Mills, Eugene Clifton Iii
Male
Verified Lance Cpl. Eugene Clifton Mills III, 21, of Laurel, Maryland, was a U.S. Marine killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on June 22, 2012.
Their Story
Eugene Clifton Mills III was a 21-year-old from Laurel, Maryland. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was assigned as a rifleman to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
On June 22, 2012, Lance Cpl. Mills was on patrol in the volatile Helmand province of southern Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, he was killed by enemy small arms fire during a dismounted operation in the Now Zad district.
Mills was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By mid-2012, Helmand province was a focal point of intense fighting between coalition forces and Taliban insurgents, with Now Zad being a historically contested district.
His death was reported by several national and local news outlets. The Marine Corps released a statement confirming his death, and his family in Maryland was notified. A funeral service was held in his hometown.
Lance Cpl. Mills was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. He is remembered on memorials at Camp Lejeune and by veterans' groups. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Maryland.
Explore Further
Lance Cpl. Mills 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.
