A year without combat deaths: This Memorial Day, military fatalities overseas were the fewest since 9/11 – By Harm Venhuizen (Military Times) / May 30 2021
As the United States winds down its commitment of troops to Afghanistan and decreases deployments to Iraq, the number of those who have died in service to the country overseas has reached its lowest level since the initial military response to 9/11.
In the year since Memorial Day, 2020, 18 U.S. service members have died while supporting overseas operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, and NATO’s Kosovo Force. In 2001, 11 servicemembers died, but by 2003, numbers had soared to more than 500 deaths. The death toll peaked in 2007 at 1,020. And, as of May 27, there have been three deaths in 2021.
Eighteen service members have died in non-combat incidents in support of overseas operations since last Memorial Day. (Images courtesy DoD and social media)
None of the deaths were caused by hostile forces, and most were attributable to vehicle accidents. A U.S. servicemember has not been killed in action since March 11, 2020, when a rocket attack on Camp Taji in Iraq killed Army Spc. Juan Covarrubias and Air Force Staff Sgt. Marshal Roberts.
At 13 deaths, soldiers accounted for a majority of those killed overseas in the past year. Three airmen, one sailor and one Marine were also among those who died, according to Military Time’s “Honor the Fallen” database
