Lindstrom, Eric James
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Eric James Lindstrom, 27, of Flagstaff, Arizona, was a U.S. Army infantryman. He died on July 12, 2009, in Barge Matal, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Eric James Lindstrom was a 27-year-old soldier from Flagstaff, Arizona. He served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Drum, New York. His unit was part of the 10th Mountain Division, a formation frequently deployed to Afghanistan.
On July 12, 2009, Lindstrom was killed by enemy small-arms fire during combat operations in the remote village of Barge Matal in Afghanistan's Nuristan province. The operation, part of a larger effort to clear the area of insurgent forces, involved intense fighting in difficult, mountainous terrain. He was one of two U.S. soldiers killed in the engagement that day.
Lindstrom's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In the summer of 2009, U.S. forces were engaged in a significant troop surge, conducting counterinsurgency operations, particularly in eastern provinces like Nuristan, to disrupt militant networks.
According to the Department of Defense, Lindstrom was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Drum and on Panel 58W, Line 15 of the Afghanistan Veterans Memorial Wall in Rochester, New York.
He is remembered by family, fellow soldiers, and his community in Flagstaff. An annual memorial run was reportedly held in his honor at Fort Drum for several years following his death.
Explore Further
Eric Lindstrom 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.
