9th Marine Expeditionary Force: Difference between revisions

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The '''9th Marine Expeditionary Force''', twenty-first division, 1st [[battalion]] ("M-EDF 9/21/1") was a [[UNSC Marine Corps]] unit, consisting of brave and experienced men, <ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', page 111</ref> that was one of many units serving in the [[Epsilon Eridanus System]]. This unit was a critical part of the [[UNSC]]'s fight in the [[Insurrection]]. These men got attacked by [[Covenant]] forces on Epsilon Eridanus when they first landed but ended up winning the battle with minor casaulties.

[[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Ponder]], at that time, was a member of the unit, and lost his arm in [[Elysium City]], [[Eridanus II]], in a failed attempt to obtain information from an [[Insurrectionist]] who had married the daughter of one of the local officials. When this local official was questioned about [[Colonel]] [[Robert Watts]]' second in command, he looked Ponder in the eye and said: "Someday we will win. No matter what it takes." The man then grabbed his own daughter and held up a [[grenade]]. Ponder knew that the man was bluffing; that although he was deticated to the Insurrectionist cause, he wouldn't be willing to kill his whole family. One of Ponder's snipers thought that the man really was going to pull the pin and shot through the wall of the house, which "tore the guy in half." On reflex, the man pulled the pin. The resulting explosion took off Ponder's arm. After the incident, Ponder believed that the top brass wanted him to "take an early retirement," but instead, stayed in the military. The incident caused his taking a two-step drop in rank to [[Captain]]. <ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', page 111-113</ref>