Castiglione, Benjamin Phillip
Male
Verified Hospitalman Benjamin Phillip Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Michigan, was a U.S. Navy corpsman serving with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He was killed in Qal Yeh Now, Afghanistan, on September 3, 2009.
Their Story
Benjamin Phillip Castiglione was a 21-year-old sailor from Howell, Michigan, who served as a Hospitalman (HN) in the United States Navy. He was assigned as a corpsman to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan (2D LAR, MEB-A), a unit providing medical support to Marines in combat.
On September 3, 2009, Castiglione was killed by hostile fire in the village of Qal Yeh Now, located in Afghanistan's Farah province. According to military reports, he was fatally wounded during a firefight while on a dismounted patrol with his Marine unit.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In 2009, U.S. and allied forces were engaged in intense counterinsurgency operations, particularly in southern and western provinces like Farah, against Taliban and other insurgent forces.
The Department of Defense announced his death on September 5, 2009. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon. His remains were returned to Michigan, where he was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Howell.
Castiglione is remembered by his community and fellow service members. In 2010, a memorial motorcycle ride was held in his honor in Livingston County, Michigan, to raise funds for a scholarship in his name.
Explore Further
Hospitalman Castiglione 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.
