The Story of the 3/5 Darkhorse Marine Battalion Sangin, Afghanistan October 2010-April 2011

246 Pages·2012·7.41 MB·English

The Story of the

3/5 Darkhorse Marine Battalion

Sangin, Afghanistan

October 2010-April 2011
To Hell and Back
The Story of the 3/5 Darkhorse
Marine Battalion
in Sangin, Afghanistan
October 2010-April 2011

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Dedication

Since the beginning of time, warriors have marched off to war leaving families behind. Warriors do a
dreadful and necessary job for their cultures and countries. Warriors are a class all their own. Warriors
experience things mere mortals cannot even imagine. I regularly tell people Marines do superhuman
things every day and consider it normal.
As the 3/5 marched off to Sangin, Afghanistan to do what our country asked, the families were left
behind. But unlike the days of ancient Greece or Old Testament times when a runner would come back
to give news of the war, we could sit at our computers and get news of what was happening. We
realized it was only a shadow of what our warriors experienced.
This is what the war in Sangin, Afghanistan looked like to families. This is how we experienced it:
news articles, letters, emails, Marine parent message boards, and facebook.
What the members of the 3/5 Darkhorse Marine battalion did for our country was significant. In the
future, when your children ask, here is the answer. The war in all its glory, gore, sadness, drama, valor,
and trauma, as the families experienced it.
Thank you seems so insignificant and inadequate. We have what we have in our country today because
men like you were willing to answer the warrior call when our country asked.
Love,
Mom

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

February 1, 2012

To the Families and Friends of The Boys of 3/5:

The Facebook Page of The Boys of 3/5 was started after the death of Lance Corporal Victor
Anthony Dew. It became a passion for Mark "Coach" Soto after he and his wife, Theresa,
reached out to us in the first beginning hours after the Marines came to our door that dreaded
afternoon of October 13, 2010 to notify us of the death of our eldest child. Mark stayed by our
side as we found out in those first few days that his eldest son, Corporal Josh Soto, was also
with 3/5, and that not only did we live in the same town but both boys graduated from the
same high school. It wasn't until weeks or even months later that we found out that his son was
on the scene and was the one that cut Victor loose from his safety harness inside the destroyed
MATV. Our families are forever bonded by the events of that one moment.

It is also the events of that one moment that we all have our Facebook Family of The Boys of
3/5. It is through each one of you that has supported me and my family as we travel down the
new road we have in front of us that we have been able to keep moving. It is through each one
of you that has supported each other, encouraged each other and been there for each other
through the nerves, the smiles, the tears and the numerous words of encouragement that we
see every day since The Boys page came to life.

Our family, the family of The Boys of 3/5, is a family like no other. We have not all met each
other and that day will probably never happen, and yet, we are still growing, still adding more
family members every day. So I want to take this moment to say, Thank You. Thank you for
making The Boys of 3/5 what it is today, a place where we all can go and be with family.

It is also through this family that a 3/5 mom has created this chronological order of the events
of our Dark Horse men while they were deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom 10.2 in
Sangin, Afghanistan. It is with much appreciation and heartfelt thanks that we give to this mom
for sharing her labor of love with the rest of her family.

