Cleaver, John James
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant John James Cleaver, 36, of Marysville, Washington, was killed on November 19, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Lagman in Afghanistan.
Their Story
John James Cleaver was a 36-year-old Staff Sergeant from Marysville, Washington. He served in the U.S. Army with E Company, 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, a unit responsible for logistics and maintenance.
Cleaver died on November 19, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Lagman in Zabul province, southern Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, his death was the result of a hostile incident, though the precise details of the attack were not widely detailed in public reporting.
He was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By late 2009, the conflict was intensifying, with insurgent forces increasingly targeting coalition personnel and installations. The year 2009 saw a significant increase in U.S. troop levels and combat casualties.
Cleaver's death was reported by local media in Washington state. He was one of at least five U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan on or around that date, according to casualty lists from November 2009.
He is remembered on memorial walls in his home state and is listed among the more than 2,300 American service members who died during the Afghanistan war. His name appears on the Lakewood Memorial in Washington.
Explore Further
SSG John Cleaver 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.