A Battlefield Tourist

Marine KIA Creates Question For VMI

Apr 30 at 11:11am by David Tate

On April 17th, in Panjwaii District, Kandahar Province, a US Marine convoy was hit by a roadside bomb, killing two Marines and wounding two others.  The convoy was on its way to southern Helmand Province where the 24th MEU has recently started combat operations to retake the Taliban-held town of Garmsir.

The Marines killed included the top-ranking enlisted man for the 24th MEU, acting Command Sgt. Major, 1st Sgt. Luke Mercandante.  Before joining the 24th MEU, Mercandante served as an instructor at the Virginia Military Institute for three years.  His death marks the first time a non-alum faculty member has been killed in action since Stonewall Jackson died following the battle of Chancellorsville in 1863. Mercandante’s death also marks the the first time a VMI-connected serviceman has been killed in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001. 

Now the question:  How will VMI honor this fallen Marine who gave so much to the VMI community?

VIDEO STORY – Question at VMI

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