Scott Studenmund
Birth nameScott Richard Studenmund
Other name(s)Scott R. Studenmund
Born(1989-06-26)June 26, 1989
Pasadena, California, United States
DiedJune 9, 2014(2014-06-09) (aged 24)
Zabul Province, Afghanistan
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia
Allegiance United States of America
Branch United States Army
Service years2009–2014
Rank Staff Sergeant[1]
Unit 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
  • Company B, 1st Battalion[2][3]
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsBronze Star Medal[4]
Purple Heart Medal[4]
Army Commendation Medal[5]
Army Achievement Medal[6]
Meritorious Service Medal[4][6]
Army Good Conduct Medal[5]
MemorialsEnduring Heroes Memorial
Alma materPitzer College
RelationsWoody Studenmund (father)
Jaynie Studenmund (mother)

Scott Richard Studenmund (June 26, 1989 – June 9, 2014) was a United States Army Special Forces soldier.[7][4] He was killed in action in the 2014 Gaza Valley airstrike in a friendly fire incident that took place in Zabul Province, Afghanistan on June 9, 2014.[6][8]

Studenmund was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.[4][9]

Early life

Scott Richard Studenmund was born on June 26, 1989, at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California.[4] He was the son of former eHarmony executive Jaynie Studenmund and economics professor Woody Studenmund. He is also the grandson of United States Senator Jack R. Miller.[10][11] He attended Clairbourn School in San Gabriel, California, Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada, California and Pitzer College prior to volunteering for the U.S. Armed Forces.[12] He played college football as a linebacker for the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens.[4]

Military career

Studenmund volunteered for the Special Forces 18X Program in 2009. He earned his Green Beret and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2011.[13] Studenmund was assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky with the 5th Special Forces Group.[14] He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014.[15]

During the 2014 Gaza Valley airstrike, which took place in the Zabul Province on June 9, 2014,[16] Studenmund was among five U.S. troops alongside one Afghan soldier who were killed when a friendly B-1B Lancer bomber inadvertently dropped laser-guided bombs on their position during a firefight with Taliban forces.[17][18] As documented in an episode of 60 Minutes, the bomber failed to distinguish friendly troops from the enemy.[19][20][21]

Memorial

On June 21, 2014, a memorial service was held for Studenmund at Flintridge Preparatory School.[22] On July 10, 2014, Studenmund was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, beside his ODA (Operation Detachment Alpha) teammate Jason McDonald.[23][4][24] In 2014, both Clairbourn School and Flintridge Preparatory School established funds named in his honor.[25][26] Flintridge Preparatory School also honored Studenmund with a memorial wall,[27] while Clairbourn School dedicated their football field to him, renaming it the Scott Studenmund Field.[28]

Studenmund was one of the soldiers honored by having his name inscribed on the Enduring Heroes Memorial erected in Pasadena, California in 2017.[29][30][31]

Medals

See also

References

  1. ↑ Alsup, Saeed Ahmed and Dave (June 11, 2014). "Friends, family recall bravery, dedication of U.S. service members killed in 'friendly fire'". CNN.
  2. ↑ "Staff Sgt. Scott R. Studenmund – Faces of the Fallen". The Washington Post. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan". The New York Times. June 16, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Pasadena, California Enduring Heroes Memorial". www.enduringheroes.us.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "» A Salute to Staff Sgt. Scott R. Studenmund". creallc.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Congressional Record, Volume 160 Issue 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)". www.govinfo.gov.
  7. ↑ "Killed by Friendly Fire, 24-Year-Old Green Beret From Pasadena Is Remembered". June 11, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Pasadena resident, Flintridge Prep graduate Scott Studenmund killed by suspected friendly fire in Afghanistan". June 10, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Special tribute to honor fallen soldier, Flintridge Prep alum Sgt. Scott Studenmund". La Cañada Valley Sun. May 20, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Military Mother Whose Son Died In Afghanistan In 2014 Opens Up About Loss, Tragedy Facing Americans Today In Afghanistan". August 26, 2021.
  11. ↑ Goodwin, Zach (March 24, 2021). "Economics professor Woody Studenmund takes a seventh-inning stretch".
  12. ↑ "Army Staff Sgt. Scott R. Studenmund| Military Times". thefallen.militarytimes.com.
  13. ↑ "Scott R. Studenmund". 9 June 2014.
  14. ↑ Espinosa, Ana (October 11, 2021). "'It's a miracle': Close call for Florida trooper caught on camera" – via www.wlky.com.
  15. ↑ Radio, Southern California Public (June 11, 2014). "Friendly fire: Pasadena man among 5 killed in Afghanistan (updated)". Southern California Public Radio.
  16. ↑ Perry, Tony (11 June 2014). "U.S. soldier from Southern California killed in Afghanistan". baltimoresun.com.
  17. ↑ Lamothe, Dan (2014-09-04). "Investigation: Friendly fire airstrike that killed U.S. Special Forces was avoidable". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
  18. ↑ Everstine, Brian. "Report: Bombs killed U.S. soldiers after location mix-up". USA TODAY.
  19. ↑ "Why were 5 U.S. soldiers killed by an American bomber in Afghanistan?". www.cbsnews.com. 12 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "Green Berets cleared in Afghanistan friendly fire deaths". The Washington Times.
  21. ↑ "Miscommunication blamed for deadly U.S. mistake in Afghanistan". PBS NewsHour. September 5, 2014.
  22. ↑ Cormaci, Carol. "Memorial service for fallen Green Beret draws 1,100". courant.com.
  23. ↑ "Jason A. McDonald – Green Beret Foundation". Green Beret Foundation1. 2017-10-30. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  24. ↑ "Memorial Service Held for Fallen Green Beret Scott Studenmund – Crescenta Valley Weekly".
  25. ↑ "The Scott Studenmund Award for Leadership, Commitment and Service at Clairbourn". Clairbourn School.
  26. ↑ "Endowment Funds – Flintridge Preparatory School". www.flintridgeprep.org.
  27. ↑ Cormaci, Carol (3 November 2016). "Flintridge Prep celebrates homecoming on its own field". chicagotribune.com.
  28. ↑ "Pasadena Now » Scott Studenmund Field Dedication at Clairbourn School". PasadenaNow.com.
  29. ↑ "Enduring Heroes Memorial pays tribute to war dead from Pasadena and neighboring cities". Los Angeles Times. May 30, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Pasadena-Area's Fallen Warriors, Their Families Honored on Gold Star Mother's Day – Pasadena Now". www.pasadenanow.com.
  31. ↑ Newspapers, Outlook (June 25, 2020). "Enduring Heroes Emerges as a Landmark With Impact".
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