Kopp, Benjamin Stephen

Benjamin Stephen Kopp was a 21-year-old Army Ranger from Rosemount, Minnesota. He served as a Corporal with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, based at Fort Benning, Georgia. According to military records, he had deployed to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa during his service.

On July 10, 2009, during a combat operation in the Wardak province of Afghanistan, Cpl. Kopp was shot in the leg. The wound severed his femoral artery. He was evacuated for medical care and flown to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he died from complications of his injuries on July 18, 2009.

Kopp was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The operation involved counter-insurgency and stability missions against Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. The 75th Ranger Regiment, an elite special operations unit, frequently conducted direct-action raids in high-threat environments.

His death was reported by major news outlets, including the Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. A funeral service was held in his hometown, and he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on August 7, 2009.

A documented aspect of Kopp's legacy is that he was an organ donor. According to news reports, his heart was successfully transplanted to a woman from the Chicago area, extending another person's life. His name is listed on the Afghanistan War memorial at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Cpl. Benjamin Kopp 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.

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