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September 2, 2010

Hero helps 'broken' troops

Thursday, September 2, 2010 02:59 AM
By Jeb Phillips
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

One of the most highly decorated Marines during the war in Iraq had to drink to fall asleep. He once tried to kill himself.

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September 1, 2010

Boise marine killed in Afghanistan

Story Published: Sep 1, 2010 at 10:50 PM MDT

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Department of Defense confirms a Boise marine has been killed in Afghanistan.

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Kenner Marine Dies In Afghanistan

POSTED: 9:50 pm CDT September 1, 2010

NEW ORLEANS -- A local family is remembering a Marine from Kenner who was killed in fighting in Afghanistan.

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August 30, 2010

Marine from central Minn. killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Posted: 08/30/2010 06:07:11 PM PDT

PINE CITY, Minn.—A highly decorated Marine bomb disposal technician from Pine City in central Minnesota was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand province of Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday.

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Florida Marine killed in Afghanistan

Jim Peppard August 30, 2010

Washington, D.C. -- A Marine from Florida was killed in Afghanistan Sunday, the U.S. Defense Department said today.

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Lejeune Marine heroes remembered in comic panel

August 30, 2010 5:47 AM
HOPE HODGE

Two Camp Lejeune Marines who gave everything for their country in 2008, are remembered two years later in an unusual way: a comic strip.

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August 29, 2010

Loved ones salute fallen Wheaton soldier

By Matt Arado | Daily Herald StaffContact writer
Published: 8/29/2010

Stephen Oratowski said his son Kevin went by many nicknames during his life, including a few that "I probably shouldn't repeat inside church."

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August 28, 2010

Marine follows heritage, strives for best

8/28/2010
By Cpl. Ned Johnson, Regimental Combat Team 2
SANGIN, Afghanistan

After serving in the Marine Corps Security Forces, one infantryman came to the line companies with something to teach the young Marines of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and their reception of his unique training methods are evident.

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Family, friends mourn Marine killed in Afghanistan

Wheaton 23-year-old called 'courageous,' 'determined,' 'shy'

August 28, 2010|By Jack McCarthy, Special to the Tribune

Before he was killed last week in Afghanistan, Kevin Oratowski was a shy, sometimes stubborn kid who ultimately found pride and purpose in the Marine Corps, his family and friends said Saturday.

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Family, friends mourn Marine killed in Afghanistan

Wheaton 23-year-old called 'courageous,' 'determined,' 'shy'

By Jack McCarthy, Special to the Tribune
7:27 p.m. CDT, August 28, 2010

Before he was killed last week in Afghanistan, Kevin Oratowski was a shy, sometimes stubborn kid who ultimately found pride and purpose in the Marine Corps, his family and friends said Saturday.

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August 27, 2010

Scholarship to honor fallen O.C. Marine

By FRED SWEGLES
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: Aug. 27, 2010
Updated: 9:37 a.m.

A Marine lance corporal from San Clemente who was killed in action in Afghanistan a year ago will be remembered with a scholarship.

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Mother of fallen Marine shares her grief with public

By Justin George and Emily Nipps, Times Staff Writers
In Print: Friday, August 27, 2010

TAMPA — Liza Natkin wants people to know about the boy in the pictures: her son at the Keys, in his senior portrait, holding a rifle, flexing his muscles in the mirror, playing electric guitar.

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August 26, 2010

Moment of silence, memorial service planned to remember fallen Marine

By Ashok Selvam | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/26/2010

A moment of silence is planned Friday to remember fallen Marine C.J. Boyd during Palatine High School's away football game versus Lake Forest High School.

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August 25, 2010

Marine from Falls Church killed by bomb in Afghanistan

By Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Marine Corps Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, who grew up in Northern Virginia, was overseas for the third time when he was killed Monday in Afghanistan.

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Big Bear Valley Marine awarded Purple Heart

By JUDI BOWERS
Reporter
Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:10 AM PDT

Cynthia Douglass-Moreno couldn’t stop the tears. She tried to talk around them, but they kept flowing. She’s a proud mother.

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August 24, 2010

Creve Coeur Marine died Monday in Afghanistan

By LESLIE WILLIAMS (lwilliams@pjstar.com)
Journal Star
Posted Aug 24, 2010 @ 06:51 PM

CREVE COEUR — The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Virginia Marine killed in Afghanistan

WTKR-TV3
6:09 PM EDT, August 24, 2010

A Virginia Marine has been killed in Afghanistan.

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Local Marine dies Sunday in Afghanistan

BY BILL O'BRIEN, ALEX PIAZZA, and LINDSAY VANHULLE
Traverse City Record Eagle
August 24, 2010

TRAVERSE CITY — Jason Dean Calo was a bona fide leader who quarterbacked his football team to victory against area rivals.

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Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Posted: August 24, 2010
Associated Press

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Military officials say a North Carolina-based Marine has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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August 23, 2010

Marines marry at baseball game

by Jeff Mason
KMOV.com
Posted on August 22, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Updated Monday, Aug 23 at 1:13 PM

(KMOV) -- A St. Charles marine almost had his wedding plans ruined when his deployment date was moved up.

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Four Marines awarded Purple Heart for their sacrifice

8/23/2010
By Lance Cpl. Michelle S. Mattei,
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —
Four Marines were added to the Purple Heart’s list of heroes injured during battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Military announces Marine death in Afghanistan

Posted on Monday, 08.23.10
The Associated Press

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Military officials say a North Carolina-based Marine has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.

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August 21, 2010

Marine from Chesapeake killed in Afghanistan

By Hattie Brown Garrow
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 21, 2010

Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, died Friday while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Department of Defense announced today.

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Lejeune Marine killed in Afghanistan

August 21, 2010
WRAL.com

Camp Lejeune, N.C. — A Camp Lejeune-based Marine died Friday in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.

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August 20, 2010

Marine from Palatine killed in Afghanistan

By Ashok Selvam and Eric Peterson | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/20/2010

A kind, considerate and hardworking Marine from Palatine who dreamed of a career in the military has been killed in action in Afghanistan.

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2 Chicago-area Marines killed in Afghanistan

Eric Horng

August 20, 2010 (WLS)The war in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of two Marines from the Chicago area.

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Marine killed in Afghanistan had strong ties to Glenbard South

By Robert Sanchez | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 8/20/2010

Lance Cpl. Kevin E. Oratowski's ties to Glenbard South High School remained strong in the five years since he graduated.

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August 19, 2010

Marine from Wheaton dies in Afghanistan

By Bob Susnjara
Daily Herald Staff Contact writer
Published: 8/19/2010 10:18 PM

A Marine from Wheaton was killed by a roadside bomb Wednesday while in combat in Afghanistan.

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'A great guy' from Wheaton killed in Afghanistan

August 19, 2010
--William Lee

A Marine from Wheaton who was serving in his first combat deployment was killed by a blast in southwest Afghanistan, military officials said today.

