Roughton, Andrew Jay

Andrew Jay Roughton was a 21-year-old soldier from Houston, Texas, serving as a Specialist in the U.S. Army. He was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Drum, New York. His unit was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001.

On July 20, 2009, Specialist Roughton was killed in the Maydan Shahr District of Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced his death the following day, stating he died of wounds sustained from hostile fire. The district, southwest of Kabul, was an area of significant insurgent activity at the time.

Roughton's death occurred during a period of intensified U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. In early 2009, U.S. troop levels were increased, with forces focusing on counterinsurgency efforts in provinces surrounding the capital. His unit, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, was deployed to Regional Command East, which included Wardak Province.

He was one of 48 American service members killed in Afghanistan in July 2009, according to Defense Department casualty records. That month was among the deadliest for U.S. forces since the conflict began, reflecting the heightened tempo of combat operations.

Specialist Roughton's death is documented in the official records of Operation Enduring Freedom casualties maintained by the Department of Defense. His name appears on memorials honoring those who died during the conflict, which formally concluded in December 2014.

Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan, began in 2001 and 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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