
Erik S. Kristensen (15 March 1972-28 June 2005) was a Lieutenant Commander of the US Navy SEALs during the Afghanistan War. He was killed while launching a rescue mission to extract a team of SEALs who were taking part in Operation Red Wings.
Biography[]
Erik S. Kristensen was the son of a US Navy Rear Admiral, and he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1995, later becoming an English teacher there. Following graduation from BUD/S training in March 2001, he became a Navy SEALs platoon commander, and he was in charge of handling Operation Red Wings in June 2005. The four-man SEAL team tasked with carrying out the mission was ambushed near Asadabad, Afghanistan, and all but Marcus Luttrell were killed. Kristensen led a rescue mission aboard a Chinook helicopter, but the helicopter was shot down with an RPG, killing all 16 men on board, including Kristensen.