Mays, Chauncy Ryan
Male
Verified U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Chauncy Ryan Mays, 25, of Cookville, Texas, was killed in Tangi, Afghanistan, on February 28, 2011, while serving with an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Chauncy Ryan Mays was a 25-year-old soldier from Cookville, Texas. He served with the 705th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 63rd Ordnance Battalion, part of the 20th Support Command based at Fort Polk, Louisiana. His unit specialized in the high-risk task of locating and disabling improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
On February 28, 2011, Mays died in the Tangi area of Afghanistan's Wardak province. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, his death was the result of hostile action. Specific details of the incident were not widely released, but it occurred during a period of intense insurgent activity in the region.
Mays was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. In early 2011, the conflict was marked by a surge of U.S. forces and a focus on counterinsurgency operations in volatile eastern provinces like Wardak. Insurgent forces frequently employed IEDs, the leading cause of casualties for coalition troops.
Following his death, the Army posthumously awarded Mays the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He was survived by his wife and young daughter. His body was returned to Texas, where he was buried with military honors.
Mays is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Polk and on online veterans' memorials. His unit, the 705th Ordnance Company, continued its EOD mission in Afghanistan following his death.
Explore Further
Staff Sergeant Mays 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.
