Charles, Shawn Patrick

Captain Shawn Patrick Charles was a 40-year-old U.S. Army officer from Hickory, North Carolina. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Charles died on October 23, 2011, in San Antonio, Texas. He was reportedly killed in action, though the specific combat incident that led to his death was not detailed in initial public casualty reports. His death was announced as a combat-related fatality.

Operation New Dawn was the final phase of the U.S. military mission in Iraq, succeeding Operation Iraqi Freedom. It began on September 1, 2010, and focused on advising and assisting Iraqi security forces. The period saw a significant reduction in U.S. troop levels, but combat operations and casualties continued until the final withdrawal.

Charles's death was reported by multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press and local newspapers in North Carolina and Texas. The Army confirmed his death in a press release, and his name was added to the official casualty lists for the Iraq War.

Captain Charles is memorialized on the Iraq War casualty roster maintained by the Department of Defense. His unit, the 8th Cavalry Regiment, has a history dating to the 19th century, with service in multiple conflicts including the Iraq War.

Captain Charles was killed during Operation New Dawn (2010?2011). The conflict concluded in December 2011 with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Jenkins, Phillip Chad, Mcclamrock, James Fleet, Hansen, James Arthur, Burner, John Franklin Iii.

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