Essary, Keith Eric
Male
Verified U.S. Army Corporal Keith Eric Essary, 20, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, was killed in hostile action in Maywand, Afghanistan, on January 8, 2009.
Their Story
Keith Eric Essary was a 20-year-old soldier from Dyersburg, Tennessee. He served as a corporal with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 1st Infantry Division.
On January 8, 2009, Essary was killed in Maywand District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense stated his death was the result of hostile fire. According to contemporaneous reporting, his unit was engaged in combat operations in the district at the time.
Essary's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In early 2009, the conflict was marked by a significant increase in U.S. troop levels and intense fighting in southern provinces like Kandahar, where Maywand is located.
His body was returned to Tennessee. A funeral service was held at First Baptist Church in Dyersburg, and he was buried with military honors at Fairview Cemetery in Newbern. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
He is remembered on memorials in his hometown and by his unit. His name is inscribed on the Dyersburg War Memorial and is included on the Afghanistan War memorial at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Halls, Tennessee.
Explore Further
Corporal Essary 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.
