Whitaker, Marquis Antoine
Male
Verified Private First Class Marquis Antoine Whitaker, 20, of Columbus, Georgia, was a cavalry scout with the U.S. Army's 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He died on April 28, 2004, in the Tigris River, Iraq.
Their Story
Marquis Antoine Whitaker was a 20-year-old soldier from Columbus, Georgia. He served as a cavalry scout in the U.S. Army, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
On April 28, 2004, PFC Whitaker died in the Tigris River near Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. According to the Department of Defense, he was conducting a river crossing operation when he was swept away by the current. His body was recovered the following day.
Whitaker's death occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a conflict that began with a U.S.-led invasion in March 2003. By April 2004, the mission had shifted from major combat operations to a counterinsurgency and stabilization effort, marked by persistent attacks on coalition and Iraqi forces.
His death was reported by the Department of Defense and noted in several news publications. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
PFC Whitaker is memorialized on the Iraq War Veterans Memorial and by his unit. He was survived by his mother and other family members in Georgia.
Explore Further
PFC Marquis Whitaker 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.
