West, James Gary
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant James Gary West, 34, of Watertown, New York, was a U.S. Army artilleryman. He was killed in action on July 11, 2004, in Al Hillah, Iraq.
Their Story
James Gary West was a 34-year-old Staff Sergeant from Watertown, New York. He served in the U.S. Army's Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 1st Armored Division.
On July 11, 2004, West was killed in Al Hillah, a city south of Baghdad. According to the Department of Defense, his death was the result of enemy action. He was one of at least 1,000 U.S. service members to die in Iraq by that date.
West died during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a major combat phase of the Iraq War that began with a U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. By mid-2004, the conflict had entered a period of intense insurgency, with frequent attacks on coalition forces and Iraqi security personnel.
West's death was recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System. He was survived by his family in Watertown, where he was remembered by his community.
His name is inscribed on the Iraq War Memorial at the Jefferson County Veterans Memorial Park in Watertown. He is also listed on the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America memorial registry.
Explore Further
Staff Sergeant James Gary West 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.
