Jenkins, Cory J
Male
Verified Cory J. Jenkins, a 30-year-old U.S. Army captain from Mesa, Arizona, was killed in action on August 25, 2009, in the Sha Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Cory J. Jenkins was a captain in the United States Army, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He was a native of Mesa, Arizona, and was 30 years old at the time of his death. According to unit records, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On August 25, 2009, Captain Jenkins was killed by enemy forces in the Sha Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan. The Department of Defense casualty announcement stated his death was the result of hostile action. He was one of at least four U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan that day, according to news reports from the time.
Jenkins died during a period of intense fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom. By 2009, Taliban insurgents had significantly increased their use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and direct attacks, particularly in southern provinces like Kandahar. U.S. and allied forces were engaged in a major troop surge aimed at countering this resurgence, leading to some of the highest casualty rates of the war.
His death was reported by major news outlets, including The Arizona Republic, which noted he was the 46th service member with ties to Arizona killed in Afghanistan. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He was survived by his wife and other family members.
Captain Jenkins is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Mesa Veterans Memorial Park in Arizona. His name is also inscribed on Panel 21W, Line 111 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia.
Explore Further
Cpt. Jenkins 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.
