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Huge Bronze Statue Honors 'Horse Soldiers'

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  • Description

    U.S. forces rode horses in Afghanistan

  • Duration 4:23
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This transcript is automatically generated

Welcome back everybody just days after the 9/11 attacks a special group of US military forces.

Deployed to Afghanistan some of the first soldiers in the global.

War on terror what makes their story so remarkable is that he traveled through Afghanistan.

On horseback.

Quite a scene today there are being honored with a sixteen foot bronze statue.

That will lead New York city's veterans day parade that will be unveiled tonight by the vice president joining us captain Michael -- Tino.

Active duty air force.

Michael L wore a special forces -- soldier first sergeant mark baker.

A member of the special ops and aircrew and sculptor -- Bloomberg good morning to all of you -- -- and this is quite a sculpture is sixteen feet.

Hi for sergeant if you could describe the scene when when you see the statue you don't often think of our troops today on horseback why were you.

That was only mode of transportation when we first came in came in on helicopters.

We really did not have anything there.

So one -- we first met up -- dostum.

He actually had some some horses then that was -- mode of transportation.

From Monday he all the way to lose -- insurance.

And first sergeant baker if you could tell us about the scene.

Sergeant -- described this as this.

The Flintstones meeting the Jetsons almost put described your mission and what you were doing.

The mission was very difficult.

Unfamiliar terrain.

Our mission was to.

Bring the teams into Afghanistan.

Too so they can meet up with the the afghanis.

It was very difficult mission.

And in terms of the communication gap how difficult how important was that working with your Afghan counterparts.

-- I'm the 16 is we actually didn't.

Work with so the afghanis.

That would have to faltered you know him.

Actually that was it was it was a test whose challenge.

We we have that are big speakers Russian speakers posh -- and they use their broken English so between all of we were able to get to the mission accomplished Michigan -- the mission difficult enough without that gap captain scored -- if you can describe.

What exactly the horseback was doing for those that were overhead.

Writing -- as -- as far as -- comment until it -- in our job was to link up.

-- stand right next to the ground forces commander and make sure that the communication from the ground to the -- the air support and everything was -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Drop bombs are landing get your strip for get a drop zone to get to -- in.

Or -- supplies enough -- communication was difficult because you know.

-- actually curious what do bad as far as communicating to the translator translators on the ground sometimes there's quite a channel I.

And imagine translator and us all to a piece of art is the task you had doubt -- tell us about why you were inspired by this project.

And how -- for -- that was to tell that story.

It's a fascinating project in I.

Had been a horse trainer for eighteen years -- -- my father was -- veteran I was raised this with total respect for what they do.

And when it departments has released this picture.

-- 21 century.

Soldier honest look at and -- sixteenth century Afghan mountain horse.

I just felt compelled tick -- put this in the bronze and I began to do it and.

That I was invited out of Fort Campbell to meet with one of first groups to return and I brought the piece and they worked with me to track most everything.

I had research myself to ensure that was accurate and the stories they told me in the time I spend with them.

-- just impressed on me.

A total humility from being around guys look like this to -- in just sacrificed so much for us thank you -- for your service.

I thank you for bringing this case are uniformly and -- -- really -- appreciate.

The city of New York.

Call all the contributors that made this happen for the statue on today this great day.

When we love serving our country and following the Port Authority to fire department police department it's a great day and we just wanna thank all those -- wonderful job thank you all for your service captaincy Ortiz sergeant baker and Elmore.

And doubt Bloomberg thank you all for being here -- --

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