We remember these heroes who gave their lives for freedoms cause and honor the families they left behind.
January 2019 Heroes
These heroes died Jan. 16, 2019, in Manbij, Syria, as a result of wounds sustained from a suicide improvised explosive device. They were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer, 37, of Boynton Beach, Florida. Farmer was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon M. Kent, 35, of upstate New York. Kent was assigned to Cryptologic Warfare Activity 66, based at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
DOD civilian Scott A. Wirtz of St. Louis, Missouri. Wirtz was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency as an operations support specialist. He was a former US Navy SEAL, and was an intelligence expert in Syria with the troops hoping to collect information about security and adversaries in the area.
Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock, 26, of Spearman, TX, died Jan. 17, 2019, in Landstuhl, Germany, as a result of injuries sustained from small arms fire during combat operations on Jan. 13, 2019, in Jawand District, Badghis Province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA.
April 2019 Heroes
Cpl. Robert A. Hendriks, 25, of Locust Valley, NY died April 8 while conducting combat operations in Parwan province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Resolute Support. He was assigned to 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.
Sgt. Benjamin S. Hines, 31, of York, PA died April 8 while conducting combat operations in Parwan province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Resolute Support. He was assigned to 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.
Staff Sgt. Christopher K.A. Slutman, 43, of Newark, DE died April 8 while conducting combat operations in Parwan province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Resolute Support. He was assigned to 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.
Staff Sgt. Albert J. Miller, 24, of Richmond, NH, died April 19 at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in a non-combat-related incident. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to the 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, DE.
Spc. Ryan Dennis Orin Riley, 22, from Richmond, KY, died April 20, 2019 in Ninawa Province, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY.
Spc. Michael T. Osorio, 20, from Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, died April 23, 2019, in Taji, Iraq, in a non combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.
Pfc. Michael A. Thomason, 28, from Lincoln Park, MI, died April 29, 2019, in Kobani, Syria, of wounds sustained from a non-combat incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY.
June 2019 Heroes
Master Sgt. Micheal B. Riley, 32, of Heilbronn, Germany, died June 25, 2019, in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, CO.
Sgt. James G. Johnston, 24, of Trumansburg, NY, died June 25, 2019, in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 79th Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 71st Ordnance Group, Fort Hood, TX.
Sgt. 1st Class. Elliott J. Robbins, 31, from Ogden, UT, died June 30, 2019, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Hes was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, CO.
July 2019 Heroes
Sgt. Maj. James G. Sartor, 40, of Teague, TX, died July 13, 2019, in Faryab Province, Afghanistan, as a result of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire during combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, CO.
Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Slayton Saldana, 24, had been listed Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) following a July 17 non-combat, man overboard incident while underway onboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea. He was was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, part of Carrier Air Wing 7, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.
Sgt. William Edward Friese, 30, from Rockport, WV, died July 18, 2019 in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, from a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 821st Engineer Company, 1092nd, Engineer Battalion, 111th Engineer Brigade, Summersville, WV.
Pfc. Brandon Jay Kreischer, 20, of Stryker, OH died July 29, 2019, in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained in a combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Spc. Michael Isaiah Nance, 24, of Chicago, IL, died July 29, 2019, in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained in a combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
August 2019 Heroes
Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, of Mancos, CO, died August 10, 2019, after being engaged by enemy small arms fire while conducting combat operations. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, NC.
Specialist Clayton James Horne, 23, of Atlanta, LA died August 17, 2019 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as a result of wounds sustained by a noncombat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 351st Military Police Company, 160th Military Police Battalion, Ocala, FL.
Master Sgt Luis F. DeLeon-Figueroa, 31, of Chicopee, MA, died August 21, 2019 in Faryab Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, FL.
Master Sgt Jose J. Gonzalez, 35, of La Puente, CA, died August 21, 2019 in Faryab Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, FL.
Sgt. 1st Class Dustin B. Ard, 31, from Hyde Park, UT, died Aug. 29, 2019, as a result of wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA.
September 2019 Heroes
Sgt. 1st Class Elis A. Barreto Ortiz, 34, from Morovis, Puerto Rico, was killed in action Sept. 5, 2019, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy W. Griffin, 40, from Greenbrier, TN, was killed in action Sept. 16, 2019, by small arms fire when his unit was engaged in combat operations in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA.
December 2019 Hero
Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Goble, 33, of Washington Township, NJ, died Dec. 23, 2019, as a result of injuries sustained while his unit was engaged in combat operations on Dec. 22, 2019, in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. He was was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, FL.