Ortiz Rivera, Javier Orlando
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Javier Orlando Ortiz Rivera, 26, of Rochester, New York, was a U.S. Marine killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on November 16, 2010.
Their Story
Javier Orlando Ortiz Rivera was born on March 18, 1984, in Rochester, New York. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a Staff Sergeant with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
On November 16, 2010, Staff Sergeant Ortiz Rivera was killed by hostile fire in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. He was conducting combat operations in the volatile Sangin district, a region that saw intense fighting during the war.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In late 2010, U.S. forces, particularly Marines in Helmand, were engaged in a major troop surge aimed at securing population centers from Taliban influence.
The Department of Defense officially announced his death on November 18, 2010. He was survived by his wife, parents, and siblings. A funeral service with full military honors was held in Rochester.
Staff Sergeant Ortiz Rivera was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Rochester Veterans Memorial and on the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines memorial at Camp Lejeune.
Explore Further
Staff Sergeant Ortiz Rivera 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.
