Dyas, Robert Estle Jr
Male
Verified U.S. Army Specialist Robert Estle Dyas Jr., 21, of Nampa, Idaho, died on September 21, 2011, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from hostile enemy action.
Their Story
Robert Estle Dyas Jr. was a 21-year-old soldier from Nampa, Idaho. He served as a Specialist in Company A, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, part of the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On September 21, 2011, Dyas was killed in Kandahar province, a major insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, his death resulted from hostile enemy action. The specific incident was reported as an improvised explosive device (IED) attack.
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan, began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. By 2011, the conflict was in its tenth year, with intense counterinsurgency operations focused on provinces like Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban.
Dyas's death was announced by the Department of Defense. His body was returned to Idaho, where he was buried at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise. Local news reported on his funeral and the community's response.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and other service medals. His name is inscribed on the Idaho Fallen Soldiers Memorial and the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Riley.
Explore Further
Robert Dyas 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.
