Smith, Aaron Michael
Male
Verified Sgt. Aaron Michael Smith, 25, of Manhattan, Kansas, was a U.S. Army infantryman serving with Task Force Spartan in Afghanistan. He died on October 2, 2009, in Wardak province.
Their Story
Aaron Michael Smith was a 25-year-old sergeant from Manhattan, Kansas, serving with the United States Army. He was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, part of the 10th Mountain Division's Task Force Spartan, operating under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
On October 2, 2009, Sgt. Smith was killed in Wardak province, a region south of Kabul known for insurgent activity. The Department of Defense announced his death days later, stating he died of wounds sustained from hostile enemy action.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By late 2009, the conflict was marked by a significant increase in U.S. troop levels and intense fighting in provinces like Wardak.
Sgt. Smith was one of 317 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan in 2009, according to Defense Department casualty data. His unit, the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, had been deployed to Afghanistan in early 2009 as part of a brigade combat team tasked with training Afghan forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations.
The conflict in which he served, Operation Enduring Freedom, concluded in December 2014, transitioning to the follow-on mission, Operation Freedom's Sentinel. His death is documented on official memorial rolls and in news archives from that period.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in which Sgt. Smith served, 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.
