In October 2015, the United States mourned the loss of its first service member killed in action by enemy fire while fighting ISIS militants during Operation Inherent Resolve.
This brave soldier was Joshua Lloyd Wheeler, a Sequoyah County native whose family resided in Roland at the time of his birth. Wheeler graduated from Muldrow High School and went on to become a highly decorated service member.
Wheeler’s death marked the first American combat fatality in Iraq since 2011. His valor and dedication were evident in his military career, earning him 11 Bronze Star Medals, including four with Valor Devices. For his heroic actions on October 22, 2015, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Medal of Patriotism.
A proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Wheeler was recognized by his tribe for his extraordinary heroism. His military journey began in May 1995 when he enlisted in the United States Army as an infantryman, completing basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Wheeler was initially stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, with Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment. In 1997, he joined Company B, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deploying three times to Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2004, Wheeler was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command’s Delta Force. As a team leader, he deployed 11 times to support combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
On the fateful morning of October 22, 2015, Wheeler was killed by enemy small-arms fire during a raid on an ISIS prison compound near Hawija in Iraq’s Kirkuk province. He was among 30 U.S. special operations soldiers who fought alongside Kurdish Counter-terrorism unit peshmerga forces. The operation successfully freed approximately 70 hostages, including over 20 members of the Iraqi Security Forces.
Wheeler’s bravery was evident as he directed the Kurdish attack on the prison and joined the fight when those who breached the compound came under fire. His actions, along with those of his teammates, ensured the operation’s success and protected the Kurdish fighters.
The Kurdistan Regional Government had requested U.S. special operations support to free hostages facing imminent execution. Graves had already been prepared for the hostages outside the compound. Despite the operation’s success, none of the 15 Kurdish fighters targeted were found among the freed hostages.
During the raid, four Kurdish peshmerga soldiers were wounded, five ISIS militants were detained, and approximately 20 were killed. On September 11, 2020, Wheeler’s teammate, then-SFC Thomas Payne, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that day, becoming the first living Delta Force recipient of the Medal of Honor and the first for Operation Inherent Resolve.
Wheeler’s legacy lives on through his family in North Carolina, where he resided with his wife, Ashley, and their four sons. His youngest son was born just two months before his death.
The Cherokee Nation posthumously awarded Wheeler the Medal of Patriotism in July 2016, honoring his unwavering courage and sacrifice.
Wheeler's body was recovered and returned to the United States and he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Fort Meyer, Virginia.
