Object Name:
Shrapnel
Museum ID #:
2014.1.18
Catalog Date:
11/25/2014
Collection:
Chaplain Andrew Meverden Collection
Description:
piece of shrapnel from an exploded mortar or rocket; 3" tall x 2.5" wide at base x 1" wide at top; has a 1" circular hole.
Event Associated with Item:
Operation Enduring Freedom
History of Item:
Obtained by Chaplain Meverden during his deployment to Afghanistan in SEP 2002 through APR 2003.
Backstory: While stationed at Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC), one of the responsibilites of Chaplain Meverden's unit was training Afghan Soldier mortar teams; on 15 DEC 2002, an accident occurred during training. The mortar teams were engaging in a training exercise in which they were being utilized to soften a target, while other assaulting units were staged ready to assault following the completion of the barrages. On this day, a group of about 10 Afghan boys had been hanging around the impact area on Gaar (sp) Mountain outside of Kabul, prior to beginning the operation, and had been forced away. Unknown to the US trainers of Afghan Soldiers, the boys had hiked around the impact area and cover over the ridge of Gaar Mountain, back into a draw within the impact area. When training operations began, the mortar teams began their volleys into the impact area, attempting to train at bracketing. Upon the impact of the first volley, 6 of the 10 boys were injured or killed. The remaining boys ran from the area, to their village, getting an adult who came back to the training area and explained what had happened to the training personnel. Training was immediately halted, and US medical personnel and others moved to the location of the injured boys, identified by the uninjured boys, to render aid. In the end, 4 of the boys died and one seriously injured was MEDEVACed to a US medical facility located at Bagram Airfield. Upon investigating, it was learned that the boys had entered the impact area in order to find pieces of metal from the impacts to sell for scrap and to find pieces of the highly valued mineral lapiz lazuli, which are used in many forms of jewelry and crafts, unearthed by the mortar impacts.
Following the deaths of the boys, Chaplain learned of the Afghan tradition of Mahar ma nah, a traditional process of reconciliation and reparation in the Afghan culture. Through Chaplain Meverden, the US training personnel engaged in the process with the families of the killed and injured boys, leading to a peaceful resolution of the situation.
This piece of shrapnel from a mortar was obtained by Chaplain Meverden, following the incident, in the general area of the accident.
Backstory: While stationed at Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC), one of the responsibilites of Chaplain Meverden's unit was training Afghan Soldier mortar teams; on 15 DEC 2002, an accident occurred during training. The mortar teams were engaging in a training exercise in which they were being utilized to soften a target, while other assaulting units were staged ready to assault following the completion of the barrages. On this day, a group of about 10 Afghan boys had been hanging around the impact area on Gaar (sp) Mountain outside of Kabul, prior to beginning the operation, and had been forced away. Unknown to the US trainers of Afghan Soldiers, the boys had hiked around the impact area and cover over the ridge of Gaar Mountain, back into a draw within the impact area. When training operations began, the mortar teams began their volleys into the impact area, attempting to train at bracketing. Upon the impact of the first volley, 6 of the 10 boys were injured or killed. The remaining boys ran from the area, to their village, getting an adult who came back to the training area and explained what had happened to the training personnel. Training was immediately halted, and US medical personnel and others moved to the location of the injured boys, identified by the uninjured boys, to render aid. In the end, 4 of the boys died and one seriously injured was MEDEVACed to a US medical facility located at Bagram Airfield. Upon investigating, it was learned that the boys had entered the impact area in order to find pieces of metal from the impacts to sell for scrap and to find pieces of the highly valued mineral lapiz lazuli, which are used in many forms of jewelry and crafts, unearthed by the mortar impacts.
Following the deaths of the boys, Chaplain learned of the Afghan tradition of Mahar ma nah, a traditional process of reconciliation and reparation in the Afghan culture. Through Chaplain Meverden, the US training personnel engaged in the process with the families of the killed and injured boys, leading to a peaceful resolution of the situation.
This piece of shrapnel from a mortar was obtained by Chaplain Meverden, following the incident, in the general area of the accident.
Place of Origin:
Afghanistan
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