Benitez, Carlos Alonzo
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Carlos Alonzo Benitez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, was a U.S. Army cavalry scout. He was killed in action on October 14, 2010, in Route Opel, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Carlos Alonzo Benitez was a 24-year-old soldier from Carrollton, Texas. He served as a cavalry scout with Charlie Troop, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, part of Task Force Raider.
On October 14, 2010, Benitez died in the village of Route Opel, located in the volatile Arghandab District of Kandahar Province. According to U.S. Department of Defense records, his death was the result of hostile action. Specific details of the engagement were not publicly released, but the area was a known insurgent stronghold.
Benitez's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. His unit was deployed as part of a major troop surge ordered in late 2009, which focused on clearing Taliban sanctuaries in southern Afghanistan, particularly around Kandahar.
Following his death, Benitez was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His remains were returned to Texas, where he was buried at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen. The Department of Defense casualty announcement was the primary public notification.
He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Texas Capitol and on online veterans' memorials. His name is included on the roster of fallen soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division.
Explore Further
Staff Sergeant Benitez 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.
