Monday, July 06, 2009
Marine in Nawa district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, with heavy pack, July 4, 2009 (AP Photo-David Guttenfelder)
Americans sweating beside the barbeque on the Fourth of July had nothing on U.S. Marines humping their way through southern Afghanistan on the nation’s birthday. As if carrying field packs weighing between 50-120 pounds on a three-day march wasn’t bad enough, the Marines had to endure temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. The 4,000 Marines were moving through southern Helmand to take back territory held by the Taliban and to cut off their supply lines.
The extreme conditions resulted in many Marines suffering heat stroke. Several passed out or suffered dry heaves. “When (body) temperature goes up past 104, your brain starts cooking, and that’s what we’re trying to prevent,” said Simon Trujillo, a Navy medic accompanying the Marines.
One Marine, Lance Corporal Bryan Knight of Cincinnati, who weighs only 145 pounds, carried a load that almost equaled his weight. His load included four mortar rockets weighing 10 pounds each, a 15-pound mortar base plate, 15 pounds of water, and ammunition, a weapon and a flak jacket totaling 50 pounds. Remarking on the amount he was sweating, Knight told the Associated Press, “The only dry parts of my clothes are the pockets.”
At one point during the long march the Marines were met by a helicopter carrying bottles of water. But because the grunts could only carry some of the water, hundreds of bottles were left behind for Afghan villagers to drink.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Marines March in Grueling Afghan Sun for July 4 (by Jason Straziuso, Associated Press)
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