Posted on: Thursday, February 3, 2005
Marines in Iraq salute 31 fallen
| • | Troops back from Afghanistan |
| • | Memorial photo gallery |
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| A U.S. Marine was overcome with emotion yesterday at a memorial for 31 helicopter crash victims at Camp Korean Village in western Iraq.
Anja Niedringhaus • Associated Press |
By Anja Niedringhaus
Associated Press
CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq — U.S. Marines held a memorial yesterday for 31 service members killed in the crash of a transport helicopter during a swirling sandstorm in Iraq's vast western desert — the U.S. military's single biggest loss of life here since the March 2003 invasion.
Filing past their fallen comrades' combat boots, rifles and helmets, Marines took turns kneeling at the display. One wept, burying his face into one of his hands. Others hugged.
One Marine played taps on a bright gold trumpet as hundreds of others stood in stiff salutes and two helicopter gunships flew across a bright blue sky.
The CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopter crashed shortly after midnight on Jan. 26 during a fierce sandstorm near the Syrian border, killing 30 Marines and one Navy sailor.
The hulking aircraft was transporting Marines to this base near the Iraqi town of Rutbah for security operations in preparation of last weekend's elections. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but officials have said it does not appear the helicopter was brought down by hostile fire.
Most of the victims of the crash — 26 Marines — were from Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in Kane'ohe. The sailor was from Pearl Harbor. All had arrived in Iraq in September to support the U.S. military's siege on the former insurgent-base of Fallujah in November.
