Bill, Brian Robert
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Verified Brian Robert Bill, 31, was a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer serving with DEVGRU. He was killed in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, on August 6, 2011.
Their Story
Brian Robert Bill was a 31-year-old Chief Petty Officer from Stamford, Connecticut. He served in the United States Navy as a member of Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), an elite special missions unit. According to public records, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa as part of the broader Global War on Terror.
On August 6, 2011, Bill was killed in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of Defense stated his death was the result of a helicopter crash. The incident occurred when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down by enemy fire in the Tangi Valley. All 38 people on board, including 30 American service members, were killed. It was the single deadliest incident for U.S. forces in the Afghanistan war.
Bill died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2011, a surge of U.S. forces had been deployed and was beginning to draw down. Special operations forces, like those aboard Extortion 17, were conducting frequent missions against Taliban and insurgent networks in provinces like Wardak.
The crash prompted an official investigation and widespread mourning. A memorial service was held in Connecticut, where Bill was remembered by family and former teachers. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Veterans Memorial Park in his hometown of Stamford.
Brian Bill's legacy is documented in military records and local memorials. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, the Purple Heart, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. His name appears on Panel 9E, Line 102 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
Explore Further
Brian Bill 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: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
