page_title: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines
section_title: Regional Command East (2004–2005)
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines / War in Afghanistan (2004–2005, 2010–2012) / Regional Command East (2004–2005)
caption_attribution_description: English: Original Caption: METHAR LAM, Afghanistan (April 6, 2005) – Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alonzo Gonzales with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walks through an alley looking for signs of sickness or disease during an operation to capture suspected Anti-Coalition Forces in the vicinity of Methar Lam, Afghanistan recently. The 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines is conducting security and stabilization operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. James L. Yarboro. فارسی: مهترلام افغانستان، ۶ آوریل ۲۰۰۵ – آلونزو گونزالس به همراه گروهان کیلو گردان سوم هنگ سوم تفنگداران دریایی، در حال حرکت در کوچه‌ای برای یافتن علائم بیماری حین عملیاتی برای دستگیری نیروهای مشکوک ضد ائتلاف در نزدیکی مهترلام افغانستان. گردان سوم هنگ سوم تفنگداران دریایی در حال برقراری امنیت و پایداری منطقه در پشتیبانی از عملیات آزادی بلندمدت است. تصویر از سرجوخه جیمز ال. یاربورو.
context_page_description: 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, abbreviated as, is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kāne'ohe, Hawai'i. Known as either "Trinity" or "America's Battalion", the unit falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division. The unit consists of approximately 1124 U.S. Marines and United States Navy sailors.
context_section_description: In late 2004, 3rd Battalion was notified it would be participating in Operation Enduring Freedom. On 31 October, the first Marines left Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii for an eight-month deployment to eastern Afghanistan. While serving in Afghanistan, 3rd Battalion conducted Operation Spurs in February 2005, where they were inserted into the Korangal valley and conducted both counterinsurgency and humanitarian operations. In March, 3rd Battalion launched a similar sweep called Operation Mavericks. During their time in Afghanistan, the Marines from 3rd Battalion engaged the Taliban in 22 firefights. In one of them the battalion suffered its only fatalities for the deployment when LCPL Nicholas Kirven and Corporal Richard Schoener were killed during a three-hour firefight in Alishang which also resulted in twenty-three Taliban killed. During the fighting, Lieutenant Stephen Boada was awarded the Silver Star for calmly directing bombing runs on Taliban positions, despite having been wounded several times. In May the battalion launched one final operation, Operation Celtics, in the Tora Bora region. The operation was for the most part uneventful, although NBC news journalist Ron Allen was almost killed while traveling with Kilo Company when his Humvee ran over an IED.
caption: A Corpsman with Kilo Company in Afghanistan, 2005.
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