Fairbairn, Aaron Eli
Male
Verified U.S. Army Private First Class Aaron Eli Fairbairn, 20, of Aberdeen, Washington, died on July 4, 2009, from hostile action at Combat Outpost Zerok in Afghanistan.
Their Story
Aaron Eli Fairbairn was a 20-year-old soldier from Aberdeen, Washington. He served as a Private First Class with Company A, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, based out of Fort Richardson, Alaska.
On July 4, 2009, Fairbairn was killed by enemy fire at Combat Outpost Zerok in Afghanistan's Paktika province. The outpost was located in a volatile region near the Pakistan border, an area frequently contested by insurgent forces.
Fairbairn's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In mid-2009, U.S. forces were engaged in a significant troop surge aimed at countering a resurgent Taliban.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Fairbairn was one of two soldiers from his unit killed in the same incident. The other was Private First Class Justin A. Casillas, 19, of Dunnigan, California. Their deaths were reported by multiple news outlets at the time.
Fairbairn is remembered on memorial walls in his home state of Washington. His name is inscribed on the Washington State Fallen Heroes Memorial in Olympia.
Explore Further
PFC Aaron Fairbairn 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.
