Milliken, Kyle Jeffrey
Male
Verified Chief Petty Officer Kyle Jeffrey Milliken, 38, of Storrs, Connecticut, was a U.S. Navy SEAL assigned to Naval Special Warfare Tactical Development Squadron Five. He was killed in a raid against al-Shabaab militants in Somalia on May 5, 2017
Their Story
Kyle Jeffrey Milliken, a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, was a member of the elite Naval Special Warfare community, commonly known as the SEALs. He was assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Tactical Development Squadron Five (SEAL Team Five) and had served for over 15 years, with deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa. Milliken was from Storrs, Connecticut, and was 38 years old at the time of his death.
On the night of May 4-5, 2017, Milliken was part of a joint U.S.-Somali military operation approximately 40 miles west of Mogadishu, Somalia. According to U.S. Africa Command, the mission was an advise-and-assist operation targeting al-Shabaab militants. During the raid, U.S. forces came under direct small arms fire. Milliken was reportedly killed by gunfire from an al-Shabaab fighter. He was the first U.S. service member killed in action in Somalia since the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.
Milliken's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA), a component of the broader Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) counter-terrorism campaign. While the OEF mission in Afghanistan concluded in December 2014, U.S. military operations against al-Qaeda and associated groups, including al-Shabaab, continued under separate authorities in other regions like Somalia.
The Pentagon confirmed Milliken's death on May 5, 2017. U.S. Africa Command stated the operation was intended to degrade the al-Shabaab network and that Milliken's death was under investigation. His body was repatriated to the United States. Fellow service members described him as a dedicated leader and a consummate professional.
Chief Petty Officer Milliken was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with combat 'V' for valor. His name is inscribed on the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum's memorial wall in Fort Pierce, Florida, honoring fallen SEALs. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Explore Further
Chief Petty Officer Kyle Milliken was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
