O'bryant, Matthew James
Petty Officer Third Class Matthew James O'Bryant, 22, of Duluth, Georgia, was a U.S. Navy sailor assigned to NSA/CSS at Fort Meade. He died in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 20, 2008.
Their Story
Matthew James O'Bryant was a 22-year-old Petty Officer Third Class from Duluth, Georgia. He served in the United States Navy and was assigned to the National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) at Fort Meade, Maryland. His role reportedly involved support for intelligence operations related to the global war on terror.
O'Bryant died in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 20, 2008. According to U.S. military records, his death was categorized as 'hostile.' He was one of at least two American service members killed in the Pakistani capital that day. The circumstances, as reported by news media at the time, involved a suicide vehicle bombing at the Marriott Hotel.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), the U.S.-led military campaign that began in Afghanistan in October 2001. By 2008, the conflict had expanded into a broader counterterrorism effort, with U.S. personnel operating in several countries, including Pakistan. The period saw a rise in insurgent attacks against both military and civilian targets.
The bombing at the Islamabad Marriott Hotel on September 20, 2008, killed at least 54 people and wounded over 250. The attack was one of the deadliest in Pakistan's history at that time. U.S. officials, including the ambassador, condemned the bombing, which reportedly targeted foreigners and government officials.
O'Bryant is memorialized on the NSA/CSS Memorial Wall at Fort Meade. His name is also recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System and on other memorials honoring U.S. service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Explore Further
Petty Officer O'Bryant 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.