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A real Marine brotherhood: Bentley High School graduate promoted in Afghanistan with brother's help

Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 10:30 AM
Beata Mostafavi | Flint Journal

BURTON, Michigan — They grew up competing in everything, but this was one time Marine Sgt. Justin Shemanski didn’t mind his youngest brother almost catching up to him.

Continue reading "A real Marine brotherhood: Bentley High School graduate promoted in Afghanistan with brother's help" »

August 18, 2010

From Car Dealership to Afghanistan: Marine Mechanic Innovates Repair of 7-ton Truck

8/18/2010 By Lance Cpl. Khoa Pelczar , 1st Marine Logistics Group (FWD)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DWYER, Afghanistan — A Marine reservist who worked as a car dealership mechanic before deploying to Afghanistan has come up with an innovative way to repair the engine of a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement – getting the trucks back on the road in half the time.

Continue reading " From Car Dealership to Afghanistan: Marine Mechanic Innovates Repair of 7-ton Truck" »

August 16, 2010

Marine sniper earns award for valor

8/16/2010 By Sgt. Juan D. Alfonso, Marine Forces Pacific

CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii — The hide is a sniper’s safe haven. It’s a hole they dig, cover with camouflage and live in for days or weeks at a time. But what happens when a sniper and his team find a bomb in their hide? For Sgt. Michael G. Dowling, it was a no-brainer.

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British kickboxer sought in slaying of US tourist

JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press Writer
Published: 09:16 a.m., Monday, August 16, 2010

BANGKOK (AP) — A manhunt was underway Monday in Thailand for a British kickboxer police say is believed to have killed a former U.S. Marine after provoking a barroom brawl on a tropical island.

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August 15, 2010

Remembering the bravery of Selfridge's 22 Marines

BY NAOMI R. PATTON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Posted: Aug. 15, 2010

Twenty-two U.S. Marines from the 1st Battalion 24th Marine Reserve, based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, who died during their seven-month tour in Iraq were honored Saturday with a granite memorial bearing their names dedicated in Canton's Heritage Park.


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Rags to Riches: How a Bronx youth transformed into a U.S. Marine

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) Public Affairs
Courtesy Story
08.15.2010
Location:AF

Cpl. Randy Rivera’s story reads like a movie script. It is a tale of poverty, sacrifice, drugs, violence and danger. From the crime-infested streets of Bronx, N.Y., to the archaic Puerto Rican countryside, Rivera has seen and lived what most couldn’t imagine.

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August 14, 2010

Knoxville-based Marine killed in Afghanistan

A Knoxville-based Marine has died after being wounded in Afghanistan.

Reporter: Nick Bona
Email Address: nick.bona@wvlt-tv.com
Aug 14, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A Knoxville-based Marine has died after being wounded in Afghanistan.

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August 13, 2010

LCpl. Kevin M. Cornelius

By BILL WEST -
August 13, 2010
Star Beacon

ASHTABULA — Lance Corporal Kevin Michael Cornelius, age 20, died Saturday, August 7, 2010, in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, while serving in the United States Marine Corps in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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August 12, 2010

Fallen Marine remembered as jokester, athlete, friend

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs
Date Posted:08.12.2010
Story by Staff Sgt. Luis Agostini

MARJAH, Afghanistan – A memorial service for Lance Cpl. Abram L. Howard was held at the Marjah District government center in Marjah, Afghanistan, Aug. 12.

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Vincent E. Gammone III

Posted: Thursday, August 12, 2010 10:22 am

Pfc Vincent E. Gammone III, 19, of Christiana passed away Saturday, August 7, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afganistan.

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2 Texans in military killed in Afghanistan

© 2010 The Associated Press
Aug. 12, 2010, 8:58AM

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department says two more Texans in the military have died in Afghanistan.

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Marine presented Purple Heart

August 12, 2010

A Camp Lejeune corpsman was presented a Purple Heart this month for wounds sustained while caring for injured troops on a recent deployment.

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August 10, 2010

'He was my soulmate, protector'

Wife eulogizes Spring resident who was killed in Afghanistan

By LINDSAY WISE HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Aug. 10, 2010

Lauren Martin had promised herself two things growing up: No. 1, never work in a restaurant, and No. 2, never marry a man in the military.

Continue reading "'He was my soulmate, protector'" »

26th MEU Marine saves teen

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — A Marine with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit saved the life of a teenager who drifted more than 100 yards off the pier at North Topsail Beach Saturday Aug. 7, 2010, according to the North Topsail Beach Police Department.

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August 9, 2010

Pentagon identifies fallen Lejeune Marines

Two Marines were killed during an attempted prisoner escape this weekend in southern Afghanistan.

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Camp Pendleton Marine Killed In Afghanistan ID'd

Cpl. Max W. Donahue Killed In Combat Last Week

SAN DIEGO -- The Pentagon released the name Monday of a 23-year-old Camp Pendleton-based Marine killed in combat last week in Afghanistan.

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August 8, 2010

Antioch event raises funds for badly wounded Marine

Some of Cpl. John Peck's best friends are people he has never met.

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Memories linger as Marine recuperates

CASPER — At 5:30 a.m. on July 1, Lance Cpl. Jake Henry and roughly 17 other Marines left for a normal patrol in southern Afghanistan. They crossed over a canal and into an old poppy field, died out from the season before.

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August 6, 2010

Afghanistan through the lens

HESPERIA • As a combat correspondent in the Marine Corps, Sgt. Mark Fayloga has instant access to military moments around the world that most civilian photojournalists never have the chance to capture.

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August 4, 2010

Injured Navy corpsman receives Purple Heart

PORTSMOUTH

Angelo Anderson likes taking care of patients - mothers and babies at Camp Lejeune, clients at the infectious disease clinic at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, and more than anything, Marine infantry troops on duty in Afghanistan.

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Silver Star hero Jeremy Torrisi came to defense of wounded in Afghanistan after taking bullet in leg

CAMP MOREHEAD, Afghanistan - Jeremy Torrisi's scuffed-up canvas medic's bag still has bloodstains from the day he saved four Marines' lives in a fearsome firefight.

Continue reading "Silver Star hero Jeremy Torrisi came to defense of wounded in Afghanistan after taking bullet in leg" »

August 3, 2010

Williamstown Marine home safe from Afghanistan tour

MONROE TWP. - Richard Janofsky was outside his brother's new home in Williamstown Monday morning, helping install posts in the ground for a fence. His brother Max, a township police officer, was at work. Janofsky was simply there to help him out.

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Williamstown Marine home safe from Afghanistan tour

MONROE TWP. - Richard Janofsky was outside his brother's new home in Williamstown Monday morning, helping install posts in the ground for a fence. His brother Max, a township police officer, was at work. Janofsky was simply there to help him out.

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An honorable distinction for North Attleboro Marine

Marine recognized for valor in combat

NORTH ATTLEBORO - A Marine from North Attleboro has been recognized for valor in combat in Afghanistan, where in separate engagements his accurate shooting destroyed threats to his unit and the evacuation of a wounded comrade.

