Corporal Carrie L. French was born on February 28, 1986, in Caldwell, Idaho. She was described as having a “zest” and grew up taking dance and karate classes, playing softball and volleyball, and was a cheerleader in her senior year of high school. An adventurous spirit, she loved the outdoors and yearned to one day travel Europe as well. She was described by her family as “a fun-loving young woman with a warm heart and a desire to serve.”
In her junior year, she decided she wanted to join the Army National Guard so she could begin saving money for college. She hoped to someday be a lawyer. As a high school graduation present, she asked her father to go skydiving with her. After graduation, she found herself at bootcamp, and then several months later celebrating her 19th birthday in Kirkuk, Iraq with her new family of soldiers.
On June 5th, 2005, French who was attached to the 116th Brigade Combat Team as an Ammunition Specialist, was returning in a convoy in Kirkuk, Iraq. As the convoy proceeded, an IED hit the front of French’s vehicle and detonated. She was only 19 at the time of her death.
Corporal Carrie L. French is buried at Canyon Hill Cemetery, Caldwell, Idaho.
In 2025, hundreds gathered at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery to unveil and dedicate a bronze memorial featuring Corporal Carrie French, who was the first Idaho woman killed in combat during the conflicts in the Middle East. The memorial honors all Idaho women veterans.
Sources:
https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-carrie-l-french/900016
Back To Blog