Christian, Eric Damon
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Eric Damon Christian, 39, of Warwick, New York, was a U.S. Marine assigned to an intelligence battalion supporting special operations. He was killed in a hostile incident in Afghanistan's Farah province on May 4, 2013.
Their Story
Eric Damon Christian was a 39-year-old staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, part of the II Marine Expeditionary Force's Special Operations Support Group, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. According to military records, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On May 4, 2013, Christian died in Farah province, western Afghanistan. The Department of Defense stated his death was the result of a hostile incident. Specific details of the engagement were not publicly released by U.S. Central Command, which classified the event as 'under investigation' at the time.
Christian's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2013, the conflict was in a phase focused on training Afghan forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations, with Farah province being a known area of insurgent activity.
Following his death, Christian was posthumously promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant. His body was returned to the United States, and a memorial service was held in his hometown of Warwick, New York. The local community and veterans' groups reportedly held vigils in his honor.
Christian's name is inscribed on a memorial in Orange County, New York, dedicated to local service members killed since the September 11 attacks. He is also memorialized on online veterans' registries and in the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the official record of U.S. combat fatalities.
Explore Further
Eric Christian 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.
