Thomason, Michael Anthony

Also known as: PFC, COMPANY B, 2ND BATTALION, 327TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1 IBCT, FORT CAMPBELL, KY

Combatant

Male Verified

DiedApril 29, 2019

Age28 years old

Location of DeathKOBANI, SYRIA

Cause of DeathNon-combat related incident during a combat operation (not due to enemy contact), per Department of Defense.

Conflict Operation Inherent Resolve

U.S. Army Private First Class Michael Anthony Thomason, 28, of Lincoln Park, Michigan, was killed in action in Kobani, Syria, on April 29, 2019, while serving with the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.

Their Story

Michael Anthony Thomason was a 28-year-old soldier from Lincoln Park, Michigan. He served as a Private First Class with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was deployed to Syria as part of the U.S. military contingent supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Thomason died on April 29, 2019, in Kobani, Syria. According to a Department of Defense statement, his death was the result of a non-combat related incident. The Pentagon later clarified that the incident occurred during a combat operation but was not due to enemy contact. No further operational details were released.

Operation Inherent Resolve is the U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. It began in August 2014. The mission in Syria, where Thomason was deployed, involved advising and assisting local partner forces. The city of Kobani, near the Turkish border, was the site of a major battle against ISIS in 2014-2015 and remained a strategic location for coalition operations.

The Department of Defense announced Thomason's death on May 1, 2019. His death was reported by several major news outlets, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, which noted he was the first American service member to die in Syria in 2019. The Army's investigation into the precise circumstances of the incident was not made public.

Thomason was posthumously promoted to the rank of Private First Class. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. His name is inscribed on the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Wall at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.