‘STARTING OVER’: Maj. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander of the 1st Marine Division, speaks to troops at Forward Operating Base Delaram, Afghanistan. Tony Perry / Los Angeles TimesFrom The L.A. Times:
The 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division -- the Two-Seven -- never expected to deploy to Afghanistan, much less see heavy combat.
Reporting from Forward Operating Base Delaram, Afghanistan -- The Marines of the Two-Seven were not even supposed to deploy to Afghanistan. Their original destination was Iraq, and when they were sent here in April as a stopgap measure to help an overwhelmed NATO force, the plan had been to spend the time mentoring Afghan national police.
It didn't turn out that way.
Instead of training policemen, the lightly equipped 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division found itself engaged in firefights with insurgent units of 100 or more fighters. They faced Taliban snipers and roadside bombs.
Twenty members of the 1,000-member battalion died in combat.
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My Comment: This is what makes the Marines THE Marines.