Chris Kyle
A Navy SEAL whose confirmed sniper record in Iraq made him a symbol of modern warfare, later memorialized in a controversial biography.
1974–2013 (age 39)·American sniper·Birthday: April 8·Generation X
Biography
Chris Kyle recorded over 160 confirmed kills as a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper in Iraq, the highest number in American military history. He received a Silver Star and three Bronze Stars for valor in combat. The transition from war to home proved difficult. Kyle channeled his experiences into the bestselling autobiography 'American Sniper,' which offered a raw look at the psychological toll of combat. The book's success and subsequent film adaptation attracted scrutiny over certain claims. His life ended in 2013 when he was killed while attempting to help a fellow veteran struggling with PTSD. Kyle's story remains intertwined with both the heroism and the lasting scars of war.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Died at 39
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Credited by the Department of Defense with over 160 confirmed kills as a sniper, the most in U.S. military history.
- Awarded the Silver Star and three Bronze Star Medals with 'V' devices for valor during his four tours in Iraq.
- Authored the bestselling autobiography 'American Sniper,' which was adapted into a major Oscar-nominated film.
Did You Know?
Before becoming a SEAL, he was a professional bronco rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
He named his rifle 'Christine' after the Stephen King novel.
Kyle founded a nonprofit organization, Craft International, which provided tactical training to military and police personnel.
““I’m not a hero. I’m just a man who did his job.””
