Benson, Darrik Carlyle
Male
Verified Chief Petty Officer Darrik Carlyle Benson, 28, of Angwin, California, was a U.S. Navy SEAL assigned to Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He was killed in Wardak province, Afghanistan, on August 6, 2011.
Their Story
Darrik Carlyle Benson was a 28-year-old Chief Petty Officer from Angwin, California, serving with the U.S. Navy's Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), commonly known as SEAL Team Six. His service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa as part of the broader Global War on Terrorism.
On August 6, 2011, Benson was killed in Wardak province, Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, he died of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire during a combat operation. The incident occurred in the Tangi Valley, a known insurgent stronghold.
Benson's death came during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2011, the conflict was in its tenth year, marked by a U.S. troop surge and intense counter-insurgency operations in eastern provinces like Wardak, where Taliban forces remained active.
The Pentagon announced Benson's death the following day. He was one of at least 30 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan that month, one of the deadliest periods of the war. His death was reported by major news outlets, including The New York Times and the Associated Press.
Benson was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. He is memorialized on the Navy SEAL Memorial at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Explore Further
Darrik Benson 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.
