Ortega, William F

Hospital Corpsman William F. Ortega was a 23-year-old sailor from Miami, Florida. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, a unit that embeds Navy medical personnel with Marine Corps combat units.

On June 18, 2010, Ortega was killed in Garmsir district, Helmand province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense stated his death was the result of hostile action. At the time, Garmsir was a contested area where U.S. Marines were engaged in clearing operations against Taliban insurgents.

Ortega's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2010, the conflict was in its ninth year, and a surge of U.S. forces was underway to secure population centers in southern provinces like Helmand.

His death was publicly announced by the Department of Defense. Ortega was posthumously promoted to the rank of Hospital Corpsman Third Class. He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Veterans Park Freedom Wall in Miami.

Ortega is remembered as a medic who served alongside Marines in a frontline combat role. His name is inscribed on the Miami war memorial and on the Navy Memorial's registry of the fallen.

William F. Ortega 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.

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