Hays, Nathan Paul
Male
Verified Sgt. Nathan Paul Hays, 21, of Wilbur, Washington, was a U.S. Marine with VMGR-352. He was killed in action in Shamsi, Pakistan, on January 9, 2002.
Their Story
Nathan Paul Hays was a 21-year-old sergeant from Wilbur, Washington, serving with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352), part of Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. According to unit records, his service in the early phase of Operation Enduring Freedom included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
Hays died on January 9, 2002, in a nighttime crash of a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 Hercules aircraft near the remote Shamsi airfield in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The aircraft, carrying seven U.S. military personnel, reportedly crashed shortly after takeoff while on a refueling mission in support of combat operations in neighboring Afghanistan. All seven service members aboard were killed.
His death occurred during the initial, high-tempo phase of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign launched in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. In early 2002, U.S. and allied forces were engaged in extensive air operations and ground missions against Taliban and al-Qaeda remnants, often relying on forward logistics bases in Pakistan.
The crash prompted an immediate recovery operation and investigation by U.S. authorities. The Department of Defense released the names of the seven Marines killed. Hays was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal. Public records indicate he was buried in his home state of Washington.
Sgt. Hays is memorialized on the Afghanistan and Iraq War Memorial at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis, Washington, and his name is included on online registries honoring U.S. service members killed in the Global War on Terrorism. He was one of the first U.S. casualties to die in Pakistan directly supporting operations in Afghanistan.
Explore Further
Sgt. Nathan Hays 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.
