Benghazi hero Mark Geist attends a NASCAR race in 2015. (Reuters)
Geist said he has great faith in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to continue investigating the Pentagon’s failings in the 2021 withdrawal.
"Honor demands nothing less."
A retired Navy SEAL, Jason Redman, was a member of what he and his fellow vets dubbed, "Task Force Pineapple."
Led by Scott Mann – a retired Green Beret – Pineapple came about as a visual password saved on phones used by the group to safely transport hundreds of Afghan interpreters and families through Taliban-controlled areas until they could reach Hamid Karzai International Airport – in a similar construct to the abolition-era Underground Railroad.
"This Herculean effort was performed by all volunteers, primarily special operations veterans, intelligence analysts, and government civilians," he said, adding that Pineapple worked with the Biden State Department – which he called "totally useless" – while remaining a civilian operation.
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Afghans celebrate the first anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal. (Bilal Guler/Getty Images)
"[It] was a citizen-liaison network focused on working with the [Pentagon] – only marginally better [than Foggy Bottom] to help honor the promise of facilitating safe passage, resettlement and reintegration by leveraging our relationships around the world," Redman said.
"If anything, 9/11 and the fall of Afghanistan showed that freedom is precious. It must be protected and preserved – for the rights of all people - not just the ones you like or agree with," Redman said.
While not directly associated with Robichaux’s or Mann’s operations, Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., relied on his experience in the military and as a defense contractor to effectuate his own operation after the fall of Kabul.
Mills helped rescue Americans, including a family initially blocked by a Taliban checkpoint, whom he recounted to Fox & Friends’ Brian Kilmeade at the time.
Mills – then not yet a lawmaker – worked with Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to attempt coordination with the feds, which he later indicated was problematic.
"I saw firsthand the failures of weak leadership that ignored critical intelligence and abandoned our people," Mills told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
"Thank God we now have a strong America First leader: President Donald Trump, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – a leader who understands the warrior ethos, whose investigation into the Abbey Gate tragedy is an important step toward justice and accountability for our 13 heroes," Mills said.
"It’s also an important part of rebuilding America’s strength on the world stage."
Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for former President Joe Biden for comment but did not hear back by press time.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/four-years-after-abbey-gate-veterans-who-saved-civilians-demand-accountability