U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 173-09
March 17, 2009

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

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

Staff Sergeant Archie A. Taylor, 37, of Tomball, Texas, died March 14, 2009, as a result of a non-hostile incident in Kabul province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II MEF Headquarters Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The incident is currently under investigation.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs office at (910) 451-5260.

North Carolina-based Marine died in a non-hostile incident March 14, 2009, in Afghanistan, Defense Department officials said.

The death of Staff Sergeant Archie A. Taylor, 37, of Tomball, Texas, is under investigation. The incident occurred in Kabul province.

Taylor joined the Army on December 9, 1989, and served until November 1995 before transitioning to the Army National Guard. He served with the National Guard until December 1997 and joined the Corps on January 8, 2001.

He served two tours in Iraq.

Tomball Marine dies in Afghanistan in ‘non-hostile’ incident.

A U.S. Marine from Tomball has died from injuries he sustained in what officials are calling a “non-hostile” incident. 
Staff Sergeant Archie A. Taylor, 37, of Tomball, Texas, died in the Kabul province of Afghanistan March 14. He was serving with the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II MEF Headquarters Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

According to First Lieutenant Phillip Klay, a representative with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs Office, the cause of Taylor’s death is still under investigation.

As of press time last week there was no word of the exact cause of his death, only that it did not occur in a combat situation.

According to government records, Taylor joined the Army in 1989. He served until November 1995 when he then transitioned to the Army National Guard. He left the Army National Guard in 1997 and joined the Marine Corps in 2001.

While in the Marines, he served as a counter-intelligence specialist. Taylor was deployed twice to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. His first deployment lasted from February to October 2004 and the second from March to September 2007. He was deployed to Afghanistan in January.

During his military career, Taylor received many awards including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO ISAF Medal, and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

He will be buried in the Arlington National Cemetery at a date yet to be determined. All services regarding Taylor’s burial are to be held at the cemetery.

  Photo By Thomas Gugiluzza-Smith ("Gug") June 2009

TAYLOR, ARCHIE ANREW
SSGT   US MARINE CORPS
SPC   US ARMY
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/05/1971
DATE OF DEATH: 03/14/2009
BURIED AT: SECTION 60  SITE 8763
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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