U.S. Marine Corps: VMFA-211 Dedicates AV-8B Harrier, Remembers Fallen Marines

Press release from the U.S. Marine Corps:

Cpl. Levi Voss

2021-09-10

Marines, Sailors, veterans and the Honorary Gold Star families gathered at Marine Air Station Yuma Open Air Museum to unveil and dedicate a retired AV-8B Harrier from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in recognition of the late Lt. Col. Christopher Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell on August 19.

The aforementioned Marines gave their lives defending their brothers-in-arms, as well as the aircraft of VMFA-211, without regard for their own well-being during an insurgent attack against U.S. forces at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan on September 14, 2012.

“They were pilots and maintainers,” said the Master of Ceremonies for the event, Staff Sgt. Jessup Burton, “They were dressed in coveralls and flights suits. No body armor. No Kevlar [helmets]. Just rifles, pistols and the understanding that every Marine is a rifleman.”

On September 13, 2012, 15 Taliban insurgents arrived at a safe house outside of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, with the objective of infiltrating the base and targeting military personnel and equipment. There, they procured weapons, ammunition, U.S. Army uniforms, radios and a sketched map of Camp Bastion. The following day they made their way near the eastern perimeter of Camp Bastion. At approximately 2200 local time, the insurgents penetrated the perimeter roughly 750 meters from the hangar of VMFA-211. Upon infiltrating Camp Bastion, the insurgents split into three teams and initiated their attack.

As the insurgents began their attack, Lt. Col. Raible, recalling his Marine Corps training, coordinated with his Marines to initiate a counterattack to minimize potential causalities. As a result of the ensuing battle, nine aircraft were damaged or destroyed, while five Marines were injured or killed. During the firefight, an enemy insurgent attempted to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at Raible and his Marines before being fatally wounded by Raible’s Marines. Consequently, the rocket-propelled grenade misfired overhead, ultimately taking the lives of Raible and Atwell. Raible’s initiative to conduct the counterattack, and the actions that followed, preserved VMFA-211 assets and saved lives of the Marines around him.

 “They were dressed in coveralls and flights suits. No body armor. No Kevlar [helmets

This press release was produced by the U.S. Marine Corps. The views expressed here are the author’s own.