Harris, Joshua Thomas
Male
Verified Petty Officer First Class Joshua Thomas Harris, 36, of Lexington, North Carolina, was a U.S. Navy sailor serving with Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron Two. He was killed in action in Bagram, Afghanistan, on August 31, 2008.
Their Story
Joshua Thomas Harris was a 36-year-old Petty Officer First Class from Lexington, North Carolina. He served in the U.S. Navy with Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron Two (TAC D&E SQDN TWO), a unit involved in testing and evaluating special warfare equipment and tactics. His service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa as part of the U.S. global counterterrorism effort.
On August 31, 2008, Harris died in Bagram, Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was killed in action. The specific details of the incident that led to his death were not publicly released in detail, but his casualty was recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System on that date.
Harris died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. By 2008, the conflict was in a phase characterized by a resurgent Taliban and an increasing reliance on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and asymmetric attacks. Bagram Airfield, a major coalition base, was a frequent target for insurgent rocket and mortar attacks, though combat operations also extended into the surrounding provinces.
His death was announced by the Department of Defense. He was survived by his family in North Carolina. Harris was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal.
Harris is memorialized on the Navy Memorial and on casualty lists honoring those who died in Operation Enduring Freedom. His name is included on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Museum of the Forgotten Warriors in California.
Explore Further
Harris was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict in Afghanistan 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.
