Navajo Nation Sniper, Baseball Player, Hero: In honor of SPC Christopher Moon

The Soldiers from the 101st Airborne [Division] and the 1-320st FA REGT [Field Artillery Regiment] deployed in 2010-2011 to the Arghandab River Valley of Afghanistan. We all have demons that we continue to fight with since that walk in the “Devil’s Playground.” This one is mine.

When Bravo Battery first hit ground, only the key leaders were sent forward to begin our RIP [Relief in place, meaning when a deployed group trains the incoming group so the deployed group can transition back to the U.S.] with the 82nd [Airborne Division]. During that time, one of the best Soldiers I've ever met was killed. 

I have been fighting since 2015 to have his story published. A few years ago the Army Times expressed interest in helping me to make sure that the story about Specialist (SPC)  Christopher Moon finally saw the light of day but then, for whatever reason, they chose to not run the story.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with SPC Moon, he was 20 years old and was from Tucson, Arizona. SPC Moon was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), with the 82nd Airborne. SPC Moon passed away on July 13, 2010 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents hit the foot patrol that we were on with an IED on July 6 2010. This was a foot patrol that our Battery pushed for which may not have been the best of ideas during a RIP. This foot patrol would bring us into Babur and the guys from the 82nd were well aware of the risks involved with this patrol.

In 2008, SPC Moon gave up a full college scholarship and a chance to play professional baseball to join the Army. Among other amazing things about SPC Moon, is that he is from the Navajo Nation. He was the 12th Navajo Nation Soldier killed during the war on terror since 9/11. He was a star baseball player for his High School of Tucson High Magnet, and was named the southern Arizona baseball player of the year in 2006. He was guaranteed a spot to be a starter at the University of Arizona, and he was also drafted by the Atlanta Braves to play professional baseball.

SPC Moon gave up everything to serve his country. Moon is Kinyaa'áanii (Towering House Clan), born for Bilagáana. His maternal grandfather is Táchii'nii (Red Running into Water Clan) and his paternal grandfather is Bilagáana. The Navajo Nation was so impacted by his passing that Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. ordered that flags be flown at half-staff in his honor. Of the forty-two platoon members from the 508th PIR that were assigned to patrol the grape fields, and pomegranate orchards around Combat Outpost Tynes, six were killed, and fourteen were injured. That is a casualty rate of nearly fifty percent.

When SPC Moon was hit, it was a sobering reality of how quickly things can go bad in the Arghandab River Valley. SPC Moon had a discipline level that was unparalleled, and as a Sniper, his shot was unbelievable.

July 13, 2020 marked the tenth anniversary of his passing and I'm still trying almost three years later to ensure he isn't forgotten. I believe that Soldiers across the globe would love to hear his story and I figured some of you may appreciate hearing his story as well. He had an extremely tough decision to make by joining the Army, and he did the most unselfish thing possible. He decided to serve for a greater cause.

Written by: Joseph J. Fontenot