Officially stories began running on June 14 that the 2/7 was hit by a roadside bomb and 4 were kia - 1 wia. The DOD has NOT issued statements as of yet.Nancy's son is assigned to the 2/7...and although he is TDY to Iraq it still hurts.
Unofficially one of the KIA has been identified by the Marine's father as Sgt. Michael T. Washington. Sgt Washington's father - Master Sergeant Michael Washington Sr. is quoted in the Seattle Times:
Master Sgt. Michael Washington Sr. was driving to California with his teenage son, Michael, shortly after returning from Afghanistan in 2003.
As they listened, a reporter on National Public Radio was extolling the virtues of the Marines the reporter had traveled with in Iraq.
"I looked at my son and realized that was what he was going to do," said the senior Washington, a Seattle firefighter.
His son, Sgt. Michael T. Washington, 20, died Saturday when a roadside bomb exploded in the Farah province area of Afghanistan.
A graduate of Stadium High School and a longtime soccer player, Sgt. Washington joined the Marines when he was 17. He served last year in Iraq and received commendations for bravery, providing fire to get other Marines out of a combat zone. He was deployed to Afghanistan in April.
He served in Golf Company, 2nd Batallion, 7th Marine Regiment, based in Twentynine Palms, Calif. His deployment was to have ended in October.
The senior Michael Washington said his son told him he wanted to join the Marines to help those who couldn't help themselves. "He said, 'Dad, I want to defend people who can't defend themselves. It takes people to stand up and do this,' " he said.
Sgt. Washington's selfless service epitomizes the true character of the US Military and the USMC. Godspeed Sgt. Washington, Godspeed.
UPDATE:
All four KIA have been identified as members of 3rd Platoon, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.
Killed in Action on Saturday, June 14, 2008 were:
Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20, of Tacoma, Wash.;
Lance Cpl. Bradly Crass, 22, of Richmond, Ind.;
Pfc Dawid Pietrek, 24, of Bensenville, Ill.;
Pfc. Michael Robert Patton, 19, of Fenton, Mo.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and their comrades still engaged in Afghanistan.
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