Shank, Michael Allen
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Michael Allen Shank, 31, of Bonham, Texas, was a U.S. Army military policeman serving with the 554th Military Police Company. He died in Logar Province, Afghanistan, on November 28, 2006.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Michael Allen Shank was killed in action on November 28, 2006, in Afghanistan's Logar Province. He was 31 years old and a member of the 554th Military Police Company, based in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Shank's death occurred during a period of escalating violence in Operation Enduring Freedom. By late 2006, the Taliban insurgency had regrouped, leading to a significant increase in attacks, particularly from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). U.S. and coalition casualty figures rose steadily throughout the year.
As a military policeman, Shank's duties in Afghanistan would have included force protection, police mentoring, and securing routes. These missions frequently exposed personnel to the threat of roadside bombs and ambushes in provinces like Logar, south of Kabul.
He was a native of Bonham, Texas. The Department of Defense announced his death on November 30, 2006. His loss was part of a year in which 98 U.S. service members died in Afghanistan, a figure that would more than double the following year.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led combat mission in Afghanistan, 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.
