Andrews, Evander Earl
Male
Verified Master Sergeant Evander Earl Andrews, 36, of Solon, Maine, was a U.S. Air Force civil engineer. He was killed in action at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on October 10, 2001.
Their Story
Evander Earl Andrews grew up in Solon, Maine. He served as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron based at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. His unit was responsible for construction, maintenance, and base defense.
On October 10, 2001, Andrews was killed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. According to the Department of Defense, he was the first U.S. service member to die in Operation Enduring Freedom. The Pentagon stated he died from small arms fire while on security duty.
Operation Enduring Freedom was the U.S.-led military campaign that began on October 7, 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks. Its initial objective was to dismantle the al-Qaeda terrorist network and remove the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which harbored it. The conflict expanded to other regions over its 13-year duration.
The announcement of Andrews's death was made by the Department of Defense on October 11, 2001. His death highlighted the immediate risks to U.S. personnel deployed to the Middle East in the opening days of the war. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals.
Master Sergeant Andrews is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Air Force Academy and on the Maine Veterans Memorial in Augusta. His name is listed on the first panel of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial at the Pentagon.
Explore Further
Master Sergeant Andrews was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001?2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy, Parker, Vincent E.
