Gonzalez, Jose Juan

Master Sergeant Jose Juan Gonzalez was a senior non-commissioned officer assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He was from La Puente, California, and was 35 years old at the time of his death.

Gonzalez died on August 21, 2019, in Qara Ghoqli Village, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. According to U.S. military statements, his death resulted from injuries sustained during combat operations. The Department of Defense confirmed his death was due to hostile action.

His death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS), the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2015. OFS focused on counterterrorism and training Afghan forces. By 2019, U.S. troop levels were reduced but combat deaths continued, particularly in provinces like Nangarhar where Islamic State affiliates were active.

The Pentagon announced Gonzalez's death two days after the incident. He was posthumously promoted from Sergeant First Class to Master Sergeant. His awards included the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart, according to official releases.

Gonzalez was one of 105 American service members killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel. He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War casualty lists maintained by the Department of Defense and independent archives.

MSG Gonzalez was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since January 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael, Ruiz, Pablo Allende Iii.

← Return to the full memorial | Add a memorial record