Heselton, Edward Ralph
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant Edward Ralph Heselton, 23, of Easley, South Carolina, died on August 11, 2005, in Orgun-E, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Their Story
Edward Ralph Heselton was a 23-year-old from Easley, South Carolina. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 391st Engineer Battalion (Task Force Sword), based in Greenville, South Carolina.
On August 11, 2005, Heselton was killed by hostile fire in Orgun-E, a district in Afghanistan's Paktika province near the border with Pakistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was part of a convoy that came under attack.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The operation's stated objectives included dismantling al-Qaeda and removing the Taliban from power.
Following his death, Heselton was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His funeral was held in Easley, where he was remembered by family and fellow soldiers.
Sergeant Heselton is memorialized on the South Carolina Fallen Heroes Memorial and the Afghanistan War Memorial in Greenville. His name is also inscribed on Panel 9W, Line 111 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum.
Explore Further
Edward Heselton 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.
