Kentucky Soldier In Saudi Arabia Is 7th U.s. Casualty To Die In Iran War

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — A Kentucky man who joined nan Army soon aft graduating from precocious schoolhouse is nan seventh U.S. work personnel to dice successful combat during nan Iran war, nan Pentagon announced Monday.

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Ky., died Sunday aft being wounded during a March 1 onslaught connected nan Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon connection said.

Mike Bell, retired pastor of Glendale Christian Church, said he’d known Pennington since he was a toddler and sewage a telephone from Pennington’s begetter erstwhile nan worker was hurt.

“I talked to Tim Saturday morning, and he was doing a small better, and they were talking astir possibly moving him to Germany,” Bell said. Bell said Tim Pennington called again that evening to inquire for prayers arsenic his son’s information was worsening, and past later told him nan worker had succumbed to his injuries.

“He was conscionable a quiet person,” said Bell, noting that Pennington attended nan church’s after-school program. “I mean, he ne'er attracted attraction because he was conscionable dependable doing what he needed to do to do it. Does that make sense?”

Pennington was assigned to nan 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade of nan U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command based astatine Fort Carson, Colo.

The unit’s ngo focused connected “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul outer communications,” according to their website.

“This conscionable breaks my heart,” Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, wherever Pennington was from, said successful a connection emailed to nan Associated Press. “I person known nan family for astatine slightest 30 years. I can’t ideate nan symptom and suffering they are experiencing. To suffer a azygous work personnel is conscionable a devastating blow. But erstwhile it is 1 of our own, we grieve arsenic a community.”

Glendale is an unincorporated municipality of astir 300 residents southbound of nan Hardin County spot of Elizabethtown.

In a connection posted connected societal media, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called Pennington “a leader who sacrificed everything serving our country.”

The different six work members killed since nan conflict began connected Feb. 28 were Army reservists killed successful Kuwait erstwhile an Iranian drone struck an operations halfway astatine a civilian port.

President Trump connected Saturday joined grieving families astatine Dover Air Force Base astatine nan honorable transportation for those six U.S. soldiers.

The honorable transfer, a ritual that returns nan remains of U.S. work members killed successful action, is considered 1 of nan astir somber duties of immoderate commandant successful chief. During his first term, Trump said base witnesser to nan transportation was “the toughest point I person to do” arsenic president.

Pennington graduated successful 2017 from Central Hardin High School, wherever he was enrolled successful nan automotive exertion pathway, territory spokesperson John Wright told nan AP. Former automotive tech coach Tom Pitt, who taught Pennington successful 2017 astatine Hardin County Early College and Career Center, called him “an American hero.”

“A batch of times arsenic a teacher, you person students who are smart, you person students who are charismatic, who are likable, situation I say, enchanting,” said Pitt. “Rarely do you person students who are each of those. And Ben Pennington was each of those. He was fundamentally nan quintessential all-American.”

Photos connected his and family members’ Facebook pages show that Pennington achieved nan rank of Eagle Scout successful August 2017. His Eagle task was nan demolition of immoderate aged shot dugouts successful Glendale, said Darin Life, erstwhile committee president for Troop 221.

“If you look up Eagle Scout, his picture’s astir apt there,” said Life, who knew Pennington passim his scouting career. “He loved his country. I would person expected thing little of him than to suffer his life protecting his country.”

A period aft his Eagle ceremony, Pennington posted a photograph of himself taking nan oath of enlistment. He entered nan work arsenic a portion proviso master and was assigned to nan Space and Missile Command connected June 10, 2025, nan Army said successful a release.

Among his awards and decorations were nan Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War connected Terrorism Service Medal and nan Army Service Ribbon.

“The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is profoundly saddened by nan nonaccomplishment of Sgt. Pennington,” said Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding general. “He gave nan eventual sacrifice for nan state he loved. That makes him thing little than a hero, and he will ever beryllium remembered that way. We widen our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st Space Brigade commander, described Pennington arsenic “a dedicated and knowledgeable noncommissioned serviceman who led pinch strength, professionalism and consciousness of duty.”

Pennington will beryllium posthumously promoted to unit sergeant, nan Pentagon said.

Breed and Lovan constitute for nan Associated Press. AP writers Konstantin Toropin successful Washington and Adrian Sainz successful Memphis contributed to this report.