Baltazar, Christopher Shawn Jr
Male
Verified Lance Cpl. Christopher Shawn Baltazar Jr., 19, of San Antonio, Texas, was a U.S. Marine killed in a hostile incident in Qal Yeh Now, Afghanistan, on September 3, 2009.
Their Story
Christopher Shawn Baltazar Jr. was a 19-year-old Marine from San Antonio, Texas. He served as a Lance Corporal with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan.
According to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports, Baltazar died on September 3, 2009, from wounds sustained during hostile action in Qal Yeh Now, located in Afghanistan's Farah province. The Marine Corps stated he was supporting combat operations in the region at the time of his death.
Baltazar's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The conflict involved coalition forces, the Afghan government, and insurgent groups, including the Taliban, across multiple provinces.
His death was reported by several news outlets, including the San Antonio Express-News, which noted his local ties. The Marine Corps released a statement confirming his death and extending condolences to his family and fellow Marines.
Baltazar was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the University of Texas at San Antonio and on the online 'Faces of the Fallen' casualty database maintained by The Washington Post.
Explore Further
Lance Cpl. Baltazar 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.
