Kahler, Matthew Ryan
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Matthew Ryan Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, Minnesota, was killed by hostile fire on January 26, 2008, at Forward Operating Base Fenty in Afghanistan.
Their Story
Sergeant First Class Matthew Ryan Kahler was a 29-year-old soldier from Granite Falls, Minnesota. He served with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was based in Vicenza, Italy, before deploying to Afghanistan.
On January 26, 2008, Kahler was shot and killed at Forward Operating Base Fenty in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan. According to U.S. military reports, the incident occurred when an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire on U.S. personnel inside the base. The shooter was reportedly detained by other Afghan soldiers.
Kahler's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By early 2008, Taliban forces had regrouped, and violence was escalating. The period saw a rise in insurgent attacks, including improvised explosive devices and, less commonly, insider attacks by members of Afghan security forces.
Kahler's body was returned to the United States. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His funeral was held in his hometown of Granite Falls, Minnesota.
Sergeant First Class Kahler is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Minnesota State Capitol and is listed on the Defense Casualty Analysis System. He was survived by his wife and children.
Explore Further
SFC Matthew Kahler 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.