With love and respect,
Semper Fi

"Mom" Patty Schumacher
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
February 1, 2012
Dear Family,
As a father who has two sons and son-in-law serving in our United States military it is my honor
to present you with this factual and historical gift. Words cannot express the appreciation we
have for the 3/5 mother that spent hours of her time chronologically designing this book.
THANK YOU!
From the time my two Marine sons deployed to Afghanistan I will never forget the day we said,
“See you later.”
We had two boys deploy at the same time. This was the second time my wife and I had
experienced this type of family stress in less than 4 years. One Marine boy (my Gunny son-in-
law) was heading to Camp Leatherneck. He works on avionic electronics. My other boy (my
0311, Cpl. middle son and blood) was heading to Sangin.
I remember the going away party we threw them at their home in the Lincoln Housing Center
near Camp San Mateo, Camp Pendleton. It was a beautiful, hot, Southern California summer
day and the Marines were ready. They had trained hard, prepared for their deployment, were
cocky and feisty. They were ready to go kick-ass! Myself as a high school football coach, “I
loved it!” They were ready and I knew they would win. I saw it in their eyes and felt from their
hearts.
Soon after their departure we realized we would be in for a long haul.
Shortly after their arrival one boy was sadly killed (Sparks), then all hell broke loose. The next
week we lost nine, “What was happening?”
One of the nine Marines who were killed during this one week time was Pfc. Victor Dew. I
coached him football in high school years earlier. He was from my hometown and I knew him.
He lived right up the street and was deployed in Sangin with my son. Later I found out my son
was one of the 3/5 Marines who assisted other Marines to help pull Victor Dew out of the
wreckage where three others passed. It was a terrible time. Later Tom and Patty Schumacher
would ask me to eulogize their boy, Victor. It was an honor and I will never forget this. Our
families were forever bonded.
As a father, and mother we just wanted intelligence. Daily, we would scour the internet looking
for daily reports but it was never enough. So one day, while sitting in my home office I had this
idea. Why don’t I start a Facebook page where all of us families can support and help each
other, a place where we could talk, communicate, pray and share information? Now, these type
of military support pages seemingly exist everywhere. WE LOVE IT!
On the day I was opening the page, I remember listening to a country radio station and I heard
a song by Kenney Chesney called, “The Boys of Fall.” I looked over at my wife and said, “That’s
it!” I am going to start a Facebook page and call it ‘The Boys of 3/5.’” The rest is history! Our
logo emblazes the cover of this book. And the page grows steadily even to this day. The goal of
the page is to support, bring love, bring humor, and show America that the boys deserve our
everyday love and respect. They earned it!
We also use the page to support all the old-timers, the classics. The Vietnam vets who were
treated horribly upon their return. THIS PAGE SHOUTS THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MILITARY!
I cannot say enough about the caring families and friends we have met through this page. They
are truly some of the most beautiful families in the world. They care, they love, and they
support and pray! You can’t beat that - IT’S AMERICA!!
Please let me take this time to express my sincere heartfelt thanks to the Gold Star families who
are represented in this book. WE LOVE YOU AND PROMISE TO NEVER FORGET!!
For the wounded of 3/5, “Thank you for your inspiration and how much you have given for our
freedom. I know you hate to hear this, “BUT YOU ARE HEROES AND WHAT AMERICA IS ALL
ABOUT!”
For the ones who remain and fight – Semper Fidelis and RAH! America supports you.
God bless each and every one of you.
Always remember that we are family and family sticks together!
Your good friend,
Mark “Coach” Soto
[email protected]
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Table of Contents
9/20/2010 The UK Guardian “British Troops Withdraw from Sangin”
10/1/2010 letter from LTCol. Morris
10/13/2010LtCol. Morris letter –assuming authority
10/16/10 DVIDS “Large IED storage and faciliation facility destroyed in Helmand”
10/18-2010 Marine Corps Times “Unit in Sangin Loses 9 Marines in 4 Days”
10/18/10 Oregon Live.com “Dallas Marine, killed in Afghanistan, had strong sense of self” (Tawney)
10/18/2010 LtCol. Morris letter
10/20/10 Battle Rattle “Sangin insurgents target Marines on foot with IED’s too”
10/25/2010 LtCol. Morris letter
10/26/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Camp Pendleton Marines See Heavy Combat in Sangin”
10/30/2010 DVIDS “News: 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment Memorializes Fallen Marines”
10/2010 October Battalion Newsletter Morris and Chaplain
11/3/10 Washington Post “Helmand Governor: US improving security in Sangin”
11/7/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Two Camp Pendleton Marines Killed in Afghanistan”
11/12/2010 The Arizona Republic “Arizona Marine Dies in Combat in Afghanistan”
11/15/2010 Denverpost.com “Arvada Marine Brandon Pearson, 21, Killed in Afghanistan”
11/9/10 Associated Press “US marines take on Afghan valley that bled Britts”
11/8/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Sangin Losses Mount for Camp Pendleton Battalion”
11/10/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Fighting Gets Intense in Key Afghan Town”
11/11/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Camp Pendleton Force Loses Sixth Marine in a Week”
11/11/2010 Honor and Sacrifice – LtGen. John F. Kelly Veteran’s Day Speech
11/24/2010 The Best Defense “Sangin, the Fallujah of Afghanistan and what it means to your Marines”
