Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
5:46 | Hailing from Alaska, Hank Derenoff may as well have been on another planet when he arrived at Fort Benning for basic training and Airborne school. He shrugged off the heat because he was determined to succeed and he did. Then it was on to Fort Bragg where the hazing actually had a point to it.
Keywords : Hank Derenoff Fort Benning Alaska Drill Instructor (DI) Airborne School Fort Bragg weapons platoon Andrew Jennings hazing Luke Adler
Growing up, Hank Derenoff enjoyed the hunting and fishing in his native Alaska. As a kid, he dreamed of being Special Forces but the emotional upheaval of seeing 9/11 unfold on television gave him a sense of urgency.
Hank Derenoff could never remember the names of the bases and combat outposts in Afghanistan. Not until his unit got to COP Nolan in the Arghandab Valley. They arrived during winter before the fighting season began which gave them the chance to get to know the locale and the locals.
They thought Afghanistan was going to be warm. The 100 plus temperatures were coming, but the first night Hank Derenoff was on a night patrol, he nearly froze. His newly arrived unit was also tested in its first firefight at a so-called abandoned village.
The trailer was jinxed. Hank Derenoff couldn't believe it. It had already hit an IED once and they wanted the unit to take it, loaded with supplies, back with them to COP Nolan. On the most dangerous highway in Afghanistan, no less. Something was bound to happen.
Spring came, the vegetation flourished and fighting season began. Combat Outpost Nolan was being hit every day by the Taliban. In particular, Hank Derenoff remembers the 3rd and 4th of July as two days of tragedy. Part 1 of 2.
Why would you go out on the 4th of July? Hank Derenoff was wondering that when his squad went out on patrol. They had a new guy with them and, when they stopped to rest, he sat his pack down on a pressure plate IED. Part 2 of 2. (Caution: strong language)
Hank Derenoff was sure he had already killed some Taliban but he got a confirmed kill the day he saw someone come around a corner and immediately turn around. The next time he came out was the last time he did anything. Oddly, it was a helicopter pilot who confirmed the kill.
They were close to going home but first they had to orient their replacement unit. The Army had inexplicably sent an artillery outfit to relieve an infantry unit. Hank Derenoff describes how the new guys were woefully unprepared.
The last piece of business for Hank Derenoff's unit before they left Afghanistan was to relieve a sister company which had lost a lot of their men to IED's. The outpost was a mess and had to be secured, then patrols were started. There was a Syrian IED maker in the area who had a calling card and there was a K9 unit that was no help at all. (Caution: strong language)
Hank Derenoff was at Kandahar Airfield waiting to go home. He couldn't stand the place nor did he care for the banners and the band when he got back to Fort Bragg. He did enjoy the reunion with his family. Then came the garrison duty. (Caution: strong language)
The US exit from Afghanistan was bad but that shouldn't stop the remembrance of those who died or were injured. That's what Hank Derenoff wants everyone to remember. (Caution: strong language)
