Horse Soldiers Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Six soldiers from U.S. Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 595 – now known as the “horse soldiers” – visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum on Tuesday.

The soldiers, subjects of the new film “12 Strong: The Declassified Story of the Horse Soldiers,” were the first combat troops deployed to Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Because of the mountainous terrain in northern Afghanistan, the troops were provided with horses by Afghan tribes cooperating with the U.S. military. Many of the soldiers had never ridden on horseback before and were not expecting to fight cavalry-style on foreign soil.

Along with General Mulholland, the soldiers and their families received a special tour of the 9/11 Memorial Museum. The group also visited “De Oppresso Liber,” an 18-foot bronze statue depicting a Green Beret soldier on horseback, which was dedicated in Liberty Park in September 2016.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff