Babine, Travis Thornton
Male
Verified Lance Corporal Travis Thornton Babine, 20, of San Antonio, Texas, was a U.S. Marine with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. He was killed in hostile action in Farah Province, Afghanistan, on August 6, 2009.
Their Story
Travis Thornton Babine was a 20-year-old Marine from San Antonio, Texas. He served with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, which was part of the 3rd Marine Division based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. His unit, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2009 as part of a surge of U.S. forces into the country's volatile southern and western regions.
On August 6, 2009, Babine was killed during combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of Defense announced his death the following day, stating he died from wounds sustained while supporting combat operations. The announcement did not specify the exact incident, but his death was recorded as a result of hostile action. At the time, his battalion was engaged in counterinsurgency efforts across the province.
Babine's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By mid-2009, the conflict was in a period of intense fighting, with U.S. and NATO forces mounting major offensives to clear Taliban strongholds, particularly in the south. Farah Province, bordering Iran, was a known area of insurgent activity and a transit route for fighters and weapons.
His body was returned to the United States, and a funeral service was held in his hometown. The San Antonio Express-News reported on the service, noting his burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The Marine Corps posthumously awarded him the Purple Heart medal.
Lance Corporal Babine is remembered on memorial walls and in online tributes maintained by veteran groups. His name is inscribed on the 3rd Marine Division's memorial at Kaneohe Bay and is included in the Afghanistan War casualty databases maintained by organizations tracking the conflict's human cost.
Explore Further
Lance Corporal Travis Babine was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001?2014). The conflict 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.
