10 Marines from Same Unit Killed in Afghanistan

Photo Courtesy - Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt/ISAF(WASHINGTON) -- Ten newly-deployed Marines from the same battalion recently lost their lives in a series of attacks spread across several days in Afghanistan.

The Marines were attacked in an area called Sangin, a very violent region in Helmand province, after taking over from the British.  Some soldiers were killed by small arms fire while on patrol.  Others were killed by improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, including four Marines that were killed together in the same attack.

The soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines out of Camp Pendleton in California, had just been deployed to Afghanistan at the end of September for their first tour of duty in the country.  The oldest member of the unit was 26 years old, while the youngest was 19.

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