Tonight, we remember two more with MarSOC (Marine Corps Special Forces Operation Command), who were killed by their Afghan trainee in a "green on blue" attack. The Afghan police trainee had just been issued his AK-47, when he turned and fired it on the crowd, killing a sailor and marine.
This is the 8th MARSOC killed in one week's time in three different attacks. Since the start of 2012, there have been 39 such green on blue incidents, 10 so far in August. Since 2001, there have been 2103 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since January 1, 2012 there have been 239 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
DoD announces Army and Marine Casualties
They died Aug. 17 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. They were assigned to 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Gregory T. Copes, 36, of Lynch Station, Va., and
Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class Darrel L. Enos, 36, of Colorado Springs, Colo.
This incident is under investigation.
Staff Sgt. Gregory Copes was due home September 3 after serving with the Marines for 8 years; instead, the community of Alta Vista came out in full force to greet his body on his final return home . The Firefighters gave Cope a water cannon salute. Students and citizens lined the streets to show their respects to a beloved member of their community and a true patriot to our nation.
Copes graduated high school from Hargraves Military Academy, then went on to college and graduated with a business degree from Central Virginia College in 1999.
When the attacks of 9-11 happened, he joined the Marines. His sister in law, Elizabeth Copes, told the WPCVA.com:
“He was always the type if he found something he loved, he gave it his all. He was very dedicated,” Elizabeth Copes said. She said her brother-in-law loved being a Marine.
A fundraiser has been set up for Copes widow and four children ages 6 months to 6 years. If you would like to give, please go this
WSLS page.
Source:
WPCVA.com
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Darrel Enos served 16 years in the Navy, first enlisting in 1995. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan on three deployments. He was with MARSOC (Marine Corps Special Forces Operations Command) since 2007.
Enos was due home in a matter of days. The
Denver CBS local spoke with his mother, Patricia Loren:
“Darrel was very proud to be serving his country always, always, but it’s such a needless loss,” Loren said.
“He was a good doc,” Dale Enos said of his brother. “He saved a lot of lives when he was over there. … I’m going to miss him. I already do.” - Gazette.com
He bucked family tradition and joined the Navy — for what seemed like no other reason than “everybody else was in the Army,” Dale Enos said. Dale, two older brothers and the boys’ grandfather all became soldiers. Darrel Enos found a calling serving as a medic for Marines, his brother said.
Dale recalled his brother as a little boy bringing home a bag of baby rattlesnakes to show his mother. He said "she was not amused".
Years later, as an adult, married and living in North Carolina with kids, the family has a pet snake named "Snickers".
Dale closed with the
Colorado Springs Gazette with his thoughts on the "green on blue" attacks:
“It’s not different either way; I lost my brother still,” Dale Enos said. “It angers me more to know that with the insider thing. They’re trying to help these people.”
Enos is survived by his wife and four children plus two step children.
Sources:
abc local,
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, TheFatLadySings, Ekaterina, and me, Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.