Finley, James Matthew

James Matthew Finley was a 21-year-old soldier from Lebanon, Missouri. He served as a Specialist in the U.S. Army, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was based in Bamberg, Germany.

On May 31, 2008, Finley was killed in Jalalabad, the capital of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, his death resulted from hostile action. No further operational details of the incident were publicly released.

Finley's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2008, the conflict was in a phase marked by a significant Taliban-led insurgency, particularly in eastern provinces like Nangarhar where Jalalabad is located.

His body was returned to the United States. A funeral service was held in his hometown of Lebanon, Missouri, where he was remembered by family and community members.

Finley's name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield. He is also listed on the Afghanistan and Iraq War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum in Georgia.

James Matthew Finley 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.

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