Schmidt, Jonathan Philip
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Jonathan Philip Schmidt, 28, of Petersburg, Virginia, was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician assigned to the 767th Ordnance Company, 192nd Ordnance Battalion, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He died in Batur Villa
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Jonathan P. Schmidt served in the U.S. Army as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist, a role dedicated to the identification and neutralization of improvised explosive devices, unexploded ordnance, and other hazardous materials. His unit, the 767th Ordnance Company (EOD), was part of the 20th Support Command (CBRNE), which provides specialized chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive response capabilities. Prior to his deployment to Afghanistan, Schmidt's service reportedly included assignments in the Philippines and the Horn of Africa.
In 2012, Schmidt was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. By that year, the conflict had entered a phase characterized by sustained counterinsurgency operations and a focus on training Afghan security forces. EOD teams were among the most frequently deployed units, responding to threats that constituted a leading cause of casualties for coalition forces.
On September 1, 2012, Schmidt was killed in Batur Village, located in the eastern province of Paktia, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced that he died of wounds suffered from enemy small-arms fire. No further details of the specific engagement were released in initial reports. His death occurred during a period of intensified fighting in the country's eastern regions.
Schmidt was 28 years old at the time of his death. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He is remembered on memorial walls dedicated to EOD technicians and among the more than 2,300 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom. The conflict formally concluded in December 2014, transitioning to the follow-on Operation Resolute Support.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led conflict in Afghanistan in which Schmidt served, began in October 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.
