ALAN MACK: Decorated Night Stalker - Evading Enemy Fire, Operation Red Wing, Operation Anaconda

Living the Dream, Facing the Nightmare: An Interview with Alan C. Mack

This week’s Team Never Quit guest is a decorated war hero and an extraordinary pilot whose military career spanned nearly 36 years, including 17 years in Army Special Operations. Alan C. Mack, a retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5), shares his incredible journey from a young man with a passion for flying to a highly respected leader in some of the most elite units of the U.S. military.
Alan’s expertise and leadership saw him involved in numerous high-stakes operations, many still classified. One of the most notable missions he discusses is the Battle of Takur Ghar, also known as the Battle of Roberts Ridge, during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Alan’s bravery and skill under fire, including crash-landing a helicopter and attempting multiple rescue missions under heavy enemy fire, highlight his exceptional courage.
Alan’s distinguished service has earned him numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Stars, ten Air Medals (one with a Valor device), and many more. His impressive flight record includes over 6,700 flight hours, with more than 3,200 hours under Night Vision Goggles.
After retiring from the military, Alan continued to serve his community. He now works as the Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Services for Orange County, New York, a role that he appreciates for its peaceful nature compared to his military experiences.
Alan’s story is one of resilience, dedication, and the pursuit of one’s dreams. Despite the adversities and challenges faced in combat, his journey is a testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome and find meaning in serving others. His life is an inspiration, showing that with determination and courage, it’s possible to live out your dreams while also facing and conquering the nightmares.
This episode will leave you both inspired and reflective.In This Episode You Will Hear:
• The biggest cause of an air refueling incident is the grohe – it’s a big hose – you are actually only 19’ from rotors to tanker. (26:26)
• During air refueling You’re doing 110-120mph over the water. (27:00)
• I’ve done air refueling as low as 100’ off the coast of Iraq. (27:08)
• I get a missile fired at me so now I drop down between buildings. I’m down on the rooftops and you know what’s in front of me? Kites. Hundreds and hundreds of kites. (34:10)
• The older Chinook helicopter Delta models just had handheld maps. (43:34)
• During Operation Red Wings I sat down with the A10’s and the AC130’s with my map and the imagery and said “I need you to either suppress or creative a diversion that’s so big no one could help but look. (50:15)
• Crew Chiefs sometimes see things that aren’t there (and I hate to say it that way) but sometimes they’ll see lights of a car and think they’re seeing signal light signals. (53:28)
• Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. (55:00)
• My youngest son was a Night Stalker Flight Engineer, and my oldest son is a Navy F18 wizzo (back seater) He’s a Goose. (58:05)
• I did 17 years with the Night Stalkers, plus about 10 years of deployment. (59:03)
• Every aircraft munition has a probable kill ratio. A surface to air missile has a “PK” of 75%, meaning that if they fired at you, you have a 75% chance of killing you. The ground has a 100% PK. (64:23)
• I’ve got about 3,500, maybe 4,000 hours of night vision time, which is a lot. (67:51)
• Anaconda was a conventional operation, such as Red Wings. There’s no soft component to it. (68:57)
• We had 4 or 5 people on the aircraft tail, and we are diving at about 150, [one of our men that fell out but is tethered] while they’re shooting at us and his toes are tickling the trees. The crew chief is returning fire with an M60 machine gun. He looks over and pulls our guy up, and I learned we had lost Neil [another guy] and decided we’ve gotta go back. So I turned inbound and climbed back up and the controls stopped moving. Imagine you pulled the keys out of your car. That’s what it’s like with no hydraulics. So I’m like “Guys… we’re done,” as in “We’re going to die.” (79:03)
• In the spirit of never quit, there’s a saying: ”Never quit flying the aircraft.” (83:22)
• Everything I do in life, I associate with movies I’ve seen. (88:12)