Sannicolas, Christian Riley
Male
Verified U.S. Army Private First Class Christian Riley Sannicolas, 20, of Anaheim, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on April 28, 2012. He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat
Their Story
Private First Class Christian Riley Sannicolas was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led military campaign that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. His unit, the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, operated in eastern Afghanistan, an area with significant insurgent activity.
On April 28, 2012, PFC Sannicolas was killed during a combat operation in Shlem Kheyl, a village in Ghazni province. According to U.S. Department of Defense casualty reports, his death was the result of hostile enemy action. The specific details of the engagement were not publicly disclosed in official releases.
Sannicolas was 20 years old at the time of his death. A native of Anaheim, California, he had joined the Army and volunteered for the airborne infantry. The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, known as the 'Devils in Baggy Pants,' has a long history dating to World War II and saw repeated deployments during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
His death was recorded by the Defense Department on May 1, 2012. He was one of more than 2,300 American service members who died during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The conflict, which involved U.S. and allied forces fighting Taliban insurgents and other militant groups, formally concluded for U.S. combat troops in December 2014.
The loss was noted in local media in his home state of California. The Army posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and other service medals. His name is inscribed on memorials honoring those who died in the Global War on Terrorism.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, began in 2001 and concluded its combat mission 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.
