[2] Task Force Pineapple was founded on 15 August 2021 by Scott Mann, a retired Green Beret,[3] to rescue an Afghan commando he had served with.
[4] The commando was receiving death threats from the Taliban for having served alongside SEAL Team Six for a dozen years.
[5] In order to confirm their identities, the refugees (referred to by the group as "passengers") had to show the volunteers a picture of yellow pineapples on a pink background.
[10] Task Force Pineapple members acted as "conductors"; they were led by former Green Beret Captain Zac Lois, who was the group's "engineer".
[5] The group was planning the next stage of its week-long rescue operation when the suicide bombings at the Hamid Karzai International Airport occurred.