collecting the weapons, we distributed about 400 leaflets in and around the building. As we lifted off from the airfield to return to base, I proudly showed the machine gun on my back to those around me. We were all elated to have participated in and survived America’s first ground strike against terrorism at Objective Rhino. I then got comfortable on the floor and went to sleep.87 The PSYOP broadcast team proved to be a combat multiplier for the Ranger task force deep in Afghanistan.