Girdano, Michael Robert
Male
Verified U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Michael Robert Girdano, 23, of Apollo, Pennsylvania, was killed in a hostile incident in Asadabad, Afghanistan, on August 1, 2008.
Their Story
Michael Robert Girdano was a 23-year-old from Apollo, Pennsylvania. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, assigned to Company A, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
On August 1, 2008, Girdano died in Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's Kunar Province. According to the Department of Defense, his death resulted from wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was one of nine U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan that day.
Girdano's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In 2008, the conflict was marked by a significant increase in insurgent activity, particularly the use of IEDs, in eastern provinces like Kunar.
His body was returned to Pennsylvania. A memorial service was held at his alma mater, Kiski Area High School, where he was remembered by former teachers and classmates. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Girdano's name is inscribed on Panel 51E, Line 11 of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, which honors those killed in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the war on terror. He is also memorialized on a plaque at Fort Hood.
Explore Further
Michael Girdano 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.
