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AGHA AHMAD, Afghanistan (8/31/2012) – The snaps and cracks of
accurate small-arms fire break the silence of the day.
As
rounds impact their rooftop, a team of scout snipers and other
Marines keep calm and work to sight in on their enemies.
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Marines with Scout Sniper Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion,
1st Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6 and their attachments sight in
on enemies from a rooftop moments after getting shot at in Agha
Ahmad, Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2012. The Marines with Scout Sniper
Platoon and their attachments stood in an over watch position to
provide surveillance and gather intelligence on the enemy as part
during Operation Helmand Viper. Photo by USMC Cpl. Ed Galo
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Marines with Scout Sniper Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st
Battalion, 1st Marines provided over watch as other Marines
with Alpha Co. executed Operation Helmand Viper to disrupt
insurgent activity in Agha Ahmad, Afghanistan, August 29,
2012.
As part of Operation Helmand Viper, the Marines
with Alpha Co. interrupted enemy supply lines in the local
area.
“I took my team out, and we provided
surveillance of the battlefield for intelligence gathering,”
said Cpl. Eric Mabry, scout sniper team leader, Alpha Co.
The Marines inserted via MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53E
Super Stallions in the dark of the night to minimize enemy
detection. Once they landed, they quickly cleared their way
through compounds and found one suitable to operate from.
“The insert went well,” said Mabry of San Antonio. “But
the original compound we planned on (using), we couldn't
really see much from there, so then we moved and we had
pretty good eyes on from new our compound. We had good
fields of view, good fields of fire.”
Not long after
the team of snipers was in place, they took fire from the
enemy. The attacks continued throughout most of the day.
“As the day progressed, we started taking some pretty
accurate small arms fire, little bit of machine gun fire,
some IDF,” he added. “From there we just attempted to locate
the enemy and reduce the targets.”
The Marines kept
vigilant, and despite limited cover on the rooftop, they
searched the area from where they were taking fire. They saw
a man off in the distance that seemed to be directing the
enemy shooters.
“There he is! It's a spotter,”
shouted one of the Marines on the rooftop as he oriented
everyone to the spotter's location. The alleged spotter
would look off into the distance towards the Marines'
location and then hide just before the Marines would get
shot at.
They continued to observe the suspected
spotter until they were absolutely sure that he was helping
the enemy. Once they confirmed his actions, the Marines
called to their higher command and requested permission to
shoot the spotter.
Two shots, fired simultaneously
from high powered rifles, eliminated the threat.
However, the shots still continued and were becoming more
accurate. The small arms and machine gun fire sounded like
it was barely inches over their heads.
They decided
to fire an FGM-148 Javelin missile at the wall where some of
the fire was coming from.
“The way we usually do it,”
said Cpl. Joshua Taylor, javelin team leader. “Snipers
locate the target, I get locked on the target and my
A-Gunner will prepare the missile for launch. I'll get to my
firing position.... and pull the trigger.
“I was just
trying to keep steady and trying to do my job and make sure
I do my part,” continued Taylor. “The Javelin was definitely
effective.”
The missile hit its intended target, and
the desert fell silent once more.
By USMC Cpl. Ed Galo
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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