Williams, Briand Thelonius
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Briand Thelonius Williams, 25, of Sparks, Georgia, was a U.S. Army artilleryman. He died in a hostile incident in Numaniyah, Iraq, on November 22, 2009.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Briand Thelonius Williams was a 25-year-old soldier from Sparks, Georgia. He served with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Benning, Georgia.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Williams died on November 22, 2009, in Numaniyah, Iraq. The official casualty report listed the cause as hostile fire. No further operational details of the incident were publicly released.
Williams's death occurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a period marked by a U.S. troop surge in 2007-2008 that had reduced, but not eliminated, violence. By late 2009, U.S. forces were transitioning to an advisory role ahead of a scheduled withdrawal, though combat operations continued.
His death was reported by several national news outlets, including The New York Times, which listed him among U.S. service members killed in Iraq. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Williams is remembered on memorial walls at Fort Benning and in online tributes maintained by veterans' groups. His name is inscribed on the Georgia Fallen Heroes Memorial.
Explore Further
Williams 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.
