A friendly fire death, a platoon’s 20 years of trauma

Bryan O’Neal has spent two decades grinding his way up the U.S. Army ranks, from lowly private to command sergeant major — the highest rank for a non-commissioned officer. He could write a textbook on modern warfare history — and his own unique place in it — but much of what he’s seen and done could be hard for anyone to hear. Significant numbers of the men and women under his command weren’t even born until after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that inspired him to enlist.

In the spring of 2004, perhaps the last thing President George W. Bush’s administration needed was another war-related PR problem. No one could find Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, which the administration had used to build a case for war. Less than a month before Tillman’s death, four contractors for the Blackwater private security firm in Iraq were ambushed and dragged through the streets, and their corpses were hung from a bridge. In April came shocking images of torture at the Abu Ghraib prison.

A friendly fire death, a platoon’s 20 years of trauma

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Lansdale native, Marine veteran killed in action Sunday as volunteer fighter with Ukraine Army

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Lansdale native, Marine veteran killed in action Sunday as volunteer fighter with Ukraine Army

Former USMC 1st Sgt. Corey John Nawrocki was killed during a recon and sabotage mission near Bryansk, Russia.

According to The Moscow Times, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed responsibility Monday for killing four “saboteurs” of a Diversion Reconnaissance Group who attempted to cross into Bryansk with the A3449 military unit of UkrainePer reports, he was issued a military ID on Sept. 4, 2024.

Nawrocki, a North Penn High School graduate, spent 20 years with the U.S. Marine Corps, serving multiple tours of duty, finally retiring in 2021. He was a gunnery sergeant at the Marine Barracks Washington and served with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines B-Co. and the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Blackfoot Co.

In February, Nawrocki, who received a Bronze Star for valor, was the distinguished keynote speaker at the Veterans Appreciation Brunch at Generations of Indian Valley in Souderton.

Related:

A3449: International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine

The International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, is a separate unit of foreign fighters subordinated to the Main Directorate of Intelligence and the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The unit consists of several foreign units structured at various levels, typically being structured as either a battalion, or a squadron split into several teams – functioning completely separate from the regular International Legion under the Ground Forces.

Ilya Ponomarev (Free Russia Legion)