Guardsmen injured in Afghan attack
Ten Michigan National Guardsmen of the 1-126th Calvary National Guard unit, based out of Dowagiac, were injured Sunday in an attack in northern Afghanistan, leaving one soldier from Ludington in critical condition.
Two roadside bombs, also known as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), exploded as the convoy was traveling through northern Afghanistan. Spc. Eric Lund, 29, of Ludington, was injured while in the gun turret of the first vehicle. The first IED exploded, flipping the truck.
“They were performing a recon mission when one of the vehicles encountered an IED,” Capt. Aaron Jenkins, a Michigan National Guard public affairs officer, said Thursday in an interview over the phone. “The vehicle rolled over and one soldier was stuck under turret. Other soldiers came down to get him out of the turret when they encountered small arms fire.”
Jenkins said the soldiers returned fire and freed Lund from his position, performing immediate medical assistance. That was when the second IED exploded.
While 10 guardsmen total were injured, no one was killed. Melissa Boggs, Lund’s aunt, told Wood-TV 8 that Lund had part of both arms amputated above the elbow. He also suffered a shattered right pelvis and femur, a T-4 back fracture, several slight facial fractures and shrapnel wounds to his face and left side.
Two of the 10 soldiers injured were transported to a hospital in Germany for further treatment. Boggs said that while Lund is stable, his injuries are critical and he is “heavily sedated.”
Jenkins named the soldiers, along with Lund, injured in the attack as follows: Sgt. 1st Class George Landry, of Dearborn Heights; Sgt. David Jackson, of Niles; Spc. Patrick Tackett, of Madison Heights; Spc. Joshua Jerz, of Decatur; Spc. Robert Eckardt, of Canton; Pfc. Randy Williams, of Paw Paw; Spc. Joshua Greer, of Ortonville; Sgt. Brock Howlund, near Battle Creek; and Spc. Jason White, of Hudsonville.
Of the 10 guardsmen injured, Lund and White remained in the hospital in Germany receiving treatment. The other soldiers injured were being monitored on base, but many of them have returned to duty.
According to Jenkins, the circumstances the guardsmen faced did not deter them from acting exactly as they should have.
“The soldiers did as they were trained,” Jenkins said.
