Obituary

D-M captain killed in Kabul shooting

Posted Apr 29, 2011

Dylan Smith
TucsonSentinel.com

D-M AFBNylander in an undated photo.
Waller High SchoolNylander in an undated photo from his high school's website.

A Tucson-based Air Force captain was among the nine Americans killed in a shooting Wednesday in Afghanistan, his family said.

Capt. Nathan Nylander, 35, was killed when an Afghan military pilot opened fire in Kabul, family members told the Pantagraph of Bloomington, Ill.

"He was truly dedicated to his country," Nylander's sister, Tara Norris, told the newspaper. "He lived and breathed being in the Air Force. He was a man of few words, much like his father. He was always in deep thought and very quiet. He loved his kids and his family."

The Defense Department confirmed Nylander's death Friday. A statement was posted on the Facebook page of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base:

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones of the Airmen who paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms, Today's tragic event hit close to home as one of our own was among the casualties. We will continue to support the Airman's family as they deal with this loss." - Col. John Cherrey, 355th FW/CC

Nylander was a flight commander with the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group from Davis-Monthan, which is deployed to Afghanistan to train members of that country's air force.

Nylander is survived by his wife Miriam. The father of two boys and a girl, Nylander lived in Tucson.

Born in Fairbury, Ill., where his parents and siblings live, he graduated high school in Waller, Tex. in 1994. He joined the Air Force soon after graduation.

Eight American troops and an American civilian contractor were killed when the Afghan pilot reportedly shot them following an argument.

Nylander is the 51st member of the military with Southern Arizona ties to die in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

To read more about the other Tucsonans killed in action, read Our Fallen.