Rodgers, Joshua Patrick

Also known as: SGT, COMPANY C, 3RD BATTALION, 75TH RANGER REGIMENT, FORT BENNING, GA

Combatant

Male Verified

DiedApril 27, 2017

Age22 years old

Location of DeathNANGARHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

Cause of DeathKilled in action during a firefight on a raid against Islamic State militants.

Conflict Operation Freedom's Sentinel

Sgt. Joshua Patrick Rodgers, 22, of Bloomington, Illinois, was a U.S. Army Ranger killed in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, on April 27, 2017.

Their Story

Joshua Patrick Rodgers was a 22-year-old sergeant from Bloomington, Illinois. He served with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, an elite special operations unit based at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Rodgers was killed during a night raid in Nangarhar Province on April 27, 2017. The operation, conducted alongside Afghan forces, targeted a compound used by Islamic State militants in the Khogyani district. According to U.S. military statements, he died from wounds sustained in a firefight.

His death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. mission that succeeded the larger combat role of Operation Enduring Freedom. By 2017, the U.S. military's role was officially focused on training Afghan forces and conducting counterterrorism raids, though engagements with groups like the Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate remained frequent, particularly in Nangarhar.

The Pentagon confirmed Rodgers's death the following day. He was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant. In his hometown, local media reported on memorials and a procession held in his honor.

Rodgers was remembered by his unit and commanders for his professionalism. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His name is inscribed on the Global War on Terrorism memorial at Fort Benning.