11/17/2010 Associated Press “US wants tribesmen to fight Taliban in Afghanistan”
12/2/2010 Associated Press “In Afghan caldron, realism can trump the rulebook”
12/4/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Camp Pendleton’s 3/5 Battalion Loses 17th Marine in Two Months”
12/6/10 Factstoknow.co.uk “American Marines pay heavy price in fight in Sangin”
12/6/10 AFP “US commander inherits tough fight for Taliban state”
12/7/10 Marine Corps Times “Aggressive winter campaign in Helmand”
12/8/2010 SignOnSanDiego “Pendleton’s 3/5 Battalion Mourns Loss of Two Marines”
12/10/10 SignOn San Diego “Camp Pendleton Marines beat back insurgents”
12/11/2010 The New York Times “Violence Flares Anew in Southern Afghanistan”
12/12/2010 The Orange County Register “Camp Pendleton Marines Destroy More Than 50 IEDs in Afghanistan”
12/12/10 SignOn San Diego “Survival Struggle in Sangin”
12/15/10 The Telegraph.com “Wounded Bethalto Marine recovering in USA”
12/25/2010 Letter to Families from LtCol Morris
12/29/2010 KSDK “Fallen Marine’s Family Plans to Help Others”
12/30/10 Courierpress.com “Injured Marine Corporal Christopher Montgomery”
1/1/2011 North County Times “Military: Bell Tolls Frequently for Local Marines in Afghanistan”
1/3/2011 The Telegraph.com “Extremist Group Plans Appearance for Bethalto Funeral”
1/3/11 TheTelegraph.com “New: Crowd turns out as Marine’s body comes home.”
1/3/2011 www.marines.mil Memorial service for Wyatt, Corzine, Rusk
1/3/2011 Marine Corps News “Deal Reached with Tribe in Taliban Area”
1/5/11 Washington Post “Hope for peace arises in one Afghan district”
1/6/2011 The Telegraph.com “Protesters’ voice gets lost in community chorus”
1/6/2011 The Telegraph.com “Funeral, procession emotional affairs”
1/6/2011 SignOnSanDiego “US sends 1400 more Marines to Afghanistan”
1/15/2011 The Missoulian “Modern warfare’s lifesaving techniques give Ronan’s Tomy Parker a fighting chance”
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1/16/2011 The Missoulian “Survival skills” Ronan’s Lance Cpl. Thomas Parker recovering war wounds with
familiar humor, spirit”
1/17/2011 New York Times “In Afghanistan, Insurgents Let Bombs Do Fighting”
1/20/2011 BBC News UK “Sangin, US Marines take fight to Afghan Taliban”
1/2011 January Battalion Newsletter/Morris letter
1/10/2011 Associated Press “Patraeus says Taliban weaker in Afghan south”
1/22/2011 LA Times.com “Marines pay a price trying to secure Afghan hot spot”
1/24/2011 Lehigh Marine’s body headed for home (Amore)
1/24/2011 Battle Rattle “Nearly 40 Marines killed in Sangin since September”
1/28/2011 North County Times “Military: Psychiatrist says bloodied Camp Pendleton unit remains strong”
1/31/11 BBC News “US Marines revisit Bomb Alley”
2/2/2011 “Family of fallen Marine Colton Rusk to receive his bomb dog”
2/9/2011 “Patraeus warns of a bloody spring”
2/12/2011 ”Injured Marine Returns Home” (Grosky)
2/15/2011 NBC San Diego “On Patrol with Pendleton Marines in Sangin”
2/19/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Afghanistan war diary: The Journey In”
2/21/2011 SignOnSanDiego Afghanistan war diary: Arrival in Sangin”
2/26/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Afghanistan war diary: The 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment rides through history”
2/26/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Pendleton Marines maintain uneasy calm in battle-scarred Afghan town”
2/26/2011 North Coast Times “Military: Marine from bloodied Camp Pendleton unit faces new fight”
3/1/2011 Associated Press “Tribal peace deal in Afghanistan on shaky ground”
3/2/2011 The Washington Post “LtGen. John Kelly, who lost son to war, says US largely unaware of sacrifice”
3/4/2011 Associated Press “Marines await Taliban move in deadly valley”
3/4/2011 NPR “Wounded Vets Take to Skiing”
3/5/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Pendleton Marines root out Taliban ‘murder holes’”
3/6/2011 Omaha World Press “Marine’s dad reads between the lines”
3/6/2011 Omaha World Press “Marine from same town has close brush with bomb”
3/8/2011 The Washington Post “Gates sees progress in hard-hit Marine unit in Afghanistan”
3/8/2011 American Forces Press Service “Gates Visits Marines in Eastern Afghanistan”
3/8/2011 Los Angeles Times “In Afghanistan, Defense secretary praises Camp Pendleton Marines for combat success”
3/8/2011 Omaha World Herald “End of winter, return of insurgents”
3/9/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Local Marines help Afghan governor do his job”
3/9/2011 Reuters “US seeks surge success from lethal Afghan outpost”
3/9/2011 Los Angeles Times “Taliban fighters moving back into former Afghanistan stronghold”
3/17/2011 Time “Why Afghanistan Is Far from Hopeless”
3/21/2011 National Review Online, Bing West, “With the Warriors”
3/23/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Afghanistan war diary: the girls of Sangin”
3/24/2011 North Coast Times “Military: Marine unit that suffered most casualties coming home”
3/25/2011 NBC San Diego “Camp Pendleton’s 3/5 to Return Home”
3/26/2011 “Marine commander; Aghan border to be secured”
3/26/2011 LANow “Marines from Camp Pendleton relinquish command of key Afghan territory”
3/29/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Marines make friends while dodging bombs in Sangin”
3/29/2011 “Local Marines Expect Counteroffensive in Helmand Province”
4/9/2011 SignOnSanDiego “Marine esprit de corps, after war wounds”
4/11/2011 LANow “Marines from the Dark Horse battalion return to Camp Pendleton”
4/11/2011 finally safe email
4/17/2011 Omaha World Herald “Everything but the kitchen sink in mail”
4/17/2011 Omaha World Herald “Marines walk the same path”
4/20/2011 North Coast Times “Military: Wounded platoon leader greets men who saved his life after
Afghanistan blast”
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