Date: 10/3/2009
Rank: Sergeant
Branch: U.S. Army
Operation: Operation Enduring Freedom
SGT Joshua John Kirk was born in Thomaston, ME on July 19th, 1979. He moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho with his family when he was four years old. Assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Carson, Colorado, he deployed for the second time to Afghanistan in May 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He served as Team Leader in 1st Platoon, B Troop at Combat Outpost Keating in the Kamdesh district of the Nuristan province of Afghanistan. On Oct. 3, 2009 Joshua and seven of his comrades were killed during one of the most furious battles seen in eight years of fighting in Afghanistan. It was the heaviest loss of life for US forces in a single battle since July 2008, and the largest single loss of life for Fort Carson since Vietnam.
Joshua’s family and friends are inspired and comforted by the words of General George S Patton, who like Josh, served in the US Cavalry: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
Among Sgt Kirk’s awards and decorations are a Bronze Star Medal, a Bronze Star with “V”, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal with Valor award.