Captain Joshua S. Meadows
Died: September 05, 2009

Marine Special Operations Company Alpha suffered a tragic loss during combat operations in Afghanistan. 

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Captain Joshua Meadows was killed in action while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Farah Province, Afghanistan. 

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Josh is survived by his wife Angela and mother Jan.  Josh's wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant and the two were looking forward to being together for the birth of their first child. 

Josh and Angela are residents of Elgin, TX and his immediate family is providing comfort to Angela in her time of need.

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U.S. Marine Captain Meadows killed in Afghanistan mission

Elgin Courier Updated 9/10/09, Elgin Texas

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On Wednesday, September 9,the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command announced Captain Joshua S. Meadows, 30, of Elgin, Texas, died September 5 while conducting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, based at Camp Pendleton Calif.

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Meadows joined the Marine Corps on Sept. 28, 1996 and was trained as a Pilot UH-1N Qualified. He was promoted to Captain on July 1, 2006, joining MARSOC on May 28, 2009.

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His decorations include a Purple Heart, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, the Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, one Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, a Navy Unit Commendation, four Letters of Appreciation, three Meritorious Masts and a Certificate of Commendation.

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News of Captain Meadows' death has quickly spread throughout the community leaving behind numerous family and friends to mourn his death.

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Captain Meadows is among 738 U.S. military members who have died to date in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. military action in Afghanistan after the 9-11-01 attack on New York City, according to the Defense Department.

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An accomplished Marine who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Meadows is said to have been very proud to serve his country and had been deployed overseas several times throughout his military career. In August of 2008, Meadows was the lead Marine Corps Huey helicopter pilot seeing action in the Gulf of Aden in an operation that prevented a pirate attack on the Gem of Kilakarai, a Singapore cargo ship. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were deployed aboard the USS Peleliu provided aerial support and explosive ordnance disposal during the mission.

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Captain Meadows, who was an Eagle Scout, graduated from Elgin High School in 1997 and joined the U.S. Marines Corps before completing his high school studies. He was listed as active duty in May 1997 and reported to boot camp in San Diego. He was on active duty there through December. In January 1998, he enrolled at Texas Tech University and served as a member of a reserve unit in Austin, where he attended monthly drills and spent six weeks in the summer with his unit. Meadows graduated from TTU with a degree in business in four years and attended one session of summer school. He then was commissioned as an officer and attended a two-year program in flight school. During that time, Meadows was stationed in Pensacola, Florida and Corpus Christi.

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Following flight school, Meadows was stationed at Camp Pendleton for more than five years and flew Huey helicopters. In November of 2008 Captain Meadows was assigned to a special forces team unrelated to flying. Meadows and his wife, Angela of Carlsbad, Calif., were expecting their first child in just a few weeks. Meadows is the son of Jan and the late Robert Meadows of Elgin. He is survived by one sister, Erin Meadows, of Monument, Colorado.

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Everyone who knew Capt. Meadows considered him a friend. He was a devout Christian and always had a sincere smile on his face. His friends described him as the kind of person everyone should strive to be. Meadows will always be remembered as a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for what he believed in.

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Meadows was a member of the United States Marine Corps and a 1997 graduate of Elgin High School.

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The Department of Defense said he died last Saturday supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.

He was a son, husband, brother, marine, soon to be father, and to many in Elgin, even those who didn't know him, he was a hero.

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Meadows is survived by his wife and their yet to be born child.