Estle, Bobby Lee
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Bobby Lee Estle, 38, of Lebanon, Ohio, was killed in a hostile incident on July 28, 2012, in Meydan Shahr, Afghanistan.
Their Story
Sergeant First Class Bobby Lee Estle was a 38-year-old soldier from Lebanon, Ohio. He served as a member of the 630th Engineer Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, based at Fort Drum, New York. Estle was on his third deployment, having previously served in Iraq.
On July 28, 2012, Estle was killed in Meydan Shahr, the capital of Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. According to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports, he died from wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was the only American service member reported killed in Afghanistan that day.
Estle's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By mid-2012, U.S. forces were in a period of transition, having surged troop levels before beginning a drawdown, while Afghan National Security Forces were assuming a greater lead in combat operations, particularly in provinces like Wardak.
The Pentagon officially notified his next of kin. Local media in Ohio reported on his death, noting he was a graduate of Lebanon High School. He was survived by his wife and children.
Sergeant First Class Estle was one of 2,356 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
Explore Further
SFC Bobby Lee Estle 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.
