Operation Red Wings: What Actually Happened | Ed Darack & Ross Schneiderman | Ep. 404

8 snips

Mar 28, 2026

Ross Schneiderman, investigative journalist who co-wrote the Politico probe, and Ed Darack, author and long-time investigator of the mission, reexamine Operation Red Wings. They trace planning shifts, communication and command failures, disputed combat and rescue details, and how movies and myths reshaped memories. Short, sharp conversations on terrain, tactics, and the institutional forces that shaped the story.

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ADVICE

Avoid Mythmaking To Preserve Trust

Be transparent and factual with families and the public to avoid long-term distrust.
Ross and Ed argue embellishing heroic narratives erodes institutional trust and prevents meaningful lessons from being learned.

INSIGHT

Comms Continued Longer Than The Book Claims

The SEAL team maintained multiple communications after insertion; they did not immediately lose all comms as the book depicts.
Ross used Merck chat logs and SITREP crosschecks to show at least eight recorded check-ins before compromise.

INSIGHT

Goat Herders Weren't The Primary Compromise Cause

The goat herder incident became symbolic but likely did not cause the militants to find the team first.
Evidence shows footprints and fast-rope remnants led militants to the insertion point; compromise may have occurred during insertion.

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