Posts Tagged With: Nicholas Kirven
Nick’s Life From Around the World
Screenshot from “Nick’s Life”
“Hey, coming down to the final stretch over here. Hope to see you all soon. Thanks again for everything!” — Nick Kirven, April 2005
Nick Kirven was killed in action on 8 May 2005, almost a year before I joined the Marine Corps. I never met him. The closest I ever came was through his brothers in arms, many of whom were getting ready to leave either 3rd Battalion or the Marine Corps in November 2006 when I was assigned to his old unit, Kilo Company 2nd Platoon. His memory was kept alive through their behavior: their rigorous instance of proper combat drills, occasional references to some terrible day in Afghanistan, or just their general anger that a close friend had been taken from them.
That changed two years ago when I accidentally stumbled upon his old website, Nick’s Life From Around the World. Read more
Fortes Fortuna Juvat: The Third Marines
Third Marine Regimental Headquarters
“Sir, my question is, now that the 3rd Marines have been allowed to show their abilities to the world, are we going to be entering into combat rotations in the near future?” — Question by unknown 1/3 Marine to Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, December, 2004
Third Battalion is just one part of the Third Marine Regiment, the main ground force in the Third Marine Division (3/3/3: the source of its callsign, ‘Trinity’), and a unique unit in the Marine Corps. Because of Hawaii’s isolated location and lack of higher-ups, the regiment has an unusual amount of autonomy and a reputation to match. Read more
22 July 2005: Battalion Memorial Service
“A Battalion Memorial Service was held to remember Kilo Company’s two fallen comrades from OEF – LCpl Kirven and Cpl Schoener.” — Source: 3/3 Command Chronology for the Period 01 July to 31 December 2005
13 May 2005: Kilo Memorial Service
“Kilo Company held a memorial service to honor heroic deaths of Corporal Schoener and Lance Corporal Kirven at FOB Mehtar Lam, Laghman Province.” — Source: 3/3 Command Chronology for the Period 01 January to 30 June 2005 Read more
8 May 2005: Kilo-2 Mayl Valley Ambush
Nick Kirven (L) and Richard Schoener (R)
“2d Platoon from Kilo Company was ambushed with RPG, RPK, and small arms fire while on patrol in the Mayl Valley, Laghman Province resulting in the death of two Marines Killed in Action (KIA) and a confirmed 14 enemy killed (aerial BDA and enemy radio traffic estimated 23 total enemy killed) through coordinated ground/air attacks.” — Source: 3/3 Command Chronology for the Period 01 January to 30 June 2005