Military

WATCH: Marine Shows What Life During Kabul Evacuation Was Really Like

September 3, 2021Mac Caltrider
kabul video

Marines attempt to control crowds at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Screenshot from YouTube.

A new video has surfaced online depicting the chaotic reality of the Kabul evacuation. What appears to be footage shot on a Marine’s helmet-mounted camera reveals the poor conditions troops worked under to help evacuate 124,334 people from Afghanistan.  


The video — originally uploaded by a Marine to Instagram, but since deleted — is a montage of service members trying to control unruly crowds at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Marines are seen using nonlethal grenades and shotgun rounds at point-blank range to keep the crowd from surging forward. Afghan soldiers are seen butt-stroking people and firing warning shots from a pistol. The video also shows various service members treating casualties and evacuating wounded civilians. 



Juxtaposed with the violent crowds are scenes of Marines taking care of infants and a stream of grateful citizens fist-bumping the Americans. The video also depicts Marines relaxing between shifts at the gate and destroying military vehicles and property that were likely abandoned after the evacuation. 


The video ends with a tribute to the 13 fallen service members killed Aug. 26, 2021, during a suicide bombing


Read Next: Last Round: Bars, Restaurants Set Aside 13 Beers as Kabul Tribute



Mac Caltrider
Mac Caltrider

Mac Caltrider is a senior staff writer for Coffee or Die Magazine. He served in the US Marine Corps and is a former police officer. Caltrider earned his bachelor’s degree in history and now reads anything he can get his hands on. He is also the creator of Pipes & Pages, a site intended to increase readership among enlisted troops. Caltrider spends most of his time reading, writing, and waging a one-man war against premature hair loss.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved