Accessibility links
'Darkhorse' Battalion And The Afghan War Nearly 1,000 U.S. Marine officers and enlisted men deployed to restive Helmand province in southern Afghanistan in September 2010. By the time their tour ended seven months later, the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment — known as "Darkhorse" — suffered the highest casualty rate of any Marine unit during the past decade of war. NPR tells the story of the 3/5 — both in Afghanistan and back home.
Special Series

'Darkhorse' Battalion And The Afghan War

NPR tells the story of this unit's seven long months at war in Afghanistan and at home.
For Wounded Marines, The Long, Hard Road Of Rehab

Lance Cpl. Jake Romo does physical therapy at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif. He lost both legs in an explosion in Sangin, Afghanistan, in February 2011, while serving with the 3/5 Marines. David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
David Gilkey/NPR

For Wounded Marines, The Long, Hard Road Of Rehab

Dozens of Marines from Darkhorse Battalion returned home with missing limbs and other injuries that will last a lifetime. Learning to cope with their injuries and figure out their futures is a slow, arduous process.

A Marine's Death, And The Family He Left Behind

Kait Wyatt carries her 1-month-old son, Michael, at the burial for her husband, Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt, at Arlington National Cemetery, Jan. 7. Wyatt was killed Dec. 6, 2010, in Afghanistan. Kait Wyatt, who was pregnant at the time of her husband's death, was induced the day after he was killed so she could attend the service. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Evan Vucci/AP

A Marine's Death, And The Family He Left Behind

When Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt left for Afghanistan, his wife, Kait, was pregnant with their first child. Three months later, Derek was dead. A day after his death, Kait was induced, so she could give birth and attend his funeral.

As Casualties Grew, So Did Marine Families' Fears

Amy Murray at home with her daughter Harper in Oceanside, Calif. Her husband, Capt. Patrick Murray, with the Darkhorse battalion, returned home from Afghanistan, in April 2011; 25 Marines from his unit did not.

David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
David Gilkey/NPR

As Casualties Grew, So Did Marine Families' Fears

When the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment deployed to Afghanistan, they left behind families who were desperate for information and grew frightened as the death toll grew. For 25 families, the news they received was the worst possible.

An Afghan Hell On Earth For 'Darkhorse' Marines

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment and the Afghan National Army provide cover as they move out of a dangerous area after taking enemy sniper fire during a security patrol in Sangin, Afghanistan, in November 2010. During its seven-month deployment, the 3/5 sustained the highest casualty rate of any Marine unit during the Afghan war, losing 25 men.

Cpl. David R. Hernandez/U.S. Marine Corps hide caption

toggle caption
Cpl. David R. Hernandez/U.S. Marine Corps

An Afghan Hell On Earth For 'Darkhorse' Marines

A year ago, the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment arrived in Sangin, a Taliban haven in southern Afghanistan, for a seven-month deployment. Known as "Darkhorse," the battalion sustained a higher casualty rate than any other Marine unit during the 10-year Afghan war.

Afghan Success Carries A Price For Commander

Lt. Col. Jason Morris pays his respects at a memorial service in Sangin, Afghanistan, on Nov. 26, 2010, for three Marines who were killed: Lance Cpl. Brandon Pearson, Lance Cpl. Matthew Broehm and 1st Lt. Robert Kelly. Morris commanded a battalion in volatile Helmand province that suffered the highest casualty rate of any Marine unit in the Afghanistan War.

Lance Cpl. Joseph M. Peterson/U.S. Marine Corps hide caption

toggle caption
Lance Cpl. Joseph M. Peterson/U.S. Marine Corps

Afghan Success Carries A Price For Commander

In Afghanistan, Lt. Col. Jason Morris led the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment, which suffered the highest casualty rate of any Marine unit during the past 10 years of war. The "Darkhorse Battalion" commander says the unit's mission was a success — but he will live with the burden of those deaths.

Browse archive or search npr.org