Calhoun, Marvin Ray Jr
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant Marvin Ray Calhoun Jr., 23, of Elkhart, Indiana, died on September 21, 2010, in Qalat, Afghanistan, while serving with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade.
Their Story
Marvin Ray Calhoun Jr. was a 23-year-old sergeant from Elkhart, Indiana. He served in Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Before his deployment to Afghanistan, his service reportedly included assignments in the Philippines and the Horn of Africa.
On September 21, 2010, Sergeant Calhoun was killed in action in Qalat, the capital of Zabul province in southern Afghanistan. The Department of Defense stated he died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. He was one of two U.S. soldiers killed in Zabul province that day.
Calhoun's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. His unit was part of a significant troop surge ordered in late 2009, which saw intense fighting in Taliban strongholds in southern and eastern provinces like Zabul.
His body was returned to the United States, and he was buried at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart. The Elkhart Truth reported on his funeral, noting his family remembered him as a dedicated soldier who loved his country.
Sergeant Calhoun is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the University of Notre Dame and on online veterans' memorials. His name is inscribed on Panel 10R, Line 110 of the Afghanistan Conflict Memorial Wall at the National Infantry Museum.
Explore Further
Sgt. Calhoun 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.
