Mcgarrah, Clayton Dwayne

Clayton Dwayne McGarrah was a 20-year-old soldier from Harrison, Arkansas. He served as a paratrooper with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

On July 4, 2010, Specialist McGarrah was killed by an improvised explosive device while on a dismounted patrol in the Arghandab-Chahar Qolba-ye Olya area of Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The blast occurred during a major coalition offensive, Operation Dragon Strike, aimed at clearing Taliban strongholds in the region.

McGarrah's death came during a period of intense fighting in southern Afghanistan. The Arghandab River Valley, a fertile agricultural district near Kandahar City, was a strategic corridor and a persistent area of insurgent activity. U.S. and allied forces conducted frequent clearance operations there throughout 2010.

Following his death, McGarrah was posthumously promoted from Private First Class to Specialist. His body was returned to Arkansas, where he was buried with military honors. The Department of Defense officially announced his death on July 6, 2010.

He is remembered by his unit and community. In 2011, a memorial stone was dedicated in his honor at the Boone County Courthouse in Harrison.

Clayton McGarrah 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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