Bryson, Stephen Lamon
Male
Verified Gunnery Sergeant Stephen Lamon Bryson, 36, of Montgomery, Alabama, was a U.S. Marine assigned to VMGR-352. He was killed in a refueling aircraft crash in Shamsi, Pakistan, on January 9, 2002.
Their Story
Gunnery Sergeant Stephen Lamon Bryson was a 36-year-old Marine from Montgomery, Alabama. He served with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352), part of Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. The squadron's primary mission was to provide aerial refueling and transport for combat aircraft.
On January 9, 2002, Bryson was one of seven U.S. Marines killed when their KC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from a remote desert airstrip at Shamsi Air Base in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The aircraft was on a support mission for Operation Enduring Freedom. According to U.S. military reports, there was no enemy fire at the time, and the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Bryson died during the opening months of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The crash occurred at a forward-deployed location used for logistical support, highlighting the extensive and often dangerous support operations required for combat missions far from main bases.
The crash was reported by major news outlets, including The New York Times and BBC News, on January 10, 2002. It was one of the first major losses of U.S. service members in Pakistan directly related to the Afghanistan conflict. The Marines were honored in a memorial service at their home base in California.
Gunnery Sergeant Bryson's name is inscribed on the Afghanistan Campaign Memorial at the National Museum of the Marine Corps and is listed on online veterans memorials. He is remembered by his squadron and community as a Marine who died while performing a critical support mission.
Explore Further
Gunnery Sergeant Bryson 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.
