Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan “Iron Knights” 2010—2011
Originally released by Valor Studios, the legend on the bottom of the print reads… “The 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment valiantly participated in OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AFGHANISTAN, to unify the Arghandab River Valley as part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division from 24 August 2010 to 14 June 2011. Partnered with 3/1/205 Afghan National Army, and the Afghan National Police, COMBINED TASK FORCE (CTF) KNIGHTS, conducted aggressive clearance and air assault operations to destroy enemy sanctuary’s on both sides of the Arghandab River dismantling the enemy’s ability to control the population. CTF Knight’s success served as a turning point for the war in Southern Afghanistan and represents a landmark in counterinsurgency operations.”
The Story
Based at Ft. Carson, the “Iron Knights” of the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment are capable of conducting full spectrum operations. Originally activated as the 66th Infantry Regiment (Light Tanks) under the command of Col. George S. Patton, the regiment traces its lineage back to 1918 and is the oldest Armor unit in the United States Army. As part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team in the 4th Infantry Division, the regiment deployed in 2010 as part of the surge in the Arghandab River Valley west of Kandahar City. The Valley, notorious as the birthplace of the Taliban where Mullah Omar founded his movement in 1994, has a long of history of violence with even the Soviets formally referring to the Arghandab River Valley as “The Heart of Darkness.” Partnering with Afghanistan’s National Security Forces, the Iron Knights never wavered in their mission to bring security and stability to the region.
Behind the Art
Always into the Enemy
Advancing under the covering fire of the SAW, the patrol moves into position to establish a base of fire from which to fix and finish the enemy. Based on actual engagements in the Arghandab River Valley, the artwork captures the regiment’s motto: Sempre in Hostes—Always into the enemy!
Kiowa Warrior
Seen here the OH-58D, the Kiowa Warrior, not only supports ground patrols in its role of a reconnaissance platform but can also provide close air support by unleashing its Hellfire or Hydra missiles. The distinctive Mast-Mounted Sight above the rotor system contains a thermal imaging system and a laser range finder giving the helicopter’s weapons system tremendous accuracy when engaging the enemy. Various models of the OH-58 have been in continuous service by the US Army since 1969.
Afghan National Security
The Combined Task Force trained and fought side by side with the Afghan National Security Forces to bring stability to the Arghandab River Valley. The training and combat experience is a vital aspect of transitioning security duties away from coalition forces over to the Afghan National Army and units of the Afghan National Police.
Project Details
Faithfully reproduced from the original artwork, Always Into The Enemy by Matt Hall, depicts elements the 4th Infantry Division in Afghanistan. In addition to the description, the bottom margin of the print includes the crest of the 66th Armor Regiment.
Editions
- Originally printed by Valor Studios:
- 550 Military Editions
- 200 Publisher’s Proofs
- Each print is hand-signed by the artist
- Each print includes a Certificate of Authenticity
Lithograph
- This limited edition lithograph is printed on acid-free, archival quality, 100 lb. stock
- Print size: 31″ x 19″
- All prints are sold unframed
- Print color may vary from screen color
Purchase
Matt has a limited number of Signer’s Proofs of this print. Please contact us for availability.