Arfien C. Ali was born on November 2, 1943 to Arfien and Margaret Ali. His home of record is Atlantic City, NJ. He graduated from Atlantic City High School where he played the drums in the band. He had two sisters and eight brothers: Abdul, Abdene, Bahadour, Byram, Aplema, Monjure, Krommoth, Rohemond, and Hassan.
He served in the US Army and attained the rank of Specialist 4 (SP4). He enlisted in September 1964 and was in the 101st Airborne Division which was known as the “Screaming Eagles.”
Ali was killed in action on February 20, 1966. He died of battle wounds received in action on February 11 and was awarded the Medal of Valor. He was also decorated with two Purple Hearts. Arfien was the first Vietnam War casualty from Atlantic City. Ali’s closest friend, Lamont Howze, who served with Ali in Santo Domingo, reenlisted to avenge his death.
Arfien could have stayed stateside following an earlier wound, but the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations so disturbed him that he again volunteered for combat duty. After Ali’s body was flown home, more than 2,500 mourners, most of them young adults who knew Ali, attended his burial services in Holy Cross Cemetery, Mays Landing, New Jersey.
On October 15, 2010 at the All Wars Memorial Building in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the city of Atlantic City and the Atlantic City Free Public Library presented a dedication ceremony of military statues in the memory of Arfien and William C. Walker, Jr.
Source: NJVVMF and Margaret Ali (mother).
12/17/2024
