R.I.P. - Lance Cpl. Joshua E. Witsman

DOD Identifies Marine Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Lance Cpl. Joshua E. Witsman, 23, of Covington, Ind., died May 30 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

            This incident is under investigation.

            For additional background information, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-8766.

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from utsandiego.com:
Written by Gretel C. Kovach
2:31 p.m., June 4, 2012 Updated 3:27 p.m.

A Camp Pendleton Marine was killed in Afghanistan, the Pentagon announced today.

Lance Cpl. Joshua E. Witsman, 23, of Covington, Ind., died Wednesday in Helmand province in support of combat operations with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

The infantry battalion deployed to the Musa Qalah and Now Zad areas of the province in February.

Witsman’s death is under investigation, the Defense Department said.

One of the infantryman's favorite quotations was "God created man, Sam Colt made them equal," according to his Facebook page.

Witsman enlisted in the Marine Corps on Feb. 17, 2009, the 1st Marine Division said. He died on his second deployment to Afghanistan.

His decorations include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze star devices, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze star device, and the NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Posted in: 1st Marine Division, Afghanistan, fallen heros, Helmand Province, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Operation Enduring Freedom