Murach, Thomas Paige
Male
Verified U.S. Army Specialist Thomas Paige Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho, was killed in a hostile incident in Maiwand, Afghanistan, on May 4, 2013.
Their Story
Thomas Paige Murach was a 22-year-old soldier from Meridian, Idaho. He served as a Specialist (SPC) in the U.S. Army, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Bliss, Texas.
On May 4, 2013, Specialist Murach was killed in Maiwand District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, his death resulted from a hostile incident involving an improvised explosive device (IED). He was one of two U.S. soldiers killed in the attack.
Murach died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2013, the mission was in a period of transition, with U.S. and NATO forces focused on training Afghan security forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations, particularly in volatile southern provinces like Kandahar.
Following his death, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, confirmed the losses. Murach's body was returned to the United States, and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and other service medals.
He is memorialized on the 1st Armored Division's 'Fallen Soldier' page and at the Fort Bliss memorial. His name is included on the Idaho Fallen Soldiers Memorial in Meridian.
Explore Further
Thomas Murach 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.
