The Pentagon has released the names of four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in the opening days of the war with Iran, a devastating loss that marks the first American combat fatalities of the conflict.
The fallen service members were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
They were among six U.S. service members killed when an Iranian munition struck a tactical operations center at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait on Sunday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike hit a command facility where American personnel were operating during the early stages of the conflict. All four soldiers served with the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines.
Hegseth called the fallen troops “the absolute best of America.”
“May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honors them,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Todd Erskine, commanding general of the 79th Theater Sustainment Command, offered condolences to the families and fellow soldiers who served beside them.
“To the families and teammates of these Cactus Nation soldiers, you have my deepest sympathy and my respect,” Erskine said. “Our nation is kept safe by brave men and women like these who put everything on the line each and every day. They represent the heart of America. Their names, their service, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The names of two additional service members killed in the strike are being withheld until their families can be notified. Officials said the incident remains under investigation.
As of Tuesday morning, the number of seriously wounded in the U.S. Iran conflict, known as Operation Epic Fury, had decreased from 18 to 10 as injured service members continued receiving medical treatment, according to a U.S. official.
In a video message Sunday night, President Trump expressed condolences to the families of the fallen and warned that the road ahead may bring more loss as the campaign continues.
“We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen,” President Trump said. “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is.”
The war began early Saturday when the United States and Israel launched a sweeping military operation inside Iran targeting key military and leadership sites. The strikes included an attack on the Tehran compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed along with several senior Iranian officials and commanders, according to Israeli authorities.
Iran has since responded with retaliatory strikes against Israel and U.S. allied nations across the Middle East, raising fears of a prolonged regional conflict.
President Trump said Monday that the joint U.S. Israeli campaign represents the “last best chance” to eliminate the threat posed by Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs. Officials expect the operation could last four to five weeks.
For now, a grieving nation pauses to remember the Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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