Lt. Scott Holub '07 Carries Injured Soldier to Safety

Pasadena parents spot son in combat photo
By ALLISON BOURG, Staff Writer - Capital Gazette
Published 02/24/10

Karl and Debbie Holub of Pasadena hadn't heard from their son in weeks.

They knew Marine Lt. Scott Holub (USMMA '07) was part of a unit attacking the Taliban stronghold in Marjah, Afghanistan. But that was all. "We probably hadn't had any direct communication with him in about three or four weeks, prior to him going into combat operations," Karl Holub said.

Suddenly, on Sunday, they got a chance to see that their son was not only safe, but was carrying a wounded soldier to safety.

Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder took a photo of 24-year-old Scott Holub during a battle with Taliban fighters on Saturday. The photo appeared online and in newspapers across the country, including The Washington Post.

"Thanks to the news media, we have some sense of what he's doing," Karl Holub said. "We were very proud of him, in that regard. One thing we wondered about is the family of the Afghan soldier he was carrying. We wonder what they're feeling."

Scott Holub is taking part in the biggest offensive since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. It is considered a test of President Barack Obama's strategy for reversing the rise of the Taliban while protecting civilians.

The Pasadena man graduated from Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore in 2003 and enrolled in the Merchant Marine Academy. But Karl Holub said that instead of taking to the seas aboard a commercial vessel, his son enlisted in the Marines right after graduation.

"He had wanted to do that for a long time," he said.

Last month, the Holubs learned that their son was being deployed to Afghanistan, his first tour of duty in a combat zone.

"As parents, you've got to be incredibly proud that your child is willing to serve his country in uniform," Karl Holub said. "But, of course, we're also worried for his safety and the safety of the other Marines."

Scott Holub is part of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, which moved south with Afghan troops on Friday in a bid to link up with elite Marine reconnaissance units that dropped behind Taliban positions.

AP writer Alfred de Montesquiou was with the Marines and reported that they came under sniper fire and rocket attacks by midday on Saturday. Marines and Afghan troops were sweeping through houses, searching for bombs and questioning residents. The rattle of machine-gun fire and the thud of mortars echoed nearby.
Marines uncovered a row of machine-gun bunkers alongside a canal from which they suspected enemy fighters had been firing on them Friday. The five newly abandoned bunkers, at a crossroads and camouflaged under a layer of mud, were set up so that guns could be aimed across an open field. In the near distance, large stones had been set up to act as machine-gun sights.

Montesquiou talked to Scott Holub after the position was cleared.

"These guys aren't doing anything new, but it's pretty much the good basics of defense," Scott Holub said.

Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commander of U.S. Marines in Marjah, said last week that allied forces had taken control of the main roads, bridges and government centers, but fighting continues to rage elsewhere.

The Holubs expect their son home before the end of the year. They belong to a group called Marine Parents, which Karl Holub said has been a great source of support.

But the photo was something more.

"When you have a photo like that, it really brings the war effort home," he said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------