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Minto Marine injured in Afghanistan

Clayton Jarolimek’s injuries are serious, but not ‘life-threatening,’ mother says
A U.S. Marine from Minto, N.D., was injured Monday by an improvised explosive device, or IED, while on a foot patrol in Afghanistan.

A U.S. Marine from Minto, N.D., was injured Monday by an improvised explosive device, or IED, while on a foot patrol in Afghanistan.

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August 2, 2010

Marines Remember Fallen Cobra Pilots in Afghanistan

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan – An estimated 1,000 military personnel gathered in a hangar here Aug. 2 to remember two 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) helicopter pilots who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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August 1, 2010

Family in Far Places

Although he was half a world away from home, DeAvila was quickly surrounded by family and friends, due to a strong military family and community.

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'Wounded Warrior’ Facility Helps Injured Marines Get Back to the Fight

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Frank Martin had only been in Afghanistan a few days when a 60-pound improvised explosive device detonated while he and his squad were on their first foot patrol in northern Marjah, hurling him into the air.

Continue reading "'Wounded Warrior’ Facility Helps Injured Marines Get Back to the Fight" »

RCT-7 Marine Re-enlists to Re-enlist Marines

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — Working third shift at Costco, Michael never thought that in four years he would be helping Marines re-enlist while assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron 1.

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Local Marine has landed

Describes overseas tour as leave begins

Marine Lance Cpl. Gus Haas, 20, of Evansville, began planning for his three-week leave as soon as he was deployed to Afghanistan in December.

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July 31, 2010

Loved ones, Marines mourn fallen 19-year-old

July 31, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A funeral was held Saturday for a Marine from the western suburbs. Lance Cpl. Frederik Vazquez was killed in Afghanistan last week.

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Deployed Marine finds U.S. home for Afghan cat

By Tony Lombardo - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jul 31, 2010 12:55:44 EDT

A 9-month-old Afghan cat is living it up stateside after a Marine downrange partnered with an animal rescue group to ship it home.

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CLB-6 Marine Awarded for Valor in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – When duty calls, Cpl. Rory MacEachern fires back with precision, and for his efforts in support of International Security Assistance Force operations he was awarded for valor in a ceremony here, July 30.

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July 30, 2010

Military Wives Fear The Dreaded Knock

CBS News' Terry McCarthy on How Military Wives Cope With the Fear of Bad News

(CBS) As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif

In war, there are two fronts - one where troops face the enemy in battle. And one where their loved ones wait, and worry that they'll receive the worst kind of news.

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LAR Marine killed in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Friday Jul 30, 2010 18:47:47 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Lance Cpl. Shane R. Martin was killed during combat operations Thursday in southern Afghanistan, military officials said Friday.

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July 29, 2010

Reserve lance cpl. dies in Helmand province

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Jul 29, 2010 14:24:48 EDT

A reserve Marine died Tuesday in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department has announced.

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East Texas Marine wounded by IED, family shares story

MOUNT PLEASANT, TX (KLTV) - Marine Lance Corporal Dustin Dryden, 21, of Mount Pleasant was on his second tour in Afghanistan when he was wounded by an IED late Tuesday.

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July 27, 2010

MARSOC Marine Wins Harley Davidson

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – When Sgt. Edmund Hatch snapped a photo of an Afghanistan National Army soldier standing guard in the Morghab Valley, in the Herat Province, Afghanistan, during a patrol last Thanksgiving, he was sure he had captured an image that would at least win him an iPod in the Hesco Bastion Ltd. Photo Competition.

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July 26, 2010

First Person: Estancia grad, Marine describes life in Afghanistan

Editor's note: Lance Cpl. Christopher Robert Perkins, a 2003 graduate of Estancia High School in Costa Mesa, sent the Daily Pilot a brief account of his duties and experiences as a Marine helicopter maintenance worker currently in Afghanistan with the HMH-363 unit. Perkins says he misses the Orange County Fair and would rather be there now than in the "dirt" in Afghanistan. He joined the Marines in March 2008, and recently ran into a 2004 Estancia High graduate, Cpl. Ian Paul Morton, on base.

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July 24, 2010

A Marine Comes Home From War

Marines who fought in the battle at Marjah in Afghanistan are returning home and parents who nervously watched the war from afar are anxious to see their children. Catherine Welch of member station WHQR in Wilmington, N.C., was with one family to witness a homecoming.

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July 23, 2010

‘War Dog’ Marine awarded Silver Star

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — In the chaos and danger of battle, Marines are trained to look out for each other, take control and bring chaos to their enemy.

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Davison Marine receives PETA award for bringing pet cat home from Afghanistan

DAVISON, Michigan —Marine Cpl. Chris Berry didn’t set out to rescue animals in between countering the insurgency in Afghanistan.

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July 22, 2010

Education Makes a Comeback in Helmand Province

As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," - CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN

"I used to regard kids as pests, when we were in Iraq," says Corporal Andrew Egan of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines.

Continue reading "Education Makes a Comeback in Helmand Province" »

2 corporals die in Helmand province

Posted : Thursday Jul 22, 2010 12:37:49 EDT

Two 23-year-old Marines died this week in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

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One Homecoming

In late April the family readiness officer, Tina Morgan, began calling and e-mailing each of 48 anxious First Anglico families with news about the company’s return to Camp Pendleton. (Anglico units — the name stands for Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company — are part of the Marine Corps.) And even though a lot of private, superstitious things had been put off by many who were waiting for the good news, I elected to wait a little longer, until I was sure my Marine had both feet on friendly soil. I’d seen enough just-about-to-retire cop movies to know that having the end in sight slows the clock and multiplies the already too plentiful ways that things can go wrong before the actual, final, blessed end of the deployment.

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July 21, 2010

Twentynine Palms Marine Dies in Afghanistan

A Twentynine Palms Marine has died while in the line of combat in Afghanistan, it was announced Wednesday.

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July 20, 2010

Bomb kills Alaska Marine in Afghanistan

The body of an Alaska Marine killed in Afghanistan was returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware this morning.

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CL Marine
laid to rest

CRYSTAL LAKE – John Antonik said his son was supposed to come home next month.

Continue reading "CL Marine
laid to rest" »

Father claims son was killed by another Marine

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno - Guam Pacific Daily News via Gannett
Posted : Tuesday Jul 20, 2010 14:56:54 EDT

ROTA, Northern Mariana Islands — As the father of a Marine in a war zone, David Mundo Santos’ heart sank when he saw a pair of unexpected visitors walk up to his front door.

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July 19, 2010

2 NC-based Marine killed in southern Afghanistan

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
Department of Defense officials say two North Carolina-based Marines have been killed in Afghanistan

Continue reading "2 NC-based Marine killed in southern Afghanistan" »

July 18, 2010

Golf Company: Number Eight

"60 Minutes" Producer Henry Schuster Reflects On The Death of An American Soldier

I stared at the e-mail with disbelief. The header read "Sad News."

