Guerra, Raul Madrigal

Raul Madrigal Guerra was a 37-year-old Staff Sergeant from Union City, New Jersey. He served with Company B, 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. His unit specialized in collecting and analyzing intelligence to support combat operations in Afghanistan.

On July 4, 2012, Guerra was killed by enemy small-arms fire in the Dand district of Kandahar province, according to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports. The incident occurred during a period of intense fighting in the region, a traditional Taliban stronghold. No further specifics of the engagement were publicly released by the military.

Guerra'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. The war aimed to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power. By 2012, the conflict was in its eleventh year, with a major focus on counterinsurgency operations in southern provinces like Kandahar.

His death was reported by several New Jersey and military news outlets. Guerra was survived by his wife and children. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart, according to an Army press release from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Staff Sergeant Guerra is memorialized on the Afghanistan War casualty lists and by veterans' organizations. His name is among the 2,356 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom, as tallied by the Department of Defense.

Staff Sergeant Guerra 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.

← Return to the full memorial | Add a memorial record