Posted on 02/15/2010 2:38:41 PM PST by Sub-Driver
U.S. Marine Walks Away From Shot to Helmet in Afghanistan
By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
MARJAH, Afghanistan—It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.
On the one hand, he was shot in the head. On the other, the bullet bounced off him.
In one of those rare battlefield miracles, an insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig dead on in the front of his helmet, and he walked away from it with a smile on his face.
"I don't think I could be any luckier than this," Lance Cpl. Koenig said two hours after the shooting.
Lance Cpl. Koenig's brush with death came during a day of intense fighting for the Marines of Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment.
The company had landed by helicopter in the predawn dark on Saturday, launching a major coalition offensive to take Marjah from the Taliban.
The Marines set up an outpost in a former drug lab and roadside-bomb factory and soon found themselves under near-constant attack.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
As a former Army guy, I can only say that this proves how thick headed a jarhead can be.
Thank God for this miracle. We pray for the safety of our troops, and for the success of their mission.
Was the sniper using a .25 auto? lol
>> an insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig dead on in the front of his helmet
I wonder how many times this insurgent laid down his rifle to take advantage of RoE.
Sometimes is pays to be a hard headed Jarhead.
Semper Fi!
“...as the Marines call the medics,”
That’s “Corpseman” not medic.
excellent! Somebody’s watching out for that guy and his bud.
bttt
That is one lucky Leatherneck! Semper Fi!
He must have learned the lesson from “Saving Private Ryan”, do not take off your helmet after it’s been hit.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Lance Corporal Andrew “Mongo” Koenig.
Don’t shoot him. You’ll only make him mad.
As kids we used to play with our Dad’s WWI metal helmet and the ugly gas mask in our basement. The helmet had a dent in it. Dad was deaf in one ear from the bullet that hit the helmet. We got by with quite a bit because he couldn’t hear half of what we were saying. Never got a penny from the government for his injury. He was just thankful for being alive.
This is what I’ve been praying. God, put a hedge of protection around our soldiers protect them and let miraculous stories come out of this Afghanistan. God answers prayer!!!!!
Keep praying, prayer warriors, keep praying!!!
Those are some real tough SOBs, right there. Glad he’s alright.
The helmet is armor. I’m not sure how it’s rated, but the AK round is not super powerful, so I guess I’m not totally surprised. If it couldn’t stop small arms fire what would be the point of wearing it? (maybe sharpnel or blast debrss, but then it would be like a hard hat. )
good to hear. of course, if i were him, i wouldn’t waste money on the lottery for the next year or two.
on a side note, would it be too much to assume we have systems set up to locate snipers? audio systems that would triangulate the location of the shot and be able to return fire with mortars?
if we did, i’m fairly certain any snipers would think twice before trying to pop off a shot
if not... would they want it? (that’s a project i would have fun putting together... but then again, i’m a bit of a sick n twisted freak)
That is "Corps Man" in today's Presidential Ebonics speak.
Yes, our gracious Heavenly Father looks out for his own.
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