Marine Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman, 23, of Jonesboro, La.

Cpl. Wrightsman was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died July 18, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Fellow Angels,

Please wrap your wings around the family of Cpl Joe L. Wrightsman:

The Department of Defense announced the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman, 23, of Jonesboro, La., died July 18 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.Graduating (on right) from Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Course, Al Asad, Iraq 2009.


Hamming it up with the Company 1stSgt during the Marine Corps Birthday November 2007.





The treacherous terrain of Afghanistan has claimed the life of a 23-year-old Kaneohe Marine. The Pentagon said yesterday that Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman of Jonesboro, La., died Sunday while supporting combat operations in southern Helmand province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

Remembering Cpl Joe Wrightsman, USMC July 23, 2010 By Marcus the Redshirt Posted in Wall of Honor

On July 18, Cpl Wrightsman was part of a patrol crossing the Helmand river when an ANP (Afghan National Police) was swept away in the river behind him. Without hesitation, Cpl Wrightsman, in full personal protective gear, dove into the water in an effort to rescue the ANP. He was last seen about 50 ft downstream when he surfaced briefly. Four other Marines had dropped their gear and went in after him but were unable to find anything. The entire Marine Expeditionary Force threw its efforts into recovering Cpl Wrightsman. Every type of asset, aircraft, equipment, and personnel were employed. Taliban forces were beginning to move in from the north in an effort to capture the Cpl Wrightsman’s body before the Marines. They were thwarted after two days when both bodies were recovered by the Americans.

Upon hearing what happened on July 18 nearly every one that knew him immediately thought: “But Wrightsman can’t swim!” Fortunately, America still breeds men with a bias for action who don’t dwell on what they can’t do. I imagine Cpl Wrightsman thought to himself: “I can’t let this guy down!” Then he heedlessly went after a man who wasn’t a fellow Marine or even an American.

One of my last acts as Kilo Company 1stSgt was to submit Wrightsman for meritorious promotion to Corporal. At the time of his death his current 1stSgt had submitted him for meritorious Sergeant. It was recently remarked to me that all Cpl Wrightsman cared about was being a Marine and taking care of his squad. Yeah, that's just about my breed of Marine I'd say.

Wrightsman's grandmother Buffy Langford, who lives in Washington state, where the Marine grew up, told the Kitsap Sun newspaper that her grandson was swept away in the fast-flowing Helmand River.

Wrightsman and his unit were patrolling with Afghan trainees when they attempted to wade across the chest-deep river, the Kitsap Sun said.

Wrightsman made it across but went back to help an Afghan who was having trouble, Langford told the newspaper. Both were caught in the current. Their bodies were found a mile downstream the next day, the grandmother said.

"He said he wanted to be there for his country, and he was a Marine to his heart," Langford told the newspaper.

The rugged terrain of Afghanistan has been a formidable foe for foreign armies in Afghanistan for centuries.

Wrightsman enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2005. He attended infantry school that August, the Marines said.

Wrightsman joined Kaneohe's 3rd Battalion in October 2005. He served as a rifleman and team leader with Kilo Company, officials said. He had completed two previous deployments to Iraq with the 3rd Battalion.

Marine Cpl. Joe L. Wrightsman was killed in action on 7/18/10.