Washington, Bennie James
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant Bennie James Washington, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia, died on January 4, 2005, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from wounds sustained in hostile action in Iraq.
Their Story
Bennie James Washington was a 25-year-old sergeant from Atlanta, Georgia. He served with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 44th Engineer Battalion, part of the 2nd Infantry Division. His unit was based at Camp Howze in South Korea before deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On January 4, 2005, Sergeant Washington died at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The U.S. Department of Defense stated his death was the result of hostile action. He had been medically evacuated from Iraq after being wounded in an incident that occurred on December 21, 2004, in Baghdad.
Operation Iraqi Freedom was a major conflict that began with a U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. The subsequent phase involved counter-insurgency operations against various armed groups. U.S. military engineers, like those in Washington's battalion, were frequently tasked with route clearance and construction duties, facing threats from improvised explosive devices and ambushes.
Washington's death was reported by the Department of Defense and noted in several news publications, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals for his service.
Sergeant Washington is memorialized on the Fulton County Veterans Memorial Wall in Georgia and is listed on the Iraq War casualty roster maintained by the U.S. National Archives. His name appears on Panel 5 of the 'Global War on Terror' memorial at the Georgia National Cemetery.
Explore Further
Sgt. Bennie Washington 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.
