Ray, Joseph Randall
Male
Verified U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Randall Ray, 29, of Asheville, North Carolina, was killed in a hostile incident in Asadabad, Afghanistan, on March 12, 2006.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Joseph Randall Ray was a 29-year-old soldier from Asheville, North Carolina. He served as a member of Company A, 391st Engineer Battalion, an Army Reserve unit based in his hometown.
Ray died on March 12, 2006, in Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's Kunar Province. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was killed by enemy small-arms fire during combat operations.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2006, insurgent forces had regrouped, and violence was intensifying, particularly in eastern provinces like Kunar, where attacks on coalition forces were frequent.
Ray's death was reported by national and local news outlets. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. He was survived by his wife and children.
He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the North Carolina Veterans Park and on online veterans' memorials. His unit, the 391st Engineer Battalion, was recognized for its construction and route-clearance missions in Afghanistan.
Explore Further
Joseph Randall Ray 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: Santos, Dave Michael Maliksi, Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif.
