Galarzahernandez, Vilmar
Male
Verified U.S. Army Specialist Vilmar Galarzahernandez, 21, of Salinas, California, was killed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on May 26, 2012.
Their Story
Vilmar Galarzahernandez was a 21-year-old soldier from Salinas, California. He served as a Specialist in Company A, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, part of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, operating under Task Force Fury.
On May 26, 2012, Galarzahernandez was killed by enemy small-arms fire in the Zharay district of Kandahar province, according to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports. He was on patrol when his unit came under attack.
His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2012, U.S. forces were engaged in a counterinsurgency strategy focused on the country's south, including Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold.
The Department of Defense announced his death on May 28, 2012. His body was returned to the United States, and he was buried with military honors at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas.
Galarzahernandez is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the California Capitol and on online veterans' memorials. His name is listed on Panel 30W, Row 111 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum.
Explore Further
Vilmar Galarzahernandez 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.
