By C. J. Chivers
The New York Times
KARMA, Iraq — Petty Officer Third Class Dustin E. Kirby clutched the injured marine’s empty helmet. His hands were coated in blood. Sweat ran down his face, which he was trying to keep straight but kept twisting into a snarl.
Petty Officer Third Class Dustin E. Kirby, at far left in foreground, and members of his platoon prayed for Lance Cpl. Colin Smith, who was wounded by a sniper.
He held up the helmet and flipped it, exposing the inside. It was lined with blood and splinters of bone.
“The round hit him,” he said, pausing to point at a tiny hole that aligned roughly with a man’s temple. “Right here.” ...
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