Choe, Florence Bacong
Female
Verified U.S. Navy Lieutenant Florence Bacong Choe, 35, of El Cajon, California, was killed in a hostile incident in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, on March 27, 2009.
Their Story
Florence Bacong Choe was a 35-year-old Lieutenant in the United States Navy. A native of El Cajon, California, she was assigned to the Afghanistan Regional Security Integration Command-North (ARSIC-North), also known as Task Force Phoenix, which was responsible for training Afghan security forces. Her service included deployments to the Philippines and the Horn of Africa prior to her assignment in Afghanistan.
On March 27, 2009, Lieutenant Choe was killed at a base in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. According to U.S. military reports, an Afghan National Army soldier turned his weapon on coalition personnel. The incident resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members, including Choe, and wounded two others before the shooter was killed.
Her death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The operation's primary objectives, as stated by the U.S. government, were to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime from power. By 2009, the conflict had evolved into a protracted counterinsurgency and nation-building effort.
Lieutenant Choe's body was returned to the United States. She was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. A memorial service was held at Naval Base San Diego, and her name is inscribed on the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.
She is remembered by colleagues as a dedicated officer. Her name is listed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Museum of the Forgotten Warriors in California. A scholarship fund was reportedly established in her memory at her alma mater, the University of California, San Diego.
Explore Further
Florence Bacong Choe 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.
