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Published Saturday, July 11, 2009 in Local

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

Mark Allen spends quality time with his baby girl, Journey, during the National Guard unit’s family day in April.

Two Newnan Guardsmen among three wounded in Afghanistan

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

Two members of the National Guard Unit operating out of Newnan's Jackson-Pless Armory were wounded in action in Afghanistan Wednesday; also wounded was a California National Guard solider attached to the unit.

SFC Mark Allen and Specialist/Medic Charles Benson of the locally-based unit, and Corporal Jonathan Morita of the California National Guard were on patrol in Afghanistan when they got into a fire fight, said Col. Stephen Joyce, commander of the 48th Brigade, rear detachment. The men were in an area south of the capital, Kabul.

Allen sustained a serious head wound. He was transferred to Landstuhl Medical Facility in Germany. As of Friday, Allen was listed in critical, but stable, condition.

Benson suffered wounds to his legs and hands. The wounds were not life-threatening, but were serious enough that he was also transferred to Landstuhl.

Morita had leg injuries. He was treated in Afghanistan, Joyce said.

Allen and Benson are members of the 48th Infantry Bridge Bravo Company, second battalion, based in Newnan. Allen's family lives in Loganville, Joyce said. Benson's family is from Albany.

Both Allen and Benson had previously served with the 48th Brigade in Iraq.

Joyce said hopes are that Allen and Benson's conditions will be stabilized enough that they can be transferred to a U.S. hospital on Sunday.

Allen's wife, Shannon, is standing by to meet him at his stateside location when he arrives. She has asked for privacy until things are more stable, said a source close to the unit.

The military will cover the costs to transport Mrs. Allen, and Allen's parents, to the stateside hospital, said Cowetan Norma Haynes, a long-time supporter of the unit.

Allen has two brothers who live in Florida, Haynes said. While the unit was in training, there were local fund-raising efforts to help bring the men back home before they left the States for Afghanistan.

There is some money from that drive earmarked to help get family members to the hospital, "thanks to the generosity of so many wonderful people in this community," Haynes said. Plans are to use some of that money to help the brothers get from their home in Florida to Allen's bedside.

"We will keep this fund alive so that we can provide families of these deserving soldiers with some much needed help," Haynes said. "These young men who left here just a short time ago have been thrust right into the line of fire."