Petithory, Daniel Henery
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Daniel Henery Petithory, 32, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was killed in hostile action on December 5, 2001, in Khaneh Gerdab, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Daniel H. Petithory was a Special Forces communications sergeant assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. A native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he was 32 years old at the time of his death.
On December 5, 2001, Petithory was part of a team of U.S. Special Forces soldiers advising anti-Taliban Afghan forces near Khaneh Gerdab, a village in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province. According to U.S. military reports, the team's position came under heavy fire from Taliban fighters. Petithory was killed during this engagement.
His death occurred during the opening phase of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The operation aimed to dismantle the Taliban regime and target al-Qaeda following the September 11 attacks. The fighting in Kandahar in early December 2001 was part of the final major offensive to capture the Taliban's spiritual capital.
Petithory was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He was buried in Pittsfield Cemetery in his hometown. The U.S. Department of Defense officially announced his death on December 6, 2001.
In Pittsfield, a memorial park was later dedicated in his honor. He is remembered by his unit and community as a dedicated soldier. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War memorial at the Massachusetts State House.
Explore Further
Daniel Petithory 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.
