In late June 2005, nineteen U.S. special operations personnel died at the hands of insurgent/terrorist leader Ahmad Shah, leaving one survivor, deep in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan.

Welcome to Afghanistan -- The battalion -- Synergy of success -- Into the Hindu Kush -- Red Wings take flight -- Ambush -- Storm of chaos -- Redoubled efforts -- Whalers unleashed -- Armageddon, denied -- One ridge distant, a world apart -- Star wars -- Kinetic exfil -- Victory point -- Afterword -- Appendix I: primary weapon systems -- Appendix II: interviewees.