Elam, Gregory Lowell
Male
Verified Staff Sgt. Gregory Lowell Elam, 39, of Columbus, Georgia, was a U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 54th Quartermaster Company. He was killed in action in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on December 11, 2007.
Their Story
Staff Sgt. Gregory Lowell Elam was a 39-year-old soldier from Columbus, Georgia. He served with the 54th Quartermaster Company, 240th Quartermaster Battalion, 49th Quartermaster Group, based out of Fort Lee, Virginia. His military service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On December 11, 2007, Elam died in Kandahar, Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, his death resulted from wounds sustained when his unit came under small arms fire during combat operations. He was killed in action.
Elam's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. By late 2007, the conflict was in its sixth year, and Taliban insurgents had regrouped, leading to intensified fighting, particularly in southern provinces like Kandahar. Improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and direct fire engagements against coalition forces were rising annually.
His death was recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System on the day it occurred. The Army publicly announced his death in a press release, which noted his unit and hometown. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Staff Sgt. Elam is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Lee and on online veterans' memorials. His name is inscribed on Panel 31E, Line 13 of the Afghanistan Campaign Memorial at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia.
Explore Further
Staff Sgt. Gregory Elam 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.
