Joshua Wheeler Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Joshua Wheeler

Born	November 22, 1975 Roland, Oklahoma, United States
Died	October 22, 2015, (aged 39) Kirkuk Province, Iraq
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1995–2015
Rank	Master Sergeant
Unit	Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment B Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Delta Force
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan Iraq War Operation Inherent Resolve †
Awards	Silver Star Bronze Star (11) Purple Heart

Joshua Lloyd Wheeler (born November 22, 1975 – died October 22, 2015) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He was part of a very special group called Delta Force. Joshua Wheeler was the first American soldier to die in battle from enemy fire while fighting ISIS militants in Iraq since 2011.

He was a highly honored soldier. He received 11 Bronze Star Medals, which are given for heroic actions or achievements. Four of these had a "Valor Device," meaning they were for extreme bravery in combat. After he died, he was also given the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Medal of Patriotism.

Early Life and School
His Military Journey
His Final Mission
His Family Life
Awards and Honors
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and School

Joshua Wheeler was born in Roland, Oklahoma. He finished high school in Muldrow, Oklahoma, in 1994. He was also a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

His Military Journey

Joshua Wheeler joined the United States Army in May 1995. He started as an infantryman, which means he was a soldier who fights on foot. He completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

After his training, he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Later, he joined the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment. With the Rangers, he went on three combat missions to Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2004, Wheeler moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There, he joined the United States Army Special Operations Command's Delta Force. This is a highly trained special operations unit. As a team leader in Delta Force, he went on 11 more combat missions to Afghanistan and Iraq.

His Final Mission

On October 22, 2015, Joshua Wheeler was part of a dangerous mission in Iraq. This mission was called Operation Inherent Resolve. He was killed during a raid on a prison where ISIS was holding about 70 hostages. The prison was located near the town of Hawija in Iraq's Kirkuk province.

About 30 U.S. special operations soldiers worked with Kurdish forces on this mission. The goal was to free the hostages, who included members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Information showed that the hostages were about to be executed, and graves had already been dug for them.

During the raid, Wheeler was helping to guide the Kurdish attack. When the soldiers who entered the prison came under fire, he bravely joined the fight. Reports say he ran towards the gunfire. His actions, along with those of a teammate, helped the mission succeed and protected the Kurdish fighters. All 70 hostages were freed.

During the operation, four Kurdish soldiers were hurt. Five ISIS fighters were captured, and about 20 were killed. In 2020, one of Wheeler's teammates, Thomas Payne, received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during this same mission.

His Family Life

Joshua Wheeler lived in North Carolina with his wife, Ashley, and his four sons. His youngest son was born in August 2015. His three older sons were from a previous marriage. As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, he was given the Medal of Patriotism by the Cherokee Nation in July 2016, after his death.

Awards and Honors

Joshua Wheeler received many important awards for his bravery and service. Some of the most notable include:

Silver Star: This is a very high award given for courage in combat. He received it after his death.
Bronze Star Medal: He earned 11 of these, four with a "Valor Device" for extreme bravery.
Purple Heart: This medal is given to soldiers who are wounded or killed in action. He received it after his death.
Cherokee National Medal of Patriotism: Awarded by the Cherokee Nation after his death.
Combat Infantryman Badge: This shows he was an infantry soldier who fought in ground combat.
Ranger tab: This shows he completed the tough Ranger School training.