Thomas, Adam Samuel
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Adam Samuel Thomas, 31, of Takoma Park, Maryland, was a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier. He died on October 4, 2016, in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, from hostile enemy action.
Their Story
Adam Samuel Thomas was a Staff Sergeant assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was a Green Beret, a designation earned through rigorous training for unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense missions.
Thomas was killed during a combat operation in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan, on October 4, 2016. According to U.S. Department of Defense statements, his unit came under enemy small-arms fire. He was the only U.S. service member to die from hostile action in Afghanistan that month.
His death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. mission that began in January 2015 following the conclusion of the larger International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission. The focus in 2016 was on counter-terrorism and advising Afghan forces, with Nangarhar being a significant stronghold for the Islamic State's Khorasan Province (ISIS-K).
The Pentagon formally announced his death on October 5, 2016. He was posthumously promoted from Sergeant First Class to Staff Sergeant. His awards included the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal.
Thomas was survived by his wife and children. He is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Colorado State Capitol and on the Special Forces Memorial Wall at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Explore Further
Adam Thomas was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since January 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.
