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June 05, 2004
1/6 Marines in Afghanistan
Marine Sgt. Ryan West, of Lafayette, Indiana, a squad leader with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) screams for his Marines to take cover as sniper fire impacts around them during a fight with anti-coalition militia in central Afghanistan. Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Keith Milks
On June 2 and 3, these Marines engaged in "the bloodiest fighting in Afghanistan since last fall". The 22nd MEF killed at least 25 anti-coalition militia. Three marines sustained minor injuries. Gunnery Sgt. Keith Milks describes the action:
Moving forward to the attack's point of origin, the Marines found and engaged Taliban insurgents hidden in the rocks of a nearby mountain. The Marines used fire and maneuver to fix the enemy and then called in air support to augment their attack.
During the ensuing four-hour firefight, troops on the ground were supported by Marine AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey attack helicopters, AV-8B Harrier attack jets, and Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft."
PFC Riley Hubert keeps an eye on an alleyway in a village in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province as his fellow Marines search surrounding houses for Taliban insurgents and weapons caches. Hubert is an automatic rifleman assigned to 1/6 Marines, the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit
Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Keith Milks
Posted by Deb at June 5, 2004 05:30 PM
Comments
Came across your site while looking for info. to send a package to someone in Iraq or Afghanistan and seen this pic. of Sgt. West.I am from Lafayette also and would like to try to contact Sgt. West. If that might be possible please let me know. I will look on this end. We are behind our troops and our prayers go up for them.
Posted by: Robert McKinniss at December 7, 2004 07:13 PM