Retzer, Thomas Eugene
Male
Verified Petty Officer First Class Thomas Eugene Retzer, a 30-year-old U.S. Navy sailor from San Diego, California, died in a hostile incident at Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan, on June 26, 2003.
Their Story
Petty Officer First Class Thomas Eugene Retzer was a member of the United States Navy, assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) based at Dam Neck, Virginia. He was 30 years old and a resident of San Diego, California.
According to U.S. Department of Defense records, Retzer died on June 26, 2003, at Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan. The official casualty report lists the cause as hostile action. No further specifics regarding the nature of the incident were publicly released by the Navy.
Retzer's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By mid-2003, major combat operations had shifted to a counterinsurgency phase against a regrouping Taliban and other militant forces, with bases like Bagram serving as central hubs for U.S. and coalition operations.
The Navy announced his death in a press release. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal. Public records indicate he is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
His name is listed on the Navy Memorial and on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Museum of the Forgotten Warriors in California. He is remembered among the service members killed during the early years of the Afghanistan campaign.
Explore Further
PO1 Thomas Retzer 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.
