Hershey, Brett Michael
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant Brett Michael Hershey, 23, of State College, Pennsylvania, died in a hostile incident in Kabul, Afghanistan, on March 26, 2005.
Their Story
Brett Michael Hershey was a 23-year-old sergeant from State College, Pennsylvania, serving with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) of the 76th Infantry Brigade, part of the 24th Infantry Division, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. His unit, part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On March 26, 2005, Sergeant Hershey was killed in a hostile action in Kabul, Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he died from injuries sustained when his military vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol.
Operation Enduring Freedom was the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The mission initially focused on dismantling al-Qaeda and removing the Taliban regime from power, later shifting to counterinsurgency and stability operations. Hershey's death occurred during this later phase of the conflict.
His death was reported by local and national news outlets, including the Centre Daily Times in his home state of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Army and the Pennsylvania National Guard publicly confirmed his death and expressed condolences to his family.
Sergeant Hershey is memorialized on the Pennsylvania National Guard Memorial Wall at Fort Indiantown Gap and on online veterans' memorials. His name is also inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Pennsylvania Military Museum.
Explore Further
Sergeant Hershey 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.
