Barrett, Robert John
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant Robert John Barrett, 20, of Fall River, Massachusetts, was killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 19, 2010.
Their Story
Robert John Barrett grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts, and enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard. He was assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, based in his hometown. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On April 19, 2010, Sergeant Barrett was killed in Kabul. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest near a convoy of U.S. and Afghan forces on Jalalabad Road, a main thoroughfare in the eastern part of the capital. The attack, which targeted a group of personnel traveling to a military training facility, killed five U.S. soldiers and wounded several others, including Afghan civilians.
Barrett's death occurred during a period of intensified U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. In late 2009, President Barack Obama ordered a surge of approximately 30,000 additional troops, aiming to reverse Taliban momentum and train Afghan security forces. The focus of the campaign included securing population centers like Kabul.
Following his death, Sergeant Barrett was posthumously promoted from Specialist to Sergeant. His body was returned to Massachusetts, and a funeral service was held in Fall River. The governor of Massachusetts ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in his honor.
Sergeant Barrett is memorialized on the Fall River Veterans Memorial Walkway. He was one of 2356 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Explore Further
Sgt. Robert Barrett 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.