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July 17, 2010

Grief and gratitude at funeral for Marine Tyler Roads

At one point in high school, Tyler Allen Roads was struggling with his grades, so Larry Snelling, superintendent of the Fall River Joint Unified School District, went to have a chat with the boy he’d known for years.

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July 16, 2010

In Memory...Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads

The Rev. Ken Frazier and the U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard officiated at the graveside service for Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads Saturday, July 17, 2010, at the Burney District Cemetery on Bailey Avenue. Among the friends and family speaking before the nearly 600 in attendance were Supt. Larry Snelling of the Fall River Joint Unified School District.

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Hospitalman receives bronze star for saving Marine's life

CAMP LEJEUNE -- Hospitalman Nicholas Latham of the Third Battalion 10th Marines received a bronze star Friday at Camp Lejeune for saving the life of a Marine who was severely injured in Afghanistan in December 2009.

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Two Bronze Stars with V awarded

By Gidget Fuentes - gfuentes@militarytimes.com
Posted : Friday Jul 16, 2010 17:25:17 EDT

A platoon sergeant and a squad leader at Camp Pendleton, Calif., are each receiving the Bronze Star with “V” device for decisive actions while under fire in Afghanistan last year.

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Warrant officer gets Silver Star down range

By Gidget Fuentes - gfuentes@militarytimes.com
Posted : Friday Jul 16, 2010 17:24:55 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A Marine warrant officer received the Silver Star on July 15 during a short ceremony in Afghanistan, attended by the top Marine Corps leaders in the region, including Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commander of Regional Command-Southwest, and Brig. Gen. Charles Hudson, commander of 1st Marine Logistics Group.

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Cherry Point Marine receives Purple Heart

Huber was injured in Afghanistan

When a suicide bomber blew up his ball bearing-laden vest near the entrance to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan, the concussion from the blast knocked Lance Cpl. Jason Huber off his feet.

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July 15, 2010

When two leaders were killed in Afghanistan before their men arrived, sergeant put his life on hold

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The two bombs went off seconds apart at corners of the building. By chance, Sgt. Zachary Walters was standing in one corner, Sgt. Derek Shanfield in the other.

Continue reading "When two leaders were killed in Afghanistan before their men arrived, sergeant put his life on hold" »

Pleasant View Marine killed in Afghanistan

A Marine from Pleasant View was just a month away from coming home when he was killed in Afghanistan on July 9, his mother said Tuesday.

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Marines honored for combat heroism

Silver Star and two Bronze Star awards go to Camp Pendleton troops

Three Camp Pendleton Marines have been awarded medals for heroic actions in Afghanistan, service officials announced Thursday.

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July 14, 2010

Fallen Colorado Marine From Boulder Remembered

Ritter Orders Flags Lowered To Half-Staff Wednesday

DENVER -- Colorado state flags will be at half-staff Wednesday as the state honors a Marine from Boulder killed in Aghanistan.

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Crystal Lake Marine dies in Afghanistan

A 29-year-old decorated Marine from Crystal Lake was killed Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, according to a release from the Department of Defense.

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July 13, 2010

3 Marines die in Helmand province

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jul 13, 2010 18:42:51 EDT

Three Marines have died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Tuesday.

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Two Lejeune Marines killed in Afghanistan

Camp Lejeune, N.C. — Two Marines based at Camp Lejeune died last week in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.

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Schwarzenegger offers condolences to fallen Marine

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offered his condolences today to the family of Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads of Burney.

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July 12, 2010

Soldier Reunited With His Family After Surviving Afghan Tour

U.S. Marine Fulfills His 'World News' Wish to Hug His Sisters Upon His Arrival in U.S.

Lance Cpl. Michael Acquaviva felt like a rock star Sunday night, as he lifted his two sisters in a warm embrace.

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3 Norfolk-based Marines drown at Gitmo

Died while swimming at recreational beach July 4th

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (WAVY) - The Navy says three Norfolk-based Marines died while swimming on July 4 at one of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay's recreational beaches.

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A MARSOC Marine attributes accomplishment to leadership

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Back in 1995, at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga., a 15-year-old Erik Housman listens to Larry Hughes, his high school Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Instructor tell stories from his time spent in Vietnam from his career as a Marine Corps Master Sergeant. Tales Housman says inspired him to enlist after completing high school.

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Palm City Marine killed in Afghanistan buried in Arlington with full honors

ARLINGTON, VA. — Lance Wilson, father of Marine Justin Wilson of Palm City, still has not taken off his son's dog tags.

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Marine hero's brother makes good on his promise

Six years after Sgt. Rafael Peralta saved several lives by smothering an enemy grenade in Iraq, his brother Ricardo follows in his footsteps by becoming a Marine. 'I have big shoes to fill,' he says.

Reporting from Camp Pendleton-- At his brother's funeral nearly six years ago, Ricardo Peralta made him a promise: He would join the Marine Corps and carry on in his example.

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Family, friends recount fallen Marine's life

Family and friends of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads spent today on what would have been his 21st birthday mourning and recounting memories of his life.

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July 11, 2010

Bikers pay tribute to local fallen Marine

Almost three weeks since a Spokane Valley Marine was killed in action in Afghanistan, hundreds of motorcyclists, including retired Marines, roared outside of his childhood home to pay tribute to the young man.

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U.S. Marine from Clay: Being shot makes you grow up fast

On a perfect summer day, Kyle Francis sat in a rocking chair on his parents’ front porch in Clay and talked about the worst part of having visible war wounds: People asking him what happened.

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20-year-old Marine from Burney killed in combat

Burney residents are in mourning as word spreads of the death of 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Allen Roads of Burney, who was shot and killed Friday in an Afghanistan combat zone.

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July 10, 2010

Former DI Reunites With Legacy Recruits During Afghanistan Deployment

During the summer of 2002, Hattman and his team of dedicated drill instructors began to mold Hemenway into the Marine he is today and in the training cycles that followed, the legacy continued with Sgts. Jeremiah Rees and Jeffery Aaron.

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July 9, 2010

Family, friends honor Spokane Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan

Joshua Dumaw remembered in standing-room-only service

Joshua R. Dumaw was remembered Thursday as a man of courage, loyalty, and leadership; a man of adventure who had an endless smile for any soul who crossed his path.

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Royal, U.S. Marine Once a Marine, Twice a Marine, Always a Marine

Staff Sgt. Oliver Salder earned his place as a Marine well before he stepped on the famed yellow foot prints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Paris Island. So when recruit Salder piled off that bus in 2000 amidst terrified peers, this salty, rugby-playing Brit was probably more entertained than scared. Or maybe he was just glad it was only going to take him 13 weeks to graduate this time.

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July 8, 2010

Corps legend’s name is carried on

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO — He is tired and feeling the slight pang of hunger set in, covered in camouflage face paint and sweat, yet, Rct. Terry Hathcock, Platoon 1074, Company D, sits extremely disciplined. His back straight as a board, his eyes straight ahead.

