Bernard, Joshua Matthew
Male
Verified Lance Cpl. Joshua Matthew Bernard, 21, of New Portland, Maine, was a U.S. Marine killed in a hostile incident in Bastion, Afghanistan, on August 14, 2009.
Their Story
Joshua Matthew Bernard was born on March 1, 1988, in New Portland, Maine. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was assigned as a rifleman to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2009 as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
On August 14, 2009, Bernard was on foot patrol in the village of Dahaneh in Helmand province, an area under Taliban control. According to military reports, his patrol was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired by insurgent forces. Bernard sustained severe leg injuries from the blast. He was evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility at Camp Bastion, where he later died from his wounds. A Department of Defense news release confirmed his death.
Bernard's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In the summer of 2009, U.S. and allied forces were engaged in a major offensive, Operation Khanjar, to clear Taliban strongholds in Helmand province. The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines was part of this push into the volatile Helmand River Valley.
Bernard's death became the subject of significant public attention in September 2009 when The Associated Press published a photograph of him gravely wounded on the battlefield, taken by embedded journalist Julie Jacobson. The AP distributed the image after a delay and over the objections of the Bernard family and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who argued it was disrespectful. The decision sparked a national debate on media ethics in war coverage.
Joshua Bernard was posthumously promoted to the rank of lance corporal. He is remembered by his family and community in Maine. His father, a former Marine, stated his son believed in the mission and wanted to be a Marine since childhood.
Explore Further
Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard 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.
