R.I.P. - Capt. Matthew P. Manoukian, Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke, Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote

DOD Identifies Marine Casualties
            The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died Aug. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  These Marines were assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

            Killed were:

            Capt. Matthew P. Manoukian, 29, of Los Altos Hills, Calif.,

            Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke, 31, of Herndon, Va., and

            Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote, 27, of El Dorado, Calif.

            This incident is under investigation.

            For additional information on these Marines, news media representatives may contact Marine Corps Special Operations Command public affairs office at 910-440-0770.

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Capt. Matthew P. Manoukian

from PanARMENIAN.Net
August 11, 2012 - 14:04 AMT

- A Camp Pendleton-based special operations captain was one of three Marines fatally shot before dawn Friday, August 10 in Helmand province by an Afghan police officer who had just shared a meal with them, UT San Diego said.

It was the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a week.

Capt. Matt Manoukian, 29, of Los Altos Hills was killed along with two other yet-to-be-identified special operations troops after an Afghan police commander invited them to a meeting to discuss security issues. The meeting followed the meal, which took place early because of daytime fasting restrictions during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The “green-on-blue” attack occurred in the volatile Sangin district of Helmand province, said U.S. military spokeswoman Maj. Lori Hodge. Sangin was a Taliban stronghold for years and has one of the highest concentrations of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan.

Manoukian, the son of two judges, joined the Marine Corps about seven years ago. He was on his fourth combat deployment — including his second in Afghanistan.

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from washington.cbslocal:
August 13, 2012 6:45 PM

Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke

WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — The Pentagon says a 31-year-old from northern Virginia was one of three marines killed in Afghanistan last week.

Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke of Herndon, Va., died Friday while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Jeschke was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Twenty-nine year-old Matthew P. Manoukian of Los Altos Hills, Calif. and 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote of El Dorado, Calif. were also killed.

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Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote

from eldoradohills.news10
Submitted by Paul Janes, News 10 Web Producer
Monday, August 13th, 2012, 1:56pm

EL DORADO, CA -
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the death of Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote of El Dorado.

Mote, 27, was killed Aug. 10 during combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion out of Camp Pendleton, California, and served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A nine-year veteran, Mote joined the Corps in July 2003.

Following boot camp, Mote became a bulk fuel specialist before advancing to an explosive ordinance disposal technician in 2007.

He joined the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command in August 2009.

Mote's military achievements included a Purple Heart, a Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, a Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons and three Good Conduct Medals.

Posted in: Afghanistan, California, Camp Pendleton, fallen heros, Helmand Province, Operation Enduring Freedom, United States Marine Corps