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July 7, 2010

Honoring the fallen, remembering their sacrifice

FOB DELARAM I, Afghanistan —
Men and women of America have been honoring those who die on her battlefield since Arlington National Cemetery was built after the Civil War, but few understand that honor better than the Marines.

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July 6, 2010

Marine's Parents: 'He Died Saving A Life'

Thornton Marine Remembered By Family, Friends

THORNTON, Colo. -- The parents of a Thornton Marine killed in combat said he died while saving another Marine's life.

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July 4, 2010

Childress Reunites With Son in Afghanistan

When Brad Childress joined three of his fellow NFL head coaches. . .Carolina’s John Fox, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, and Philadelphia’s Andy Reid. . .on a USO trip to Afghanistan, he expected to meet a bunch of troops and shake a lot of hands, like he had done on previous trips.

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Marine tests limits to honor friend

50-mile run raised money for fallen Army sergeant's son

Under a red tent on the lawn of Community Bank on North Highland Avenue late Saturday morning, P.J. Kellogg was finishing a banana with an IV in his arm and his legs from his knees down planted in a cooler filled with water.

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Elementary, My Dear Marine: Operation New Dawn Patrols Lead to Cache Finds

It became the catchphrase of the day - "I might as well be God d---ed Sherlock Holmes."

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July 3, 2010

Marine Husband and Wife Reunite in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – She couldn’t stop smiling at him, even when he wasn’t looking. He was tangled up in her bubbly cheerful personality and smiled at her every time she spoke to him.

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July 2, 2010

Thornton Marine killed in Afghanistan

A 24-year-old Marine from Thornton was killed by a roadside bomb Thursday while on a combat foot patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the U.S. Marines Corps said today.

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July 1, 2010

Reserve Marine officer finds niche civil affairs

NEW ORLEANS — Second Lt. Christopher Banweg walked out of his staff platoon commander’s office in a state of shock in November 2000.

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June 30, 2010

Funeral Friday for Marine killed in Afghanistan

LANSING — Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered U.S. flags statewide lowered Friday in honor of Marine Cpl. Daane A. DeBoer, who was killed in Afghanistan.

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June 29, 2010

West View Marine dies in Afghanistan

Joe Caskey followed his grandfather, father, mother and two older brothers into the military after graduating from North Hills High School in 2004.

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Josh Dumaw was a Marine's Marine

SPOKANE -- A week since his death in Afghanistan was announced by the Pentagon members of Marine Corporal Josh Dumaw’s family have taken some time to honor their son’s memory and service.

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Marine remembered as 'modern day Spartan'

PLACENTIA – In a bright gym plastered with yellow championship banners commemorating student achievement, a somber crowd of 500 gathered Monday night to remember a different kind of El Dorado High School champion: a local Marine who gave his life in battle.

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June 28, 2010

Lima Company Memorial 'very powerful'

ZANESVILLE -- Look into Lance Cpl. Nicholas W. B. Bloem's eyes and you see trust.

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Marine with Ludington ties killed in Afghanistan

DETROIT (AP) — A Marine whose experience hiking the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail while raising money for a charity helped lead him to enlist in the military has died while fighting in Afghanistan, his father said Monday.

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3 Marines die in Afghanistan

Staff report
Posted : Monday Jun 28, 2010 20:22:07 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Two Camp Pendleton-based Marines and a Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., were killed during combat operations in separate incidents in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Defense Department officials announced Monday.

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Marine Corps still does family proud, and Everett mother shares the story

Brig. Gen. James Kessler of Mountlake Terrace has a kind message to share about U.S. Marines.

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Reserve Engineer Hopes to ‘Spark Some Innovation’ Against IED Threat

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Waiting outside a conference room in the Regional Command Southwest headquarters building, Cpl. Paul A. Spies passes the time by glancing at the wall adorned with wood-framed pictures of fallen brethren, many of whom were killed by improvised explosive device blasts. A few moments later, Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commander of RC (SW), walks into the conference room already full of unit commanders. Spies waits patiently for his name to be called.

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June 27, 2010

Newest courage-themed strip to be released July

Series illustrates medal citations in graphic-novel style

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 27, 2010 8:36:25 EDT

The newest series features Cpl. Jonathan Yale and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, who died in Ramadi, Iraq, after defending their post against a suicide bomber on April 22, 2008. They each posthumously received the Navy Cross for their actions.

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June 26, 2010

Truck makeover stuns Marine home on leave

By Abbey Brown Doyle - The (Alexandria, La.) Town Talk
Posted : Saturday Jun 26, 2010 11:12:52 EDT

BOYCE, La. — Lance Cpl. Brad Riddick pulled into his parents’ driveway at 4 a.m., home for the first time after months in Marine Corps training.

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June 25, 2010

Marine corporal from San Jose dies in Afghanistan

SAN JOSE, Calif. — SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - The aunt of a 23-year-old Marine corporal from San Jose who was killed in Afghanistan says the family worried about him and told him about the dangers of military service.

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Flags at half-staff for Yorba Linda Marine

YORBA LINDA – Flags will fly at half-staff in Yorba Linda through next week in honor of Marine Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV, who was killed in action Tuesday in Afghanistan.

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Four Twentynine Palms Marines killed this month in Afghanistan

Men died in separate incidents during June

Military officials Thursday announced the deaths of four Marines based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms who were killed this month while serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

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Cpl. Jeffrey Robert Standfest, USMC In Memory

Cpl. Jeffrey Robert Standfest was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed him to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, he possessed a tough-minded, "take charge" attitude. He had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and he was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Jeffrey always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Jeffrey was an individual who enjoyed life's challenges.

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Injured Marine determined to adjust to new prosthetic feet

An area Marine is adjusting to new prosthetic feet while working to get the pieces of his life together.

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Fallen Yorba Linda Marine wanted to return to war

YORBA LINDA – Marine Cpl. Claudio Patiño IV had been home from Afghanistan for only few weeks when he started talking about going back.

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June 24, 2010

Spokane Valley Marine killed in Afghanistan

SPOKANE VALLEY -- Friends are saying goodbye to a young local Marine killed in Afghanistan.

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Marine from Sutter a hero in Afghan war

When his U.S. Marines unit participated in an operation to take back the Afghanistan town of Marjah earlier this year from the Taliban, Sutter native Wesley Slattery thought it was the hairiest operation he'd encounter during his deployment.

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Engineer falls victim to IED, leaves heritage of honorable service

CAMP DELARAM II, HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — With our nation at war, young men and women have constantly answered the call to bear arms and protect the nation’s way of life. With every war come casualties. On June 16, Cpl. Jeffrey Standfest was counted among many of America’s fallen warriors.

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MCAS Cherry Point cpl. dies in Nimroz province

A North Carolina-based Marine died Tuesday while supporting combat operations in Nimroz province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

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June 23, 2010

Governor Orders Flags Lowered for US Marine

Flags To Be Lowered Friday For Cpl. Jeffrey R. Standfest

LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has ordered U.S. flags be lowered statewide to honor a 23-year-old Marine from St. Clair County who was killed in Afghanistan.

