Wikipedia's first sentence called it “muslim-american u”. Today it says “united states army specialist who was killed during operation iraqi freedom”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in October 6, 2023
He is a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Khan was born in Neptune , New Jersey to Trinidad and Tobago-born parents, Feroze Khan and Elsheba Khan of Indian descent . He was a 2005 graduate from Southern Regional High School in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey . He enlisted in the U.S. Army following his graduation and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment , 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division ( Stryker Brigade Combat Team ), based in Fort Lewis, Washington . According to the Gannett News Service, he was "spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center [and] wanted to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. He enlisted immediately after graduation and was sent to Iraq in July 2006." Khan and three other soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded while they were clearing a house—he was 20 years old. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of corporal . His service was cited during an October 2008 interview on Meet the Press with General Colin Powell . In particular, Powell referred to a photograph in The New Yorker which showed Khan's mother by his gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery. Powell said that Khan's example refutes the anti-Muslim sentiment present in the Republican campaign during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election ( q.v. ), namely that being Muslim disqualifies a person from being a genuine, patriotic American , or that a Muslim could not become President . "Powell endorses Obama for president: Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat 'transformational figure' " . Barack Obama.' Powell's endorsement repudiates both Bush and McCain and could drive undecideds into the Obama column" .
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 1107084020.
The opening as it stood in 2010
He received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . The son of Feroze Khan of New Jersey and Elsheba Khan of Maryland, Khan was a 2005 graduate from Southern Regional High School . According to the Gannett News Service, he was "spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center [and] wanted to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. He enlisted immediately after graduation and was sent to Iraq in July 2006." He was promoted posthumously to the rank of Corporal. His service was cited during a 19 October 2008 interview on Meet the Press with general Colin Powell . In particular, Powell referred to a photograph in The New Yorker which showed Khan's mother by his gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery . Powell said Khan's example refutes the anti-Muslim sentiment present in the Republican campaign during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election , namely that being Muslim disqualifies a person from being a genuine, patriotic American , or that a Muslim could not become President. "Powell endorses Obama for president: Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat 'transformational figure' " . Barack Obama.' Powell's endorsement repudiates both Bush and McCain and could drive undecideds into the Obama column" .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 354470285.
The opening as it stood in 2015
He received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . The son of Feroze Khan of New Jersey and Elsheba Khan of Maryland, Khan was a 2005 graduate from Southern Regional High School in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey . According to the Gannett News Service, he was "spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center [and] wanted to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. He enlisted immediately after graduation and was sent to Iraq in July 2006." Khan, along with three other soldiers, were killed when a bomb exploded while they were clearing a house.He was 20 years old. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of Corporal. His service was cited during a 19 October 2008 interview on Meet the Press with general Colin Powell . In particular, Powell referred to a photograph in The New Yorker which showed Khan's mother by his gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery . Powell said Khan's example refutes the anti-Muslim sentiment present in the Republican campaign during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election , namely that being Muslim disqualifies a person from being a genuine, patriotic American , or that a Muslim could not become President. "Powell endorses Obama for president: Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat 'transformational figure' " . Barack Obama.' Powell's endorsement repudiates both Bush and McCain and could drive undecideds into the Obama column" .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 664367487.
The opening as it stood in 2020
He received the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . The son of Feroze Khan of New Jersey and Elsheba Khan of Maryland, Khan was a 2005 graduate from Southern Regional High School in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey . According to the Gannett News Service, he was "spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center [and] wanted to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. He enlisted immediately after graduation and was sent to Iraq in July 2006." Khan and three other soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded while they were clearing a house. He was 20 years old. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of corporal. His service was cited during an October 2008 interview on Meet the Press with General Colin Powell . In particular, Powell referred to a photograph in The New Yorker which showed Khan's mother by his gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery . Powell said Khan's example refutes the anti-Muslim sentiment present in the Republican campaign during the 2008 U.S. Presidential election ( q.v. ), namely that being Muslim disqualifies a person from being a genuine, patriotic American , or that a Muslim could not become President . "Powell endorses Obama for president: Republican ex-secretary of state calls Democrat 'transformational figure' " . Barack Obama.' Powell's endorsement repudiates both Bush and McCain and could drive undecideds into the Obama column" .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 956392531.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “muslim-american u”. Today it says “united states army specialist who was killed during operation iraqi freedom”. Read the current article and compare.
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2010, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
muslim-american u
Now
united states army specialist who was killed during operation iraqi freedom
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
