Part 5/7:
The team’s operations were daring and resourceful. They navigated complex logistical challenges—using the sewage canal, a four-foot hole in a fence, and enlisting renegade paratroopers to facilitate extraction. The operation required precise coordination, stealth, and courage, especially considering the constant threat of Taliban checkpoints and surveillance.
A key element of their code was a secret password: “pineapple,” which Nam had to shout during the operation. This detail became the moniker for their entire effort: the Pineapple Express. The name symbolized both the casual resilience and the covert nature of their operations.