Hardest-Hit Unit From Iraq War Deploys to Afghanistan

Hardest-Hit Unit From Iraq War Deploys to Afghanistan, Leaving Families Behind
Sergeant's Wife Gives Birth to Their First Child While He Stays by Her Side Via Skype

By CHRISTINE ROMO, TERI WHITCRAFT, BOB WOODRUFF and OLIVIA KATRANDJIAN
Dec. 24, 2010

For the past five months, a small team of ABC News producers has been embedded with the Marines of Lima Company and their families in Columbus, Ohio. Lima Company was the hardest-hit unit in the Iraq War five years ago -- in 2005, the unit lost 23 men and more than 40 were wounded.

Now, five years later, Lima Company has been called to serve again, deploying this time to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, a Taliban stronghold, leaving their families behind. This time, so far, Lima has been safe.

"Not coming home is the biggest fear for everybody," said Sgt. Ken Pompilli, who is on his second deployment. "But we're all well-trained. We're all going to come home."
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Hardest-Hit Unit From Iraq War Deploys to Afghanistan