Hidalgo, Daren Miguel
Male
Verified U.S. Army First Lieutenant Daren Miguel Hidalgo, 24, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, was killed in hostile action on February 20, 2011, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Daren Miguel Hidalgo was a 24-year-old First Lieutenant from Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was assigned to Troop G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck, Germany. The unit had deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
On February 20, 2011, Hidalgo died in the Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on a dismounted patrol. The incident occurred in a region that was a focal point of insurgent activity.
Hidalgo's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In 2011, the war was in its tenth year, with ISAF forces heavily engaged in counterinsurgency operations, particularly in the country's southern and eastern provinces.
His death was reported by several news outlets, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which noted his Wisconsin roots. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and other commendations. He was survived by his parents and siblings.
First Lieutenant Hidalgo is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Waukesha County Courthouse. His name is also inscribed on Panel 18W, Line 127 of the Afghanistan Conflict Memorial Wall at the National Infantry Museum in Georgia.
Explore Further
First Lieutenant Hidalgo 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.
