Wichlacz, Travis Michael

Travis Michael Wichlacz was a 22-year-old from West Bend, Wisconsin. He served as a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps Reserve, assigned to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, based in Milwaukee.

On February 5, 2005, Wichlacz was conducting combat operations in the town of Mahmud Ramiz, located in Iraq's Anbar province. According to the Department of Defense, he was killed by enemy small-arms fire during a firefight. The incident occurred while his unit was engaged in a security and stabilization mission.

Wichlacz's death took place during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign that began with an invasion in March 2003. By early 2005, the conflict had entered a phase marked by a persistent insurgency, with frequent attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces, particularly in the Sunni-majority regions west of Baghdad.

His death was reported by several news outlets, including the Associated Press and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Marine Corps notified his family in West Bend. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Wichlacz was remembered by his community and fellow Marines. His name is inscribed on the Iraq War Memorial in his hometown and is listed on the Pentagon's official casualty roster. He was one of more than 30 service members from Wisconsin killed in the Iraq War.

Lance Cpl. Wichlacz 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.

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