Sangin, Afghanistan – 2011 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Operations Map

Sangin, Afghanistan – 2011 1st Battalion, 5th Marines Operations Map

The Marines of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, call sign Geronimo, recorded their 2011 deployment to Sangin District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on this unclassified battalion operations map, which covers April 11 to October 13, 2011 and is offered here as a museum-quality reproduction. It was made by the unit, about its own deployment. Every base and patrol base the battalion held is listed by name. A Marine who served there can find the position he lived on and the ground he patrolled.

Historical Context

Sangin lies on the Helmand River in northern Helmand Province. U.S. Marines took over the district from British forces in September 2010. The map records that Geronimo took control of Sangin District on April 11, 2011 and handed it over on October 13, 2011, during the rotation the Marine Corps numbered Operation Enduring Freedom 11.1. The battalion worked from forward operating bases, combat outposts and patrol bases spread through the Green Zone, the irrigated farmland along the river, and the desert to the east.

The Map's Features

The sheet is titled "Geronimo OEF 11.1, Sangin, Afghanistan" and carries the motto "Make Peace or Die." A Task Organization chart in the upper left shows the companies and their attached engineer and explosive ordnance disposal teams in standard unit symbols. A table headed "Geronimo Positions" lists each position by company, among them FOB Sabit Qadam, FOB Nolay, FOB Shamsher and PB Wishtan. On the map itself, blue squares mark friendly positions and starbursts mark enemy attacks and engagements, with dated notes such as "5–8 June: Operation Steel Snare." Two inset maps locate Sangin within Helmand Province and Afghanistan.

Historical Significance

Most maps of a war are drawn by a higher headquarters or by historians afterward. This one was drawn by the battalion that held the ground, and it names the places as the Marines knew them. It sets down six months of one unit's war on a single sheet: where each company lived, where it was attacked and when the district changed hands. For the Marines of that deployment and their families, it is a record of where they served.

Framing Options

This map is available unframed or professionally framed and ready to hang. Our framing partner uses museum-quality materials to protect and present your map for long-term display. Choose from a classic Black frame or a warm Walnut Brown frame — both available with your order. Please allow 3–4 weeks for delivery on framed orders.

Museum-Quality Reproduction

This is a high-quality reproduction of the original historic map, professionally printed on premium archival paper using the Giclée printing process to preserve fine cartographic detail, line clarity, and period authenticity for long-term display.

Perfect For

Marines who served in Sangin and Helmand Province
Families of Afghanistan veterans
Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom
Collectors and students of modern military history
Home offices, libraries and studies

Specifications

Depicts: Positions, task organization and operations of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines in Sangin District, Helmand Province, April 11 – October 13, 2011
Conflict: War in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom
Original Publication: 2011 (records events through October 13, 2011)
Publisher: 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, U.S. Marine Corps
Style: Unclassified battalion operations map with task organization chart and position list
Product Type: Giclée reproduction on premium archival paper
Printed In: Rochester Hills, Michigan

Dimensions (Width x Height): 20 x 20.1 inches (50.8 x 51.1 cm)

Each map is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your map will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclée printing method on premium archival paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable map perfect for proud display in your home or office.