As Told by Washington County Resident CPT Charlie Anderson, USANG

Captain Charlie Anderson, US Army National Guard, will be the featured speaker for the Washington County Historical Society Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 24th at the Stillwater Event Center.

Captain Anderson is a Washington County resident, a Marine-on-St. Croix City Council Member, and the Primary Battalion Intelligence Officer for 1-194 Combined Arms Battalion, 1/34th Brigade Combat Team. He served as a leader of Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers who participated in the evacuation of Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. He returned from deployment earlier this year.

After over two years of training and preparation, in March 2001 the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Combined Arms Battalion was activated and sent to Kuwait, prepositioned by the US Army to serve as the Regional Response Force in case of a crisis in the Middle East during its deployment.

With just six hours’ notice, Captain Anderson and a 400-soldier element was sent to Hamid Karzai International Airport to help protect the evacuation of US citizens, families and allies while under constant threat from both the Taliban and ISIS-Khorasan. Between August 14 and August 31, 2021, more than 123,000 people were evacuated following the collapse of Afghanistan’s central government. It is the largest noncombatant evacuation in U.S. military history.

In their work, the Minnesota Guard soldiers served alongside some of the most storied units in the history of the United States: The 82nd Airborne Division, the 10th Mountain Division, a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and a Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Captain Anderson’s presentation will include a history and military lineage of his unit, and a personal telling of his experiences during the evacuation.

The dinner meeting will be at the Stillwater Event Center, 1910 S. Greeley Street – next door to the Washington County Heritage Center on Thursday March 24th. The event is open to the public and the cost is $25 for WCHS members and $30 for nonmembers. The evening will begin at 5:30 with a social hour, dinner catered by Scheel’s Catering at 6:30 and the annual meeting will be at 7:30. Mr. Anderson’s presentation will start shortly after 7:30pm Seating is limited and organizers expect a large attendance. Reservations are required in advance.

To make reservations or for more information about the event please call 651-439-5956 or email at [email protected] wchsmn.org or visit www.wchsmn.org.

A scene from Afghanistan, where Captain Charlie Anderson of the US Army National Guard helped with the evacuation of Hamid Karzai International Airport. Photo submitted by Washington County Historical Society.