Wheeler, Donald Laverne Jr
Male
Verified U.S. Army Specialist Donald Laverne Wheeler Jr., 22, of Concord, Michigan, was killed in a hostile incident in Tikrit, Iraq, on October 13, 2003.
Their Story
Donald Laverne Wheeler Jr. was a 22-year-old from Concord, Michigan, a village in Jackson County. He served as a Specialist in the U.S. Army, assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 4th Infantry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas.
On October 13, 2003, Wheeler was killed in Tikrit, a city north of Baghdad. According to the Department of Defense, his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) during a patrol. He was one of two soldiers from his unit killed in the attack.
Wheeler died during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a conflict that began with a U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. By October, major combat operations had been declared over, but a persistent and lethal insurgency was emerging, targeting coalition forces with ambushes and improvised explosive devices.
His death was reported by several news outlets, including the Associated Press and the Jackson Citizen Patriot. The Army posthumously awarded him the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
He is remembered on memorials in his hometown and at Fort Hood. His battalion, the 1-22 Infantry, continued operations in Iraq for the duration of its deployment.
Explore Further
Donald Wheeler 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.
