thedrifter
10-13-08, 05:10 AM
Alaskan killed in Afghanistan
By Christopher Eshleman
Originally published Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
Updated Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 3:35 p.m.
FAIRBANKS -- A Fairbanks native died Thursday while serving with his Marines battalion in Afghanistan.
Cpl. Jason Karella, 20, was part of the 1,000-plus-troop battalion helping to train Afghan national security forces when he died Thursday in the country’s Farah province, military spokesman Lt. Curtis Williamson said.
Williamson declined to identify Karella’s death as the result of hostile fire, pointing to security concerns. But he noted that while Karella’s unit — the California-based 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division — is conducting a mission aimed primarily to train Afghan forces, the U.S. battalion is regularly in the thick of combat.
“They are right in there, hooking and jabbing and really heavily involved in the fighting in Afghanistan,” Williamson said.
Karella specialized in firing special anti-armor missiles, Williamson said.
Karella was born in Fairbanks, where much of his family lives. His battalion, the only free-standing Marine battalion currently serving in Afghanistan, was part of a task force Phoenix operating across a few of the country’s provinces at once, Williamson said.
Williamson said 15 Marines from Karella’s battalion have been killed in Afghanistan, all this year.
Ellie
By Christopher Eshleman
Originally published Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
Updated Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 3:35 p.m.
FAIRBANKS -- A Fairbanks native died Thursday while serving with his Marines battalion in Afghanistan.
Cpl. Jason Karella, 20, was part of the 1,000-plus-troop battalion helping to train Afghan national security forces when he died Thursday in the country’s Farah province, military spokesman Lt. Curtis Williamson said.
Williamson declined to identify Karella’s death as the result of hostile fire, pointing to security concerns. But he noted that while Karella’s unit — the California-based 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division — is conducting a mission aimed primarily to train Afghan forces, the U.S. battalion is regularly in the thick of combat.
“They are right in there, hooking and jabbing and really heavily involved in the fighting in Afghanistan,” Williamson said.
Karella specialized in firing special anti-armor missiles, Williamson said.
Karella was born in Fairbanks, where much of his family lives. His battalion, the only free-standing Marine battalion currently serving in Afghanistan, was part of a task force Phoenix operating across a few of the country’s provinces at once, Williamson said.
Williamson said 15 Marines from Karella’s battalion have been killed in Afghanistan, all this year.
Ellie