Griffith, Samuel Mark
Male
Verified Maj. Samuel Mark Griffith, 36, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, was a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer. He died in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 14, 2011.
Their Story
Samuel Mark Griffith grew up in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He served as a major in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, assigned to the 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), part of the II Marine Expeditionary Force headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida.
On December 14, 2011, Griffith was killed while conducting operations in the volatile Helmand province of southern Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, his death was the result of hostile action. He was 36 years old.
Griffith's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the 9/11 attacks. By late 2011, the conflict was in its tenth year, with intense counterinsurgency operations focused on provinces like Helmand.
His death was recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System on the day he died. The Marine Corps released a statement confirming his death and his unit assignment.
Griffith is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Marine Corps Museum and on online veterans' memorials. His name is listed on the roster of U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan in 2011.
Explore Further
Maj. Griffith 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.
