Bravo Company 1/6 Marines in Helmand (Part 2/6)

October 7, 2010. Channel 4, Dispatches. Bravo's Deadly Mission.

In February 2010, US Marines launched the biggest operation since the start of the war in Afghanistan: Operation Moshtarak. Bravo's Deadly Mission covers hour-by-hour the entire operation to liberate the strategically vital town of Marjah in February and contains some of the most intense fighting footage ever caught on camera.

Filmed under extremely dangerous circumstances and in the toughest conditions imaginable, this Dispatches special is an extraordinary human story and an unflinching portrayal of war at first hand.

Operation Moshtarak was massive news all over the world when it happened. But only one journalist was with the Marines inside Marjah. Ben Anderson spent two months with Bravo Company 1/6 Marines, eating, sleeping, running and sweating alongside them every step of the way.

The access he achieved and the 50 hours of battle footage he obtained is intimate and unprecedented and forms the basis of this extraordinary film. The result is unlike any other war documentary: personal, intense, incredibly close-up and dangerous.

Bravo Company was the first and only platoon dropped into the centre of Marjah. These young Marines found themselves in a maze of IEDs, bunkers, trenches and ambushes, set by very well-trained fighters.

The film features strong characters such as Captain Sparks, a Special Forces veteran of Fallujah, Haditha and Afghanistan who's charged with seeing the young Marines in his charge through to the bitter end of the operation. Thoughtful and insightful, Sparks knows this is the most dangerous mission of his life. He knows they will lose men. He knows he takes responsibility when that happens.

Made by a BAFTA and Grierson award-winning team, the film returns to Marjah four months after the original invasion to find IEDs again being laid just 2km from the Marines' base, Taliban fighters, including snipers, still active and mobile, and a local population that is far from won over.

Bravo's Deadly Mission is a breathtaking film that shows just how dangerous and difficult the situation in southern Afghanistan has become, and how hard it will be to turn around.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-71/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Afghanistan
• NATO
• ISAF
• OEF
• 1st
• Bn
• 6th
• Reg
• 2nd
• Marine
• Div
• USMC
• Marjah
• Helmand
• Counterinsurgency
• Taliban
• al-Qaida

[Rhino42001]

you wont do anything in this war as artillery bro. we cant use it for fear of civilian casualties

[slpnarniaqueen]

watching this breaks my heart, I don't know how he does it, but he does, and I love him despite any distance. I can't wait when he never leaves again!

[85Decoy85]

@Rhino42001 umm artillery is used in every all the time.. bro..

[tems2a3]

Nothing but respect for you boys...hard fight well lead! from the CAnadians holding the Tz cannal to LU with 1/6 at 5 points!

[CaptainAmerica322]

@akita70

This is a good Documentary. There's another GREAT one called "restrepo"

not sure if you've heard of it.

[MrJoe48]

@Rhino42001 if we are not using artillery what do Marines with artillery MOS's do?

[akita70]

As a ex Army grunt/Infrantry. You guys all the emotion you show I have been there and done that. Only through part 2 right now and this is the best documentry that shows real combat

[4jai2brons0n]

@ANZACJugger0 it's a MICLIC

[4jai2brons0n]

@CanadianGamer1997 It's a MICLIC line clearing charge which is a bunch of C4 on a rope and they shoot it down roads or paths they want to travel then it blows up clearing out all of the IEDs or booby traps.

[CanadianGamer1997]

what was that at @3:50? a rocket?

[djdivix]

1/6 did a great job over there... and it was an honor to do the battle handover for their relief. Semper Fi.

[black7462]

@Squadomatick Good Luck nothing in the world like being a U.S. Marine!