Lewis-McChord Ranger killed in Afghanistan

TACOMA — — An Army Ranger from Joint Base Lewis-McChord has died after being critically injured last week in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Joel D. Clarkson, a 23-year-old Alaska native, died Wednesday. The Pentagon has not officially made the announcement, but Clarkson's mother, Karen Williams-Clarkson, alerted friends to her son's death in a posting on a Facebook page set up after Clarkson was shot during a patrol in southern Afghanistan.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell confirmed Clarkson's death in a statement late Friday evening and ordered the state's flags lowered to half-staff.

The member of 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was on his fifth overseas deployment when he was shot March 12 while on patrol in Helmand province.

His family told the Whidbey News Times of Oak Harbor that Clarkson was shot in the head, underwent two surgeries in Afghanistan and was later evacuated to Germany. Doctors pronounced him dead on Wednesday morning, paper reported.

Clarkson attended Oak Harbor High School for several months during his senior year in 2004, according to the paper.

He is survived by his wife, Cassandra, and their 9-month-old son, Orion. The couple lived in Puyallup.

Eleven soldiers from 2nd Ranger Battalion have been killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Clarkson is the first member of the Special Operations unit to die in combat since June 2008.

A memorial service will be held at Lewis-McChord on March 27 and a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery on April 5, according to a Facebook page set up for friends and family.