E38: Seventeen Men of Sangin

“I’m ready to make peace because I’m not ready to die. This movie has helped me come to peace because I stopped living my life when my son was killed. I stopped fishing. I stopped going to church.”

“Make Peace or Die: Honor the Fallen” is the title of the documentary that changed the father. The film premiered last month and is available to watch for free on PBS. At a recent screening, the father of the fallen Marine took Oklahoma film producer Anthony Marquez aside and confided in him since it was Anthony who came home alive from the war in Afghanistan and the son of the man who had stopped fishing and attending church who did not.

Today’s podcast episode is an interview with two brothers who created a documentary to honor seventeen Marines who died in Afghanistan during America’s longest war. Tap above to listen.

After seventeen fellow Marines died around him during the Battle of Sangin, Anthony and his brother Manny documented a road trip during which they visited each Gold Star family. Families who lose a loved one who dies while serving in the military are known as Gold Star families. It’s an honor that no one wants.

Marine veteran Anthony Marquez. Photo credit: Nick Whitaker.

A military study once pinpointed Sangin as the town with the greatest threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. In 2011, Anthony Marquez deployed to Sangin with his dog Allie, who was trained to sniff out IEDs.

Anthony Marquez, with his dog Allie, giving candy to an Afghan child. Photo credit: Nate McCord, USMC.

The war injured Anthony. The battle killed the son of Yolanda and Adan Gonzales, Sr.

Yolanda Gonzales and Adan Gonzales, Sr. holding a photo of their son, Sgt. Adan Gonzales, Jr., who was killed in Afghanistan on August 7, 2011. Photo credit: M. Scott Brauer/Knights of Columbus.

Anthony’s brother Manny directed the film. He says the title of the documentary has a double meaning.

”It’s ‘Make Peace or Die’ if you’re in the war, and it’s ‘Make Peace or Die’ when you’re back from the war. That extends to those Gold Star families. They have to ‘Make Peace or Die’ because nothing’s going to bring their son back. We have to ‘Make Peace or Die’ with what we’ve done, what we’ve seen, what we’ve heard, what we’ve experienced.”

Manny Marquez. Photo credit: Nick Whitaker.

Anthony personally knew six of the Marines who died at the Battle of Sangin. LCpl. Robert Greniger was one of his friends who was killed in action.

Anthony Marquez at the grave of his friend, LCpl. Robert Greniger at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Photo credit: Jesse Larvick for XVII Films Archive.