In June 2005, a group of Navy SEALs embarked on a mission to the mountains of Afghanistan to scope out a rumored Taliban hideout. They were not supposed to engage any one, let alone a group of goat herders. Convinced that if the SEALs executed these herders the bodies would be found and their whereabouts would be compromised, they let them go. In what Marcus Luttrel writes is “the stupidest, most southern-fried, lame brained decision I ever made in my life to vote to let them go. I must have been out of my mind taking a vote that I knew would sign our death warrant.” Some 45 minutes later, a 100 plus Taliban fighters were on the four SEALs. Only Luttrel survived.

Matt Lauer conducted an interview with Luttrel on The Today Show about the ex-SEAL’s memoir, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team Ten. Luttrel and Lauer go through the whole harrowing episode in detail, including how Luttrel survived in the months following the tragedy.

You may watch the interview here and read the corresponding excerpt on the show’s Website.