Un Américan d'origine Haïtienne perd la vie en Afghanistan

Marine Lance Cpl. Leopold Damas survived two tours in Iraq before being sent deep into Taliban territory in Afghanistan three months ago.

The hero told his family not to worry, he’d be fine.

“He was sad to go, but of course, it was his job,” his older brother, Frederic Damas, 37, said Thursday. “He didn’t want to leave his family, but he had to go to work.”

Damas, 26, of Queens, was killed in action on Monday.

“We tried to convince him not to go back,” said his sister, Magali Damas, 45. “He wanted to serve his country.”

His devastated family gathered at their home in Jamaica, trying to make sense of his death.

“I want the whole world to know my brother was a hero, and he believed in what he was doing,” Magali said.
Damas was a rifleman with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. The battalion landed in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan in May and has lost nine Marines since July 2.

Lt. Col. Christian Cabaniss, the 2nd Battalion’s commander, recently wrote a newsletter to families back home describing the harsh conditions on the ground.

“Bottom line, nothing is routine about this deployment,” he said. “The Marines and sailors are battling the enemies of Afghanistan every day, and they are doing it well.”

Cabaniss also said he was trying to improve communications so his Marines could call home more often.
Damas’ sister said she hadn’t been able to talk to her little brother, who was single with no kids, since he had arrived in Afghanistan.
Former Marine Cpl. Timothy Pope served with Damas in Iraq in 2007. “He was the one guy that always volunteered to go out [on patrol] with me,” said Pope, 23, who lives in Germany now.

“He was very motivated. He was going to do a lot in the Marine Corps. He was definitely going to go places. That’s what he wanted. He wanted to be a Marine.”

Pope said he was shocked to learn of Damas’ death.

“It’s like losing a brother,” he said. “When I heard the news, you don’t want to believe it at first. This couldn’t happen to him.”

Pope said he hopes the death will serve as a reminder of the sacrifices U.S. troops are making in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I want everybody to just have respect for the guys - they go over there, and they give their lives,” Pope said. “Just respect them. Even if you don’t agree with the war, just give them the respect they deserve, for going over there, for fighting, for dying.”

“Leo was going for his third [deployment],” he said. “He was probably one of the toughest guys I know.”

Funeral arrangements haven’t been made yet.

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