Battle of Sangin (2010)

Battle for Sangin (2010-2011) Part of War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Marines from 3/5 India Company in Sangin in October 2010. Date July 2010 - May 2014 Location Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan Belligerents ISAF/ NATO Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Taliban Units involved United States Marine Corps 3rd Battalion 7th Marines 3rd Battalion 5th Marines 2nd Battalion 9th Marines 2nd Battalion 8th Marines 3rd Battalion 25th Marines 1st Battalion 5th Marines 3rd Battalion 4th Marines 1st battalion 6th marines 1st Battalion 7th Marines 2nd Battalion 7th Marines 1st Recon Battalion 2nd Recon Battalion 3rd Recon Battalion 1st Battalion 23rd Marines 7th Engineer Support Battalion 1st Combat Engineer Battalion 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion

Helmand Province Lejay Eagle Fury Lashkar Gah Mountain Thrust 1st Sangin Mountain Fury Now Zad Achilles Musa Qala I Volcano Kryptonite Silver Pickaxe-Handle Hammer Nasrat Musa Qala II Garmsir Eagle's Summit Red Dagger Shahi Tandar Diesel Mar Lewe Panther's Claw Nad Strike of the Sword Dahaneh Cobra's Anger Moshtarak Tor Shezada 2nd Sangin Camp Bastion

The Battle for Sangin was an extended campaign reaching as far back as the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan with the British responsible for the area for almost a decade. While Third Battalion Seven Marine Regiment is accredited for being the first US Marines on the ground and Third Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment for completing the clearing of Sangin, there had been Marines of Second Battalion Seventh Marine Regiment and US Special Forces in Sangin supporting the British in 2008. Sangin is considered the bloodiest battleground of Afghanistan by both US and British alike. With both nations suffering the loss of over 100 killed in action, and several hundred moderate to severe casualties. one of the United States Marine Corps bloodiest battles to date.

US Marine Battle History

In September 2010, Liam Fox, the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Defense, announced that northern Helmand would be transferred to the U. S. Marines.^[1] The British troops withdrew on September 20, 2010 to be replaced by Third Battalion Seventh Marine Regiment or more commonly known as, "3/7." 3/7's Marine combat units had begun conducting turnover with the British in July, 2010. 3/7 aggressively pursued Taliban in and around Sangin in 2010 clearing the majority of the District Center and pushing the Taliban out and away from heavily populated areas. It was noted by a Marine Corps Major General at the time that 3/7 faced the heaviest fighting of any Marine Corps unit since Fallujah. However, due to the skill and determination of the 3/7 Marines and Sailors, they were able to keep a relatively low casualty rate, while inflicting heavy casualties estimated at over 700 killed and hundreds more wounded to the Taliban in just 3 months. 3/7 continued to clear and hold Sangin until they were replaced by 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment in early October 2010. Members of 3/5 conducted aggressive clearing operations in the Sangin District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) between September 2010 and April 2011. Attached to 3/5 was Kilo company of the Third Battalion Twenty-Fifth Marine Regiment (3/25,) Lima Companyalong with Echo company Second Battalion Ninth Marines (2/9,) and Naval Corpsman from Regimental Combat Team 2 (RCT2.) These units came to the aid of 3/5 due to the number of casualties sustained during the immediate months in their deployment in Sangin, thus allowing the unit to more effectively clear through Sangin. They were actively in Sangin from December 2010 until February 2011 at which point the unit was handed over to their counterparts from First Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment which began the second phase into the holding phase of Sangin. Sangin was a region that was primarily shaped, cleared, held, and built (in tactical terms) by the units: (in no specific order) 3/7 (3 deployments to Sangin), 3/5, 3/25, 2/8, 2/9, 1/5, 1/7, 2/7, 1st Tanks, 1st/2nd/3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 7th ESB, 1st CEB, 3rd CEB and members of MARSOC/USASOC/NAVSOC (SOTF).

Casualties

2010/08/13- Ssgt. Michael A. Bock, USMC 3rd CEB, H&S Co. ABV PLT. Killed in action by the Sangin Sniper. 20100928 - Lance Cpl. Ralph J. Fabbri - USMC 1stMarDiv, HQBN, H&S, Combat Camera. Was an attachment to 3/7. (KIA Small Arms Fire) 5/22/2010 - Cpl Kevin A Cueto, USMC 3/7 10/23/2011 - LCpl Jordan Bastean, USMC 3/7 (KIA Small arms fire). 10/24/2011 - LCpl Jason Barfield, USMC 3/7 (KIA IED). 11/5/2011 - LCpl Nickolas Daniels, USMC 3/7 (KIA Sniper) 11/18/2011 - LCpl Joshua Corral, USMC 3/7 (KIA IED). 11/21/2011 - Cpl Zachary Reiff, USMC 3/7 (KIA IED). 1/21/2012 - Cpl Christopher Singer, USMC 3/7 (KIA). 3/27/2012 - SSgt Joseph D'Augustine, USMC 3/7 EOD (KIA IED).

See also

• Siege of Sangin

References

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