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Hank Derenoff

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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. He set his sights a little lower on the 82nd Airborne. (5:02)

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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. (5:46)

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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 in during winter before the fighting season began which gave them the chance to get to know the locale and the locals. (4:59)

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They thought Afghanistan was 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 it's first firefight at a so-called abandoned village. (5:30)

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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. (7:53)

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Hank Derenoff had busted his tailbone in an IED incident. The doc had to check for internal bleeding and there was only one way to do it. Bend over. (4:28)

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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. (6:47)

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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) (7:03)

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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. (3:59)

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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. (9:24)