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Marine absorbs IED blast, walks away

SOUTHERN SHORSURAK, HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Cpl. Matt Garst should be dead.

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June 21, 2010

Eau Claire Marine injured in firefight in Afghanistan

Eau Claire (WQOW) - A U.S. Marine from Eau Claire is recovering Monday in the hospital after being wounded in a firefight Monday morning in Afghanistan.

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June 12, 2010

The Two, the Proud: Marine Siblings Attack USMC Careers, Afghanistan Together

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Just a few short months ago, Lance Cpl. Yahaira Cosme, a supply warehouseman with Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group, was making final preparations for her first deployment: a combat tour to Afghanistan.

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June 11, 2010

2 Camp Pendleton Marines Receive Bronze Star

Sgt. Joseph Giardino, Sgt. Matthew Duquette Honored

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Two Camp Pendleton Marines were honored Friday for displaying courage under fire during a recent combat mission in Afghanistan.

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June 9, 2010

Brothers Reunite in Afghanistan After Five-month Separation

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHER WALI, Afghanistan – Like many twin brothers, Lance Cpls. Aaron and Adam Voelker do everything together.

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June 8, 2010

Mother of Marine Killed in Afghanistan Speaks Out Publicly

EDINBURG - The mother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan spoke out for the first time publicly. Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez died over the weekend.

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Kosovo-born Marine Becomes US Citizen in Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – With just a few dollars in his pocket, a Kosovo native came to the United States to chase his dream of providing his family with a better life.

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June 6, 2010

A true hero born on the 4th of July

All too many of us, in the busyness of life, forget that we have people from our community fighting on two war fronts: Iraq and Afghanistan.

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June 4, 2010

'You Can't Beat the View:' Reserve Gunner Helps Resupply Forward Troops

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – It was a bit of a bumpy ride for Cpl. Thomas Hornor when he sat atop the turret of his Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle during a nearly eight-hour combat logistics patrol across the unpredictable terrain of the scorching Afghanistan desert.

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Road named for Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jun 4, 2010 8:04:53 EDT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Gainesville road will be named for a 19-year-old Marine who was killed in Afghanistan this year.

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June 3, 2010

3rd MAW (FWD) Siblings Serve Together

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Almost three years ago Lance Cpl. Jack Needham locked his sister in the garage with his recruiter –today they are both in Afghanistan supporting 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward).

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Fallen Marine felt duty to serve

He was killed in an ambush, supporting combat operations

Twenty-year-old Anthony DiLisio always wanted to find a way to give back to his community and help people.

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LB-6 Honors Purple Heart Recipients During Memorial Day Service

Five Marines from Alpha Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) were presented with Purple Heart medals in a ceremony, May 31.

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Post office to be named in honor of fallen Marine

The New Jersey State Senate unanimously passed a resolution last week to rename the post office building at 216 Westwood Ave. after Christopher Hrbek, a Marine Sergeant from Westwood who was killed in Afghanistan on Jan. 14.

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June 2, 2010

Faces of War: The Battalion Commander

A Battalion Commander is responsible for more than 800 Marines. He plans missions, joins his troops on patrol, counsels them, disciplines them and promotes them. He also has to do paperwork.

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Macomb Marine killed in Afghanistan

Macomb Township -- A 20-year-old U.S. Marine was killed while serving in Afghanistan after he volunteered for patrol despite an option to stay in his camp, his girlfriend said.

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Marjah Marine Departs U.S. As a Photographer, Leaves As 'honorary Grunt'

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHER WALI, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – When the infantry Marines of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, were first told they were getting a combat camera Marine attached to their platoon for Operation Moshtarak's push into Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, they didn't know what to expect.

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Reaching Out To Afghan Women

Every time Marine Corporal Dana Drew goes out on patrol in Khanashin, Afghanistan she is armed with her gun… and some snapshots.

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June 1, 2010

Voluntown remembers slain Marine on Memorial Day

Voluntown, Conn. —

Voluntown’s annual Memorial Day tributes took on an especially somber air Monday, less than two months after Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler Griffin joined the roll of the town’s sons who have fallen in service to the country.

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Family, friends, community mourn local Marine killed in Afghanistan

Editor's note: The transcript of an exclusive Signal interview with Pfc. Suter's father, Chris Unthank, conducted after press time Monday night, follows the story below.

Those attending Memorial Day events at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall on Monday had arrived ready to reflect on memories of fallen heroes, but few expected so recent a memory as that of young United States Marine Corps Pfc. Jake William Suter, killed in Afghanistan on Saturday morning, Afghanistan time.

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No longer training for war, but living it

Summer is fighting season in southern Afghanistan and the heat is rising for Camp Pendleton Marines who took command this spring in Helmand province. The red desert flanking the river valley has begun to bake at 110 degrees, the poppy harvest is over and Taliban militants have returned to their guns and bombs.

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May 31, 2010

Banding Together to Get Better

Banding Together to Get BetterAmputees at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Rely on Each Other For Inspiration to Push Themselves to Walk Again

(CBS) May was a cruel month. The number of servicemen and women who lost an arm or a leg since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began went over 1,000, many of them more than one. They come to the physical therapy room at Walter Reed, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.

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May 30, 2010

Menifee soldier delivers cargo, care packages

The cargo Jesse Karr carries when he pilots helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps in Afghanistan can vary.

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Marine was 1,000th Afghan war casualty

By Paul J. Weber - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 30, 2010 9:57:20 EDT

KERRVILLE, Texas — The 1,000th American service member killed in Afghanistan was born on the Fourth of July. He died several days before Americans honor fallen troops on Memorial Day.

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Female Marines bridging gender gap in Afghanistan

ABDUL GHAYAS, Afghanistan — Two young female Marines trudged along with an infantry patrol in the 102-degree heat, soaked through their camouflage uniforms under 60 pounds of gear. But only when they reached this speck of a village in the Taliban heartland on a recent afternoon did their hard work begin.

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May 29, 2010

Marine Mentors Afghan Soldiers

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan -- No driver's license, no driver's education courses, no time behind the wheel of a vehicle ever … no problem for one Marine mentor responsible for teaching Afghan National Army soldiers how to drive.

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May 28, 2010

Marine Cpl. Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez is memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery

The U.S. Marines fired three rifle volleys. A bugler played taps.

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May 27, 2010

Faces of War: Capt. Jason Ford

Captain Jason Ford is on his fourth tour of duty with the U.S. Marines, his first in Afghanistan. I met him in 2003 during the buildup to the invasion of Iraq and again on the march towards Baghdad while he was serving with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, the same unit I embedded with.

