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Description
A girl sits on the floor in a church in Perquín, El Salvador, and lights a candle. Her grandfather sits on his knees and prays in front of a portrait of Jesus and other paintings and statues representing Catholic figures. Both of the child's parents are in mountains fighting with the guerrillas. The guerrillas had occupied the town on October 1982 but in the first couple of weeks of February 1983, Colonel Miguel Antonio Méndez and his Belloso Battalion retook town. The guerrillas assaulted the Belloso command post in Perquín on February 23 forcing Méndez and his battalion to retreat from Perquín. The Belloso Battalion formed in 1982 with training assistance of the United States. It was one of the most aggressive military units during the Civil War, its men were trained at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and was nicknamed the Gringo Battalion. Una niña se sienta en el suelo en una iglesia en Perquín, El Salvador, y enciende una vela. Su abuelo está de rodillas y reza frente a un retrato de Jesús, otras pinturas y estatuas que representan figuras católicas. Los padres de la niña están en las montañas luchando con los guerrilleros. Los guerrilleros habían ocupado la ciudad en octubre de 1982, pero en las primeras semanas de febrero de 1983, el coronel Miguel Antonio Méndez y su batallón Belloso retomaron la ciudad. Los guerrilleros asaltaron el puesto de mando del Belloso en Perquín el 23 de febrero, y forzaron el retiro de Méndez y su batallón de Perquín. El Batallón Belloso se formó en 1982 con la asistencia de entrenamiento de los Estados Unidos. Fue una de las unidades militares más agresivas durante la guerra civil, sus hombres fueron entrenados en Ft. Bragg; Carolina del Norte, y fue apodado el Batallón Gringo.
Civil War El Salvador Documentary photographs Children Catholic Church El Salvador--History--1979-1992 El Salvador--Politics and Government--1979-1992 El Salvador--Social Conditions Civilians in War
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