Erik S. Kristensen
Encyclopedia
Erik S. Kristensen was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy SEALs
who was killed in action
during Operation Red Wings. He and several other SEALs set off as part of a search and rescue mission
, hoping to assist a four man SEAL team that was engaged in a firefight with Taliban fighters.
who rose to the rank of rear admiral
. As son to a military father, Erik Kristensen traveled widely with his family as a child, living in places including Japan
, Guam
and Washington, D.C.
. He graduated from Gonzaga College High School
in Washington, D.C., in 1990 and continued his education at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA before he moved onto the U.S. Naval Academy where he majored in English. After graduation in 1995, he was commissioned an ensign
and served in the engineering department of the USS Chandler
in Everett, Washington
. Kristensen attended the Graduate Institute at St. John's College, in Annapolis, Maryland, while he taught English at the U.S. Naval Academy. He left both his graduate studies and teaching at the Academy to pursue Navy SEAL training. At age 27, his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL came to fruition. He was the oldest in his class to graduate from the program.
(nom de guerre Mohammad Ismail), a high-ranking Taliban leader responsible for Taliban operations in eastern Afghanistan
and the Hindu Kush mountains.
The SEAL team was made up of Marcus Luttrell
, Michael P. Murphy
, Danny Dietz
and Matthew Axelson
. Luttrell and Axelson were the team's sniper
s; Dietz was the communications officer and Murphy the team leader.
The four SEALs stumbled upon local Taliban forces and within an hour, they were engaged in an intense gun battle against a force of more than 150 enemy fighters. Murphy
risked his life to get off an emergency message to his command. Upon hearing the cry for help a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was dispatched with a force consisting of SEALs including Kristensen and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment "Nightstalkers" to rescue the team, but the helicopter was shot down by an RPG. All 16 men on the Chinook, including Kristensen, were killed. The battle was later called "the worst single day loss of life for Naval Special Warfare personnel since World War II
." In interviews the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
maintained that his forces had set a trap for the American forces: "We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield."
Arnold Schwarzenegger
released a statement stating his deepest condolences to his family and friends and announcing that flags at the California State Capitol
would be flown at half-staff
in his honor. His mother told the press that Kristensen would be buried in his Birkenstock
sandals. Kristensen is buried in the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery.
, the LCDR Erik S. Kristensen ‘90, USN, Memorial Scholarship Fund, was created in Kristensen's honor after his death. The fund seeks to assist a Gonzaga College High School student whose family serves in the U.S. armed forces. Every year an event called the Erik Kristensen Eye Street Klassic is held to raise money for the scholarship fund.
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
who was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
during Operation Red Wings. He and several other SEALs set off as part of a search and rescue mission
Quick reaction force
Quick Reaction Force or is a military unit, generally platoon-sized in the United States Marine Corps, that is capable of rapid response to developing situations. They are to have equipment ready, to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less, although this is based on...
, hoping to assist a four man SEAL team that was engaged in a firefight with Taliban fighters.
Biography
Kristensen was born into a military family. His father is Edward Kristensen, a career officer in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
who rose to the rank of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
. As son to a military father, Erik Kristensen traveled widely with his family as a child, living in places including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He graduated from Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century...
in Washington, D.C., in 1990 and continued his education at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA before he moved onto the U.S. Naval Academy where he majored in English. After graduation in 1995, he was commissioned an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
and served in the engineering department of the USS Chandler
USS Chandler
Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS Chandler. The first was named for William E. Chandler and the second for Theodore E. Chandler....
in Everett, Washington
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
. Kristensen attended the Graduate Institute at St. John's College, in Annapolis, Maryland, while he taught English at the U.S. Naval Academy. He left both his graduate studies and teaching at the Academy to pursue Navy SEAL training. At age 27, his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL came to fruition. He was the oldest in his class to graduate from the program.
Operation Red Wings
On June 28, 2005, SEAL Team 10 was assigned to a mission to kill or capture Ahmad ShahAhmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah was a high-ranking Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers", operating in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains....
(nom de guerre Mohammad Ismail), a high-ranking Taliban leader responsible for Taliban operations in eastern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and the Hindu Kush mountains.
The SEAL team was made up of Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell is a former Petty Officer First Class and United States Navy SEAL. He received the Navy Cross for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wing.-Early life:...
, Michael P. Murphy
Michael P. Murphy
Michael Patrick Murphy was a United States Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in 2005 during the War in Afghanistan. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan; and the first member of...
, Danny Dietz
Danny Dietz
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny Phillip Dietz Jr. of Littleton, Colorado was a U.S. Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the United States' 2nd highest citation for valor, the Navy Cross, on 13 September 2006.-Biography:...
and Matthew Axelson
Matthew Axelson
Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Gene Axelson was a United States Navy SEAL and Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Red Wings.-Early life:...
. Luttrell and Axelson were the team's sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
s; Dietz was the communications officer and Murphy the team leader.
The four SEALs stumbled upon local Taliban forces and within an hour, they were engaged in an intense gun battle against a force of more than 150 enemy fighters. Murphy
Michael P. Murphy
Michael Patrick Murphy was a United States Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in 2005 during the War in Afghanistan. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan; and the first member of...
risked his life to get off an emergency message to his command. Upon hearing the cry for help a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was dispatched with a force consisting of SEALs including Kristensen and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment "Nightstalkers" to rescue the team, but the helicopter was shot down by an RPG. All 16 men on the Chinook, including Kristensen, were killed. The battle was later called "the worst single day loss of life for Naval Special Warfare personnel since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
." In interviews the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah was a high-ranking Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers", operating in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains....
maintained that his forces had set a trap for the American forces: "We certainly know that when the American army comes under pressure and they get hit, they will try to help their friends. It is the law of the battlefield."
In mourning
Days after Kristensen's death was announced, California GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
released a statement stating his deepest condolences to his family and friends and announcing that flags at the California State Capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
would be flown at half-staff
Half-staff
Half-staff is the American term for to describe a flag flying a flag below the summit of the flagpole . The rest of the English-speaking world uses the term half-mast. Technically the flag should be flown one breadth lower to allow for the invisible flag of death...
in his honor. His mother told the press that Kristensen would be buried in his Birkenstock
Birkenstock
Birkenstock Orthopädie GmbH & Co. KG is a shoe manufacturer headquartered in Vettelschoß, Germany. The company sells Birkenstock, a German brand of sandals and other shoes notable for their contoured cork and rubber footbeds, which conform somewhat to the shape of their wearers' feet...
sandals. Kristensen is buried in the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery.
Erik Kristensen Eye Street Klassic
A charityNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, the LCDR Erik S. Kristensen ‘90, USN, Memorial Scholarship Fund, was created in Kristensen's honor after his death. The fund seeks to assist a Gonzaga College High School student whose family serves in the U.S. armed forces. Every year an event called the Erik Kristensen Eye Street Klassic is held to raise money for the scholarship fund.