Wilkins, Charles Langdon Iii
Male
Verified First Lieutenant Charles Langdon Wilkins III, 38, of Columbus, Ohio, was a U.S. Army National Guard engineer. He died in Balad, Iraq, on August 20, 2004, from hostile action.
Their Story
First Lieutenant Charles Langdon Wilkins III was a 38-year-old soldier from Columbus, Ohio. He served with the Ohio Army National Guard's A Company, 216th Engineer Battalion, based in Chillicothe. The battalion was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On August 20, 2004, Wilkins was killed in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) while he was on patrol. He was the only soldier from his battalion killed during its deployment.
Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March 2003. By mid-2004, the conflict had entered a phase of sustained insurgency. Balad was a major logistics hub for coalition forces and a frequent site of insurgent attacks, particularly IED strikes against military convoys.
Wilkins's death was reported by the Associated Press and local Ohio newspapers. The 216th Engineer Battalion held a memorial service for him in Iraq. His family in Columbus received his posthumous awards, which included the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
He is memorialized on the Fallen Heroes of Ohio memorial and the Iraq War Memorial in Columbus. His name is inscribed on Panel 01W, Row 011 of the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial Wall.
Explore Further
First Lieutenant Wilkins 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.
