"De Oppresso Liber"

—(Liberate The Oppressed) —

Within hours of the cowardly attacks of September 11, 2001, America's Special Operations Forces were called to action, formulating an unconventional warfare response to the acts of terror inflicted on our country. Not since the patriots' actions of Concord and Lexington in our Revolution has first priority been given to such an unconventional approach. The force's choice, eventually known as Task Force Dagger, was a multiservice, inter-agency task force built primarily around the Green Berets of the 5th Special Forces Group. Key to the Task Force's success was a partnership formed between Army Special Operations, The Central Intelligence Agency, Air Force Special Operations and other inter-agency elements. Task Force Dagger was an unprecedented combination of our nation's finest uniformed and civilian professionals brought together to accomplish their designed mission: destroy the Taliban regime and deny Afghanistan as a sanctuary for Al Qaeda. On the night of October 19, 2001, braving severe weather conditions and a ruthless enemy, the "A" teams of the 5th Special Forces Group began infiltrating throughout Afghanistan. Helicopter infiltration and fire support was provided by the world's finest helicopter aviators, the "Nightstalkers" of the Army's 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment. Operating together



with their CIA counterparts and Air Force Combat Controllers, the teams made contact with the various ethnic indigenous resistance forces still holding out against the Taliban regime. Collectively, these integrated "A" Teams fought heroically under incredible dangerous and austere conditions alongside their Afghan counterparts and accomplished what so many said could not be done. Overthrowing the Taliban in that most dangerous of countries, Afghanistan, America's Response Monument, "De Oppresso Liber", features a Special Forces soldier representative of the many operational detachments "a" who operated across Afghanistan. Some of these A-Teams uniquely fought mounted on horseback alongside their Uzbek counterparts, successfully blending both ancient and 21st Century state of the art methods of warfare against our enemies. These operators, informally referred to as "Horse Soldiers" or "Afghan Mounted Rifles," were the first Americans to fight on horseback in over 50 years. This image was selected because it typifies the courage, adaptability and resourcefulness that are hallmarks of America's Special Operations community. The steel girder protruding from beneath the rocks is an actual piece of the World Trade Center towers and as such is considered a national treasure. It symbolizes the connection between the events of



9/11 and the actions of the Special Operations heroes this monument honors. You are welcome and encouraged to touch it. This monument is intended to honor the incredible courage, initiative and resourcefulness of all members of all branches of the Armed Forces who went and fought in the Battle of 9/11. It recognizes all the men of the Special Forces, all the great men and women of our joint Special Operations Forces, the intrepid officers of the central Intelligence Agency and the entire inter-agency teams whose dedication, courage and commitment to the people of the United States of America were called upon in those terrible early days following the attacks of 9/11 to bring justice to those who would attack us. This monument serves as a most grateful recognition by the American people of their extraordinary service and sacrifice.
Strength And Honor

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