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* GERESHK, AFGHANISTAN
Leathernecks with Company B, 1st Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment engaged Taliban insurgents during the Fourth of July weekend in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
The infantrymen along with Afghan National Army soldiers operated within close proximity of Camp Leatherneck to continue disruption operations and prevent future attacks on Camps Bastion and Leatherneck, July 4-6.
"Our job was to investigate some compounds of interest in order to deny the insurgents the ability to consolidate in certain areas where they could potentially plan attacks," said First Lieutenant Robert Kay, a platoon commander with "Bravo" Co.
The Bravo Co Marines inserted into Gereshk via CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters in the predawn hours of July 4. They began to patrol across freshly tilled fields while monitoring the surrounding area with night vision goggles mounted on their Kevlar helmets.
By sunrise, the Marines were investigating suspicious areas and questioning local Afghans when the infantrymen came under enemy fire.
Insurgents engaged the Marines from three different positions with machine guns, AK47s and a precision-grade rifle. The Marines returned fire and began to maneuver on the enemy fighters. Gun crews with M240B medium machine guns laid down suppressing fire as Marines sprinted across an open field to a better firing position.
Audible cracks, pops and explosions of gunfire and high-explosive munitions resounded across the surrounding village indicating the Marines had gained fire superiority. Riflemen withM16A4 service rifles, M4A1 carbines and M27 Infantry Automatic...