The Battle for Hill 3234: Last Ditch Defense in the Mountains of Afghanistan

There is something about a defensive fight by an outnumbered small unit that stirs national pride and interest. The Russians have the Battle for Hill 3234, a small, bitterly contested mountain fight that was a near-run thing, yet part of one of the most successful operations of the Soviet-Afghan War -- Operation Magistral. Indeed, this combat by an under-strength 39-man paratrooper company has inspired the popular movie and computer game 9th Company. The 9th Company of the 3rd Battalion, 345th Airborne Regiment fought a desperate struggle, losing six dead and 28 wounded on 7-8 January 1988. Two of the dead were decorated as Heroes of the Soviet Union and all members of the company were decorated for heroism with the Order of the Red Banner andor the Order of the Red Star. The embattled company reportedly repulsed 10 to 12 enemy attacks by an estimated 200-400 Mujahideen. It was a stellar effort, but it also highlights some of the basics of mountain defense. Occupying the highest terrain may provide good observation, but it limits fields of fire and fragments the defensive perimeter. Radio communications may be the final determinant for a defensive position. Crew-served weapons should be sited for long-range fields of fire and effective grazing fire. The commander needs to walk the position to determine dead space and plot grenade, mortar, and artillery fires to deal with it. All weapons require alternate firing positions. Aiming stakes, as well as physical traverse and overhead limits or transverse and elevation mechanisms are essential for crew-served weapons firing at night. Close air support is not available 247, nor can it be, but artillery can. Properly sited field fortifications, though tough to construct in the mountains, are the defending infantrymans best friend.