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May 25, 2010

Remembering a Marine, Step by Step

COMBAT OUTPOST LILY, Helmand Province
— For Marines who have experienced combat together, the many rituals and gestures of bidding farewell to the dead, beginning from the point of medevac and continuing beyond the fallen Marine’s journey to the grave, are observed with a devotion that is at once quiet, fiercely followed and unsummoned. The more formal rituals are matters of tradition, like memorial services in the field and the escorts who accompany a dead Marine through his or her funeral back home. Some Marines are further memorialized in the names of outposts and landing zones; thus, “Combat Outpost Hanson” and the adjacent “Landing Zone Currier,” named after two Marines from Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Sixth Marines, who were killed several hundred yards from here in fighting against the Taliban in February. Other gestures are impromptu, spontaneous and intensely personal, propelled by feelings that take hold within young infantrymen who fight through ambush after ambush together, and who find, as their tattoos often say, that they are bound by blood and then by a set of memories that will be theirs alone for the decades ahead.

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May 24, 2010

Counting the Close Calls

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MARJAH, Afghanistan – I'm not an infantryman, far from it. I'm as much of a 'pog' (meaning person other than grunt) as one can be, but with the Marine Corps being what it is, even Pog's are afforded the opportunity to see combat. While in Helmand province, Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, I've nearly been shot several times. I've wound up pinned down in a muddy canal by sniper fire and have watched stunned as a rocket-propelled grenade spiraled through the air, bounce of a doorframe and skid to a halt, ten feet away.

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May 23, 2010

In the Face of Death: Marine Survives Firefight by 6 Inches

NAWA, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – All Marines endure some risk of serious injury or even death while deployed to combat, but for Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Gray, a few inches and a punctured rifle is all that separated him from a very bad day on the battlefield.

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May 22, 2010

War's painful toll hits Marine's family

Stafford Marine killed in Afghanistan last week is buried at Quantico

Donald J. Lamar II was born on July 4, 1986. His mother, Coleen Lamar of Stafford County, remembers that his grandmother had prepared a sign just for the occasion, also the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.

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May 20, 2010

Yuma Marine honored with name on VMA-214 Harrier

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. — The Marine Attack Squadron 214 Black Sheep honored one of their plane captains by painting his name onto the squadron commander’s AV-8B Harrier, which was unveiled at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz., May 13, 2010.

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War kills a young couple's dreams

Marine Lance Cpl. Philip P. Clark and his wife, Ashton, were making big plans for his return from Afghanistan this summer.

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Moms help honor a hero

Sharon Ferguson of Spring brought a pair of weathered combat boots to Rosehill United Methodist Church in Tomball on Thursday and asked the reverend to place them next to the flag-draped casket of 21-year-old Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Johnson.

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Antelope-area Marine mourned at high school

A 27-year-old Marine from the Antelope area who died Monday in Afghanistan was remembered at his high school as a fun-loving, responsible person who will be missed.

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Marine EOD Community Honors Fallen Fathers, Husbands, Sons

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Second Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, held a memorial service at the Protestant Chapel here, May 17, to honor five of their own who made the ultimate sacrifice while supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom from February 2008 to February 2010.

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May 19, 2010

Marine Corporal Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez, from Stafford, dies in Afghanistan

He was an immigrant, the son of immigrants, who came to the United States 19 years ago, graduated from high school in Fairfax County, and, his sister said, wanted to defend his country.

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May 18, 2010

Woman Marine pins on second star

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — A woman of many firsts drew a large crowd of Marines as she celebrated her promotion to major general May 12 at The Clubs At Quantico.

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May 15, 2010

Marine Sgt. Donald J. Lamar II killed in Afghanistan; Stafford High graduate

A Fredericksburg Marine who played football and coached wrestling at Stafford High School has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department and family friends.

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Marine mourned

LUDLOW - When Frank Evangelista, owner of Frank's Diner on East Street, thinks of the late Marine Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges he remembers a smiling young man in a Santa Claus hat.

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May 14, 2010

Army Chief Presents Medals at Warrior Games

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. made a surprise visit to the inaugural Warrior Games here, May 13, capping a pivotal night in medal game play.

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Hometown hero honored

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- People are calling Corporal Tyler Southern a hometown hero.

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May 13, 2010

Another Tomball Marine killed in the Middle East

Tomball has lost yet another of its young men to the War on Terror.

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From Protecting Obama, to Protecting Fellow Marines

As part of our continuing coverage of "Afghanistan: the Road Ahead," - CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy follows the Third Battalion, First Marines at home, and abroad in Afghanistan.

Corporal Dan Rhodes (left) was sitting on the roof of the patrol base, looking out at a treeline from where the patrol base for Weapons Company had taken fire yesterday.

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Marines Earn Gold, Silver in Warrior Games Archery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – When retired Marine Corps 1st Sgt. John Fuller was asked how he thought the inaugural Warrior Games archery competition would turn out, his answer was complicated, yet simple. And it was right.

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Husband, Wife Coach Marine Shooting Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – The Marine Corps teams competing at the inaugural Warrior Games here have a wealth of coaching knowledge available to their athletes.

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May 12, 2010

Marine Cpl. Kurt Shea of Frederick, Md., killed in Afghanistan

The family of Cpl. Kurt S. Shea, a 21-year-old Marine from Frederick, had been planning a party for July 4 to celebrate the end of his tour in Afghanistan. Instead, on Tuesday, relatives were preparing to go to Dover Air Force Base to retrieve the body of Shea, who was killed Monday in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

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East Texas Marine dies day after wedding anniversary

KILGORE, TX (KLTV) - It was a sobering day on an East Texas campus and for the city of Kilgore, as a hometown Marine falls in the line of duty in Afghanistan. The Marine was killed only a day after celebrating his second wedding anniversary.

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Marine's Fast Reaction Saves Life

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - The blast hit just outside his patrol base – a small, concrete schoolhouse in northern Marjah, May 4. The impact, said Cpl. Jason Ducote, made him feel "like all the fillings had fallen out of his teeth."

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Marines Remember and Honor a Fallen Brother

COMBAT OUTPOST CAFFERETTA, Afghanistan – Marines with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, gathered aboard Combat Outpost Cafferetta, to honor their fallen brother-in-arms, May 12.

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May 11, 2010

FRO publishes book of poetry

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point — When asked what motivates her to get out of bed every morning, Gunnery Sgt. Laura Stanislaw looked down at her desert camouflage uniform through big, piercing blue eyes. Her slender fingers and well-manicured fingernails play with the pen on her desk. “I’m just happy,” she said with a shrug and a smile. The family readiness officer for Marine Aircraft Group 40 describes her job as, “the most rewarding work I’ve done in the Marine Corps.”

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May 10, 2010

MAG-26 FRO receives Military Motherhood Award

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point — Marine Aircraft Group 26’s family readiness officer has been awarded the Military Motherhood Award.

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Perry Marine lauded for attitude, spirit

Perry High School's wrestling coach knew that Lance Cpl. Joshua Davis would be a good Marine because of his drive and determination.

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S.A. Marine killed in Afghanistan

Listed on a roster as 5 feet 9 inches and just 165 pounds, Chris Rangel was a leader on the field in one of the last football seasons at West Campus High School.

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May 9, 2010

'Steady' Perry Marine killed in Afghanistan combat

A U.S. Marine from Perry has been killed in combat in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Corps officials confirmed Saturday.

