Enos, Darrel Lynn
Male
Verified Petty Officer First Class Darrel Lynn Enos, 36, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was a U.S. Navy sailor serving with the 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion. He was killed in a hostile incident in the vicinity of Kanesk, Afghanistan, on A
Their Story
Petty Officer First Class Darrel Lynn Enos was a 36-year-old sailor from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He served with the U.S. Navy's 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion (3rd MSOB), a unit within the Naval Special Warfare Command that deploys alongside Marine Corps special operations forces. His service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On August 17, 2012, Enos was killed in a hostile incident in the vicinity of Kanesk, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. According to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports, the incident was an improvised explosive device (IED) attack. He was the only U.S. service member killed in the attack, which occurred during a dismounted patrol.
Enos died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By August 2012, the U.S. had begun drawing down from a surge of forces deployed in 2010-2011. The conflict was characterized by persistent insurgent attacks, particularly IED strikes against coalition and Afghan forces in rural areas like Helmand.
The Navy posthumously advanced Enos to the rank of chief petty officer. He was survived by his wife and children. His death was reported by national news outlets and he is memorialized on the Navy Special Warfare memorial wall and in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.
His legacy is preserved through the Chief Darrel L. Enos Memorial Award, established by the Naval Special Warfare community. The award is presented annually to an explosive ordnance disposal technician who demonstrates exceptional technical proficiency and tactical excellence.
Explore Further
Chief Petty Officer Darrel Lynn Enos 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.
