Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, was identified Monday as the seventh U.S. service member to die after being wounded during Iran’s opening strikes. Officials said Pennington died on March 8 from injuries he suffered on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
The Department of War and the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command confirmed Pennington’s death in a release via DVIDS. The statement said he was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, at Fort Carson, Colorado. Pennington, who enlisted in 2017 as a unit supply specialist, joined the 1st Space Battalion on June 10, 2025. He was listed as promotable and will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, according to the release, which also noted that the incident remains under investigation.
“The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Pennington,” Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey said in the statement, calling his sacrifice “the ultimate.” Col. Michael F. Dyer, the brigade commander, described Pennington as “a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer” and said the unit would stand behind his family, according to the release via DVIDS.
Six Earlier Deaths Came From Kuwait Drone Strike
Before Pennington’s death, six Army reservists were killed March 1 when an unmanned aircraft system slammed into a makeshift command center at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait, raising the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury, according to AP News. The Pentagon released the names of those six soldiers, and their remains were returned to Dover Air Force Base in a dignified transfer attended by President Donald Trump.
Names And Units
The service members killed in Kuwait were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor of White Bear Lake, Minn.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. Declan J. Coady of West Des Moines, Iowa; Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien of Indianola, Iowa; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan of Sacramento, Calif. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Stars & Stripes reported.
Officials said the six reservists were working in logistics and sustainment roles supporting operations at the port, and that investigations into the Port of Shuaiba strike remain ongoing. Operational reporting by Navy Times has highlighted those details as the military pieces together what happened.
Homefront Reaction
Back in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear called Pennington “a hero who sacrificed everything serving our country” in a social media post after the Army announcement and asked Kentuckians to pray for the family, according to WKYT. Military casualty-assistance teams and Fort Carson officials are expected to coordinate next steps with Pennington’s relatives as notifications continue and support efforts ramp up.
What Comes Next
CENTCOM and Pentagon officials say investigations into the attacks that led to the U.S. deaths are underway and that the public narrative may shift as inquiries move forward. Coverage by Navy Times has summarized the military’s evolving account of the incidents.
In the coming days, officials are expected to complete formal identifications, continue family notifications and provide additional public updates, even as the investigations into Saudi Arabia and Kuwait press on in the background.