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May 8, 2010

Mom: Fallen Marine 'passionate' about mission

The letter with instructions about where 1st Lt. Brandon Barrett wanted to be buried told friends back home in Indiana that — even if he didn't talk about it — he understood he might not survive his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

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Boston pauses to recall fallen Marine

Fellow townies have never forgotten Marine Lt. Michael Quinn of Charlestown - and neither has the Marine Corps.

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Marine sergeant an angel to families of the fallen

The Marine in dress greens appeared on the front porch of the East Northport home on a warm July morning.

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May 7, 2010

Boots on the ground: Craig Marine returns home, reflects on Iraq, Afghan experiences

Wacie Laabs’ tattoos — a U.S. Marine Corps emblem, a Celtic cross, the word “Honor” inked in old English — can almost be viewed as his road map to war.

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Marine returns from Afghanistan

LOWER SALFORD — Greg Meinhardt has been changed by the war in Afghanistan, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the Marine's sense of humor.

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May 6, 2010

Combat artist tells Corps’ story through artwork

BOSTON —

The phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” may mean more to some than it does to others. To combat artists, art is history in the making. A combat artist has the ability to create art from the moment it takes place.

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Family of local marine killed in Afghanistan carries on his legacy

Carpe Diem - the motto that 1st Lt. Michael Johnson lived by every single one of his 25 years.

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May 5, 2010

Iron Man

As Lance Cpl. Thomas Rivers Jr. patrolled Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province, he knew God had his back. The Marine often carried a Bible, yet even on days when he only had room for essential combat gear, Rivers felt protected by Psalm 91:1, which was tattooed on his back.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

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May 4, 2010

Food Service Specialist Cooks His Way to the Top

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The Food Service Specialist of the Year competition gauges the best of all the Food Service Specialists in the Marine Corps on their overall performance of duties. Out of the thousands of Marines in the military occupational specialty, it is a great honor to even be considered for the award. To make it to the final cut of the competition means the Marine has to be great at preparing dishes and satisfying Marine's hunger.

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May 1, 2010

Care Packages to Afghanistan Boosts Deployed Troops Morale

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marines located on large bases such as Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, have the option to visit the Marine Corps Exchange any day to purchase supplies, hygiene products and other items a Marine might want. However, Marines in outlying areas throughout Helmand province may rarely get the opportunity to obtain essential supplies and hygiene products because of scattered convoy schedules.

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Marine recalls attack, works toward future

Phillip Martinovich reupped in January to serve another four years in the Marine Corps. He was wooed by a bonus and the opportunity to serve with a non-deployable unit in Germany.

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Afghanistan on deck for ex-Spartan

On track to be strength coach in NFL, Tate instead chose Marines

"Earned. Never given."

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April 29, 2010

MWSS-274 Marines Survives Near Fatal Accident, Deploys With His Unit

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Unconscious, suffering from hypothermia and tangled in his seatbelt upside down in a ditch flooded with water, survival seemed like a far shot for one Marine from Marine Wing Support Squadron 274.

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April 26, 2010

Rain doesn’t hamper memorial run for Cherry Hill Marine

The day Jeremy Kane's friends and family laid him to rest in January was cold and snowy. On Sunday, when the weather was chilly and misty, they gathered once more to run two miles in his memory.

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Afghan airfield named for Iron Range Marine

A 2-million-square-foot airfield in southern Afghanistan has been named in honor of a Marine from the Iron Range who was killed in action in October while fighting the war on global terrorism in that country.

A 2-million-square-foot airfield in southern Afghanistan has been named in honor of a Marine from the Iron Range who was killed in action in October while fighting the war on global terrorism in that country.

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April 21, 2010

No Place to Run: HMLA-367 Marine Helps Locate, Close-with, Destroy Enemy

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan — When Marines kick in doors and begin to put rounds down range, some insurgents flee — a Huey pilot helped create a way to stop them before they slip through the cracks.

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April 20, 2010

Face of Defense: Father, Son Serve in Afghanistan

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan, April 20, 2010 – An Afghan National Army Air Corps C-27A Spartan cargo aircraft took off from Kabul International Airport to conduct an International Security Assistance Force mission transporting weapons and cargo for Afghan National Police.

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April 18, 2010

Family of fallen Scranton marine helps design addition to Nay Aug Park's Heroes Memorial

Johanna Thomas Johnson will never forget the succession of telephone calls from home she received on a cold morning earlier this year.

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April 17, 2010

Marine Joins the Fight Doing What He Loves

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- In a small town in Wisconsin called Menomonee Falls, a kid named Michael J. Weiland grew up dreaming to become a police officer.

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April 15, 2010

N.C.-based combat engineer supersedes her peers

A female Marine who hails from the South American country of Brazil is shattering all myths about what it means to be a female Marine.

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April 14, 2010

Hawaii Marine recounts Wanat: 'I wasn't going to be taken alive'

Kāne'ohe Marine recalls deadly battle of Wanat

In a now-famous battle in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, Marine Staff Sgt. Luis Repreza had a dwindling supply of rifle ammunition and one grenade — which he intended to use on himself if his position was overrun by enemy fighters.

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LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan is honored in somber memorial

SWAT Officer Robert J. Cottle was on Marine Reserve duty when he died March 24 in an explosion. He was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star in services at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

A somber procession on Tuesday morning snaked its way through downtown Los Angeles as thousands honored LAPD SWAT Officer Robert J. Cottle, who was killed March 24 in Afghanistan while on Marine Corps Reserve duty.

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April 13, 2010

Pocket-Sized Pieces of Mind: Deployed Marines Keep Reminders of Home, Luck and Faith Close to Their Hearts

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - The young Marine checked his gear for the last time just a few hours before he was to depart friendly lines. The plan was to leave under the cloak of darkness, bound for yet another remote outpost in need of resupply deep in the heart of Helmand province. Regardless of the somewhat safer guise of night, the Marine knew the enemy would be watching ... waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, as they had so many other times during his last few combat logistics patrols.

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April 12, 2010

Married to the sea: Lewes’ Parker Powell

Wharf deckhand joins Marines

Like the rest of the deckhands at Fisherman’s Wharf, Parker Powell came off the big, white-hulled fishing boats with his arms full. He carried rods in bundles; he helped lug coolers full of ice and dead croaker for out-of-state recreational anglers. With his Sunday-school smile and his yes-ma’am, no-ma’ams, one might think he was just trolling for tips.

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April 10, 2010

Marine helps save couple after hippo attack

Corporal: ‘Any Marine would have done the same thing’

Hippopotamus attacks aren’t covered during standard Marine training, but that didn’t stop one corporal from rushing to the aid of a married couple while on safari in Zimbabwe after their inflatable canoe was flipped and the husband mauled.

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April 8, 2010

Blind Marine re-enlists

After all he's been through, the only real regret Marine Cpl. Matthew Bradford says he has now is not being able to return to combat duty in Iraq.

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