De Alencar, Mark Rochetto
Male
Verified Staff Sgt. Mark Rochetto De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, Maryland, was a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier. He was killed by enemy small-arms fire during a combat operation in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, on April 8, 2017.
Their Story
Staff Sgt. Mark Rochetto De Alencar was a Green Beret assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The 37-year-old soldier was a native of Edgewood, Maryland, and had enlisted in the Army in 2009, deploying multiple times to Afghanistan.
De Alencar died on April 8, 2017, in the Achin district of Nangarhar Province, near the city of Jalalabad. According to U.S. military statements, he was fatally wounded by enemy small-arms fire during a partnered ground combat operation against Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) militants.
His death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. mission that succeeded the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in January 2015. The operation focused on counter-terrorism and advising Afghan forces, with Nangarhar Province being a significant battleground against the emergent ISIS-K affiliate.
The Department of Defense announced his death the following day. He was posthumously promoted from sergeant first class to staff sergeant. De Alencar was survived by his wife and five children.
De Alencar was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal. In 2018, a memorial fitness event, the 'De Alencar Memorial WOD,' was held at his home base to honor his service.
Explore Further
Staff Sgt. Mark De Alencar was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.
