John Alexander Pelham was born on November 9th, 1991, in Beaverton, Oregon, and grew up in locations around Oregon and Washington. He graduated from Sunset High School, where he played on the baseball team. In July 2011, John joined the U.S. Army and completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He then attended the Signals Intelligence Analyst Advanced Individual Training at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.

John arrived at his first duty assignment with the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and was recently assigned to the unit’s 2nd Battalion. His military education included Basic Combat Training (2011), Signals Intelligence Analyst Advanced Individual Training Course (2012), Basic Airborne Course (2013), Combat Lifesaver Course (2013), and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course (2013).

John Alexander Pelham’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

John passed away on February 12, 2014, from wounds received from small-arms fire while serving in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, as part of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His funeral was attended by nearly 1,000 people, who remembered him for his mentality of “Let’s go out with our guns blazing and boots on.”