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When All of My Friends Were Still Alive When All of My Friends Were Still Alive
(7 days later)
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I have two Moleskine notebooks, from each of my deployments to Afghanistan — the first in 2008 and the second in 2009 and 2010. For each entry, you’ll find the date, a few events, maybe a map or a list of acronyms. In the back I wrote the names of our platoon dogs, the books I read and the things I was going to buy when/if I got home.I have two Moleskine notebooks, from each of my deployments to Afghanistan — the first in 2008 and the second in 2009 and 2010. For each entry, you’ll find the date, a few events, maybe a map or a list of acronyms. In the back I wrote the names of our platoon dogs, the books I read and the things I was going to buy when/if I got home.
Below are entries from three days that happened almost exactly nine years ago, during the 72 hours before Operation Moshtarak, the helicopter assault on the town of Marjah in Helmand Province. I was a 22-year-old rifleman with First Battalion, Sixth Marines. It was the first big mission of President Obama’s 30,000-troop surge. All of my friends were still aliveBelow are entries from three days that happened almost exactly nine years ago, during the 72 hours before Operation Moshtarak, the helicopter assault on the town of Marjah in Helmand Province. I was a 22-year-old rifleman with First Battalion, Sixth Marines. It was the first big mission of President Obama’s 30,000-troop surge. All of my friends were still alive
Back then we felt as if what came next would decide the end of the war, that Marjah was the Taliban’s last hold in a country that desperately wanted them gone. We were young and wrong.Back then we felt as if what came next would decide the end of the war, that Marjah was the Taliban’s last hold in a country that desperately wanted them gone. We were young and wrong.
Our commanders told us we’d be “Marjah Marines” in a battle would be akin to Falluja in Iraq or Hue in Vietnam. Historic. In 2019, the Taliban controls Marjah again, well most of it at least, except for maybe a few Afghan Army outposts. But I think there were a few years where we built some schools and walked around with hopes of not losing our legs.Our commanders told us we’d be “Marjah Marines” in a battle would be akin to Falluja in Iraq or Hue in Vietnam. Historic. In 2019, the Taliban controls Marjah again, well most of it at least, except for maybe a few Afghan Army outposts. But I think there were a few years where we built some schools and walked around with hopes of not losing our legs.
The day I wrote this we were at Camp Dwyer, a large base in Helmand Province. It’s still a large base today. Back then it had two chow halls. I tried to video-chat with my girlfriend in one of the phone centers. A bunch of plywood cubicles with dusty DSN phones and desktops. There was a separate AT&T phone center where you could use the phones with expensive calling cards. My unit was supposed to go into Marjah that night, but the mission got pushed back.The day I wrote this we were at Camp Dwyer, a large base in Helmand Province. It’s still a large base today. Back then it had two chow halls. I tried to video-chat with my girlfriend in one of the phone centers. A bunch of plywood cubicles with dusty DSN phones and desktops. There was a separate AT&T phone center where you could use the phones with expensive calling cards. My unit was supposed to go into Marjah that night, but the mission got pushed back.
Rumor had it our landing zone had an antiaircraft gun somewhere in the area. That afternoon I checked some of the intelligence reports. First Battalion, Third Marines had cleared the five-points intersection at the northern tip of Marjah. They were a blocking force for our assault. I don’t know why I wrote “minor small-arms fire.” Maybe for some assurance?Rumor had it our landing zone had an antiaircraft gun somewhere in the area. That afternoon I checked some of the intelligence reports. First Battalion, Third Marines had cleared the five-points intersection at the northern tip of Marjah. They were a blocking force for our assault. I don’t know why I wrote “minor small-arms fire.” Maybe for some assurance?
On Feb. 11 my team lined up in front of one of the cement T-walls outside our tent for a picture. Jorge left his helmet strap unbuckled. Ryan wore a bandanna. Mike looked stupid in his Oakleys, and Matt ran inside and pulled an American flag out of his pack so we could pose with it. It took quite an effort to get everyone lined up for that picture. All these years later I’m glad we did.On Feb. 11 my team lined up in front of one of the cement T-walls outside our tent for a picture. Jorge left his helmet strap unbuckled. Ryan wore a bandanna. Mike looked stupid in his Oakleys, and Matt ran inside and pulled an American flag out of his pack so we could pose with it. It took quite an effort to get everyone lined up for that picture. All these years later I’m glad we did.
With the mission scrubbed for at least a day, I wasn’t going to use it to call home. The phone-center lines were always long, and I had already said I was leaving. I didn’t want to call back just go through the goodbyes again. We lay around on our cots. I think this was the day Josh sprayed the Punisher skull on the magazines of his MK-11 rifle. Kind of stupid, but we were all bored and scared. I think it was also the day that Josh got a letter from his on-again-off-again girlfriend. There was some hope, and he was excited about that. He held it up in the doorway, and I remember the sunlight and dust around him. Josh was killed that May. With the mission scrubbed for at least a day, I wasn’t going to use it to call home. The phone-center lines were always long, and I had already said I was leaving. I didn’t want to call back just to go through the goodbyes again. We lay around on our cots. I think this was the day Josh sprayed the Punisher skull on the magazines of his MK-11 rifle. Kind of stupid, but we were all bored and scared. I think it was also the day that Josh got a letter from his on-again-off-again girlfriend. There was some hope, and he was excited about that. He held it up in the doorway, and I remember the sunlight and dust around him. Josh was killed that May.
We left for Marjah.We left for Marjah.
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