Guillory, Michael James

Michael James Guillory was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, assigned to the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion (Forward), based at Camp Pendleton, California. A native of Pearl River, Louisiana, he was 28 years old at the time of his death. According to Marine Corps records, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.

On December 14, 2012, Guillory was killed during combat operations in the volatile Helmand province of southern Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced he died from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations. No further specifics regarding the engagement were publicly released.

His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By late 2012, the conflict was in its eleventh year, with intense fighting concentrated in provinces like Helmand, a Taliban stronghold and center of opium production. International forces were engaged in a strategy of counterinsurgency and training Afghan national security forces.

The Marine Corps confirmed his death in a press release. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal. His remains were returned to the United States, and he was buried with full military honors.

Sgt. Guillory is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Camp Pendleton and on online veterans' memorials. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan and Iraq War Memorial in his home state of Louisiana.

Sgt. Guillory 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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