Rylander, David E

Second Lieutenant David E. Rylander was a 23-year-old soldier from Stow, Ohio, assigned to the 630th Engineer Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, part of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks.

On May 2, 2012, Rylander was killed in Salar, a district in Wardak province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced his death the following day, stating he died of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire. His unit was engaged in a security operation in the region at the time.

Rylander's death occurred during a period of intense fighting in Wardak province, an area south of Kabul where insurgent activity was prevalent. U.S. and Afghan forces conducted frequent operations there to secure key routes and population centers.

The war in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, formally concluded for U.S. combat forces in December 2014. Rylander was one of more than 2,300 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan during the conflict. His death was recorded by the Defense Casualty Analysis System and reported by multiple news outlets.

Public records and news reports from 2012 document the basic facts of his service and death. No detailed personal biography or accounts of the specific engagement in Salar that day are widely published in major news archives.

Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S. war in Afghanistan, began in October 2001 and concluded for U.S. combat forces 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.

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