Pressley, Cheizray Lashawn
Male
Verified Private First Class Cheizray Lashawn Pressley, 21, of North Charleston, South Carolina, was killed in hostile action on May 16, 2011, in Qalat, Afghanistan, while serving with the U.S. Army.
Their Story
Cheizray Lashawn Pressley was a 21-year-old soldier from North Charleston, South Carolina. He served as a Private First Class with the 73rd Engineer Company, Brigade Troops Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. According to the Department of Defense, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On May 16, 2011, Pressley died in Qalat, the capital of Zabul province in southern Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced that his death was the result of hostile action, though the specific incident was not detailed in initial releases. He was reportedly killed by an improvised explosive device, according to subsequent casualty lists and military records.
Pressley's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. In 2011, the war was in its tenth year, with U.S. and allied forces engaged in counterinsurgency operations, particularly in the country's southern and eastern regions where IEDs were a leading cause of casualties.
The Department of Defense formally announced Pressley's death on May 17, 2011. His body was returned to the United States, and he was buried with military honors. His death was reported by local media in South Carolina, noting his roots in the North Charleston community.
Pressley is memorialized on the Afghanistan War casualty lists maintained by the Department of Defense and on several online veterans' memorial sites. His name is inscribed on the South Carolina Fallen Heroes Memorial in Columbia, which honors the state's service members killed in the Global War on Terror.
Explore Further
Cheizray Pressley 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.
