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Army Identifies U.S. Soldier Killed in Anti-ISIS Raid in Iraq Army Identifies U.S. Soldier Killed in Anti-ISIS Raid in Iraq
(35 minutes later)
The Army has identified Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler as the American soldier who was killed during a raid by Kurdish and American forces to free hostages held by the Islamic State.The Army has identified Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler as the American soldier who was killed during a raid by Kurdish and American forces to free hostages held by the Islamic State.
Sergeant Wheeler, 39, died from enemy gunfire while in combat near Hawija, Iraq, the Army said Friday in a statement. He was born in Roland, Okla., and graduated in 1994 from Muldrow High School in Muldrow, Okla.Sergeant Wheeler, 39, died from enemy gunfire while in combat near Hawija, Iraq, the Army said Friday in a statement. He was born in Roland, Okla., and graduated in 1994 from Muldrow High School in Muldrow, Okla.
The raid was planned after officials learned that the hostages faced “imminent mass execution,” Peter Cook, a spokesman for the Pentagon, told reporters. He said American forces provided helicopters for transport to the Islamic State compound. The raid freed about 70 hostages, including more than 20 members of Iraqi security forces. Five Islamic State operatives were detained, and several were killed, Mr. Cook said.The raid was planned after officials learned that the hostages faced “imminent mass execution,” Peter Cook, a spokesman for the Pentagon, told reporters. He said American forces provided helicopters for transport to the Islamic State compound. The raid freed about 70 hostages, including more than 20 members of Iraqi security forces. Five Islamic State operatives were detained, and several were killed, Mr. Cook said.
Four pesh merga fighters, as the Kurdish forces are known, were also wounded during the raid, Mr. Cook said.Four pesh merga fighters, as the Kurdish forces are known, were also wounded during the raid, Mr. Cook said.
Sergeant Wheeler entered the Army as an infantryman in May 1995, the Army said. He was assigned to Army Special Operations Command in 2004, and deployed 11 times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the course of his military career, Sergeant Wheeler had earned 11 Bronze Star Medals, four of them with valor, which are awarded for “heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy.” He entered the Army as an infantryman in May 1995, the Army said. He was assigned to Army Special Operations Command in 2004, and deployed 11 times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He spent seven years in the 75th Ranger Regiment, which the Army describes as its “premier raid force.”
He was the first American killed in action in Iraq since the renewed military intervention there last year. In 2004, he joined the Army’s elite commando unit, known as Delta Force. Delta Force “operators,” as they call themselves, specialize in high-risk raids and hostage rescues. Though many of their operations are classified, in recent years they were involved in the rescue of State Department personnel during the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya.
Delta Force operators were also involved in a raid on a high-ranking Islamic State officer in Syria in May. That mission resulted in the death of Abu Sayyaf, who was known to one military official as Islamic State’s “emir of oil and gas.”
Sergeant Wheeler was the first American killed in action in Iraq since the renewed military intervention there last year.
He is survived by his wife, four sons, and his grandmother and grandfather.He is survived by his wife, four sons, and his grandmother and grandfather.