Clayton, Hilda Ivelis
Female
Verified U.S. Army Specialist Hilda Ivelis Clayton, 22, of Augusta, Georgia, was killed in action on July 2, 2013, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, while serving with the 55th Signal Company.
Their Story
Hilda Ivelis Clayton was a 22-year-old visual information specialist from Augusta, Georgia, who enlisted in the U.S. Army. She was assigned to the 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera), 114th Signal Battalion, 21st Signal Brigade, based at Fort Meade, Maryland. Her role involved documenting military operations through photography and videography.
On July 2, 2013, Clayton was conducting a live-fire training exercise with Afghan National Army soldiers at a range in the Jalalabad area of Nangarhar province. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, a mortar system malfunctioned during the training, causing an explosion. Clayton and four Afghan soldiers were killed in the incident.
Clayton died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The conflict involved coalition forces, the Afghan government, and insurgent groups, primarily the Taliban. By 2013, U.S. forces were heavily focused on training and advising Afghan security units as part of the transition plan.
The Army posthumously promoted Clayton to the rank of Specialist. Her death was reported by major news outlets, including The Washington Post and military publications like Stars and Stripes. She was remembered by her unit for her professionalism and dedication to her mission alongside Afghan partners.
Clayton is recognized as the first U.S. Army combat documentation and production specialist, or 'combat photographer,' killed in Afghanistan. The Army named an annual photography competition in her honor, and a military intelligence facility at Fort Meade was dedicated as Clayton Hall in 2014.
Explore Further
SPC Hilda Clayton 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.
