It might not be part of the official job description of being a U.S. Marine, but that didn't stop a group of troops — some assigned to Camp Pendleton — from rescuing a camel trapped in a ditch in Afghanistan.
1st Lt. Garth Langley of the Regional Command Southwest in Afghanistan (and assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton) told the Orange County Register that he and his fellow service members felt compelled to help the distressed animal:
“Devising a safe plan for the security forces assisting it was a unique challenge, but the Marines executed with tenacity as you would expect of a U.S. Marine, regardless of the type of mission."
Camp Lejeune-based Marines from the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment also came to the aid of the ungulate, along with soldiers from the Afghan National Army.
The troops decided to go low-tech in their rescue effort...
...using their hands and feet to move dirt that had collapsed around the camel. After several hours, the camel got enough leverage and climbed out of the deep ditch.
It then walked out into the desert.
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