Photos of 82nd Airborne Operation in Sharana, Afghanistan

Yahoo News ^ | 11/17/2002 | Unknown

[SAMWolf]

U.S. soldier, a members of the 82nd Airborne Division, secures an area from the top of an armored vehicle on the sunset near the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, Afghanistan , south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002. U.S. troops conducted four days long operation searching for weapons and suspected militant linked to al-Qaida in this province. (AP Photo/Amel Emric, POOL)

U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, enter a compound searching for weapons and documents in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002.

A U.S. soldier of the 82nd Airborne Division secures a landing zone for air assault during inspection of a local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002.

U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division entering an area for inspection of a local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002.

[SAMWolf]

An Afghan man squats on a wall next to a group of U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division securing an area during inspection of a local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002.

U.S. soldiers members of the 82nd Airborne Division search for weapons and documents inside of a house in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002.

U.S. soldiers members of the 82nd Airborne Division searching for weapons and documents inside of a house in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002.

U.S. soldiers members of the 82nd Airborne Division guard the ammunitions cache discovered in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002.

[SAMWolf]

U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division, inspect a small shop during operation of searching local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov 14, 2002.

A U.S. member of the 82nd Airborne Division, secures an area near a small shop during an inspection of the local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002.

U.S. soldier member of 82nd Airborne Division takes a cover during a operation in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002.

U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, take cover during an operation in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 12, 2002 photo.

[SAMWolf]

A U.S. soldier, a member of 82nd Airborne Division, searches local residents during an operation in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 12, 2002 photo.

U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, sit inside a truck heading to a mission, on the mountain road near Gardez, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in the early morning, in this Nov. 11, 2002 photo.

U.S. soldiers, members of 82nd Airborne Division, take cover during a operation in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, in this Nov. 12, 2002 photo.

U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, enter a compound searching for weapons and documents in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), in this Nov. 12, 2002 photo.

[SAMWolf]

.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division enter a compound searching for weapons and documents in the town of Sharana, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 12, 2002 photo.

An Afghan boy stands in front of a group of U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, during an operation of searching compounds in the town of Ahad, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 13, 2002 photo.

An Afghan man passes by U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, during an operation of searching compounds in the town of Ahad, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 13, 2002 photo.

An Afghan man sits on a doorstep while U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, guard an area during an operation of searching compounds in the town of Ahad, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, in this Nov. 13, 2002 photo.

[SAMWolf]

Two Afghan men watch a checkpoint manned by U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, during an operation of searching compounds in the town of Ahad, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), in this Nov. 13, 2002 photo.

U.S. soldiers, members of the 82nd Airborne Division, secure an area near a small shop during inspection of the local bazaar in the town of Yayeh Kehl, Paktia province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), in this Nov. 14, 2002 photo.

[Nam Vet]

Great pics Sam. BTT

Nam Vet

[jwalsh07]

Great pics of the men in BDU's.

[the_doc]

Thanks!

[pittsburgh gop guy]

Can someone in the know fill me in:

Which ones are M-29 SAWs and which ones are M-60s?

My guess would be this one is an M-60
1
And these are M-29's
2
3
4
Thanks...

[Soaring Feather]

U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division,

Hi SAM

Great Photos

[SAMWolf]

Hi Bentfeather. I'm was surprised to find so many at once tehy usually only put them out in small groups.

[SAMWolf]

Not sure what that top one is, doesn't quite look right for an M-60.

[FreedomPoster]

Those are all M-249 SAWs, I'm pretty sure.

M249 at FAS
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m249.htm

M60 at FAS
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m60e3.htm

[EverOnward]

Pictures of my heros. May God watch over our troops.

[Soaring Feather]

God Bless America and our Troops, keep up the excellent work SAM we need you so much!!

[FreedomPoster]

Looking at it some more, I think the 1st and 3rd pics are M240's, which is the replacement for the M60.

In particular, look at the end of the buttstock here:

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m240g.htm

versus in this thread. Note you can click on the pics at fas.org for higher resolution pics.

Also, note the front sight differences. Pics 1 and 3 in your string have a blade type front sight, while 2 and 4 have ghost ring front sights.

[FreedomPoster]

Ping list ping.

[MistyCA]

These pictures are great, Sam. Thanks for posting them

[Radix]

Dear SAMWolf

Thank you for the ping. I love these pictures that you have. They somehow comfort me. They allow me to see that we are served by competent and able Troops!

I assure you, that is no small matter to me!

I have not seen anything by Diogenes lately. If anyone could ping me to his posts, I would appreciate that!