Ward, Aaron Joseph
Male
Verified Private First Class Aaron Joseph Ward, 19, of San Jacinto, California, was a U.S. Army soldier with the 170th Military Police Company. He died on May 6, 2008, in Al Asad, Iraq, from hostile action.
Their Story
Aaron Joseph Ward was a 19-year-old from San Jacinto, California, who enlisted in the United States Army. He was assigned as a Private First Class to the 170th Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, based out of Fort Lewis, Washington.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Ward died on May 6, 2008, at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq's Anbar province. The official casualty report listed the cause as hostile fire. No further specifics regarding the incident were publicly released in initial announcements.
Ward's death occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a conflict that began with the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. By 2008, the U.S. military surge was underway, with Al Asad serving as a major coalition hub in western Iraq. Violence, though reduced from earlier peaks, continued with insurgent attacks against military installations.
Ward was survived by his mother, father, and siblings. His body was returned to the United States, and he was buried with military honors at Riverside National Cemetery in California. The 42nd Military Police Brigade honored his service in subsequent memorials.
His name is inscribed on the Iraq War Memorial in his hometown of San Jacinto. He is also memorialized on online veterans' memorials and in the U.S. Army's official casualty records.
Explore Further
Aaron Ward was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003–2010). The conflict concluded in August 2010. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Kennedy, Brian Matthew, Beaupre, Ryan Anthony, Gutierrez, Jose, Waters-bey, Kendall Damon.
