Seals, Joshua Michael
U.S. Army Specialist Joshua Michael Seals, 21, of Porter, Oklahoma, served with Company F, 700th Support Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard. He was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 16, 2011.
Their Story
Specialist Joshua Michael Seals was a 21-year-old soldier from the small town of Porter, Oklahoma. He served as a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, assigned to Company F, 700th Support Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in Tulsa.
Seals was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign that began in October 2001. He was stationed at Forward Operating Base Lightning in Paktia Province, a base used by U.S. and Afghan forces.
On August 16, 2011, Seals was killed by enemy small arms fire during a dismounted patrol near the base, according to U.S. Department of Defense casualty announcements. The incident occurred during a period of intense fighting in eastern Afghanistan.
His death was recorded among the 2,356 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom. The conflict concluded in December 2014, transitioning to the follow-on mission Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
Seals was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His name is inscribed on the Oklahoma Veterans Memorial.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. war in Afghanistan, concluded in December 2014 after 13 years of conflict. 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.
