Roberts, Neil Christopher
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Verified Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Christopher Roberts, 32, of Woodland, California, was a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in action on March 5, 2002, during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Their Story
Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Christopher Roberts was a member of the U.S. Navy's Naval Special Warfare Development Group. On March 3, 2002, he was part of a joint U.S. and allied force launching Operation Anaconda, a large-scale offensive against al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in the Shah-i-Kot Valley of eastern Afghanistan.
During the initial insertion by helicopter on the morning of March 4, Roberts's MH-47 Chinook came under intense enemy fire. The pilot executed a rapid evasive maneuver, causing Roberts to fall approximately ten feet from the aircraft's ramp onto the snow-covered terrain of the Takur Ghar mountain ridge, an area held by enemy forces.
Roberts fought alone on the mountaintop for an extended period against a numerically superior force. A quick reaction force was dispatched to rescue him, but their helicopter was also shot down, sparking a protracted firefight. By the time U.S. forces reached his position, Roberts had been killed.
The subsequent battle to recover his body and secure the area, later known as the Battle of Takur Ghar or Roberts Ridge, lasted for 17 hours and resulted in seven total U.S. military fatalities. Roberts's actions during his solitary engagement were later cited in the award of his Silver Star medal.
His death occurred during the early, high-intensity phase of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. Roberts was 32 years old and from Woodland, California.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the conflict in which Roberts served, concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
