Kentucky soldier stationed in Saudi Arabia is 7th US military death in Iran war
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky man who joined the Army shortly after graduating from highschool is the seventh US service member to die in fight throughout the Iran war, the Pentagon introduced Monday.
Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, died Sunday after being wounded throughout a March 1 assault on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon assertion mentioned.
Mike Bell, retired pastor of Glendale Christian Church, mentioned he’d identified Pennington since he was a toddler and received a name from Pennington’s father when the soldier was harm.
“I talked to Tim Saturday morning, and he was doing a little better, and they were talking about maybe moving him to Germany,” Bell mentioned. Tim Pennington referred to as once more that night, Bell mentioned, to ask for prayers as his son’s situation was worsening, after which later advised him the soldier had succumbed to his accidents.
“He was just a quiet person,” mentioned Bell, noting that Pennington attended the church’s after-school program. “I mean, he never attracted attention because he was just steady doing what he needed to do to do it. Does that make sense?”
Pennington was assigned to the first Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade of the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command primarily based at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The unit’s mission centered on “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications,” in response to their web site.
“This just breaks my heart,” Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, the place Pennington was from, mentioned in an announcement emailed to The Associated Press. “I have known the family for at least 30 years. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they are experiencing. To lose a single service member is just a devastating blow. But when it is one of our own, we grieve as a community.”
Glendale is an unincorporated city of about 300 residents south of the Hardin County seat of Elizabethtown.
In an announcement posted on social media, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear referred to as Pennington “a hero who sacrificed everything serving our country.”
Six different troopers killed
The different six service members killed because the battle started on Feb. 28 have been Army reservists killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations middle at a civilian port.
President Donald Trump on Saturday joined grieving households at Dover Air Force Base on the dignified switch for these six US troopers.
The dignified switch, a ritual that returns the stays of US service members killed in motion, is thought of one of the crucial somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first time period, Trump mentioned bearing witness to the switch was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.
‘An American hero’
Pennington graduated in 2017 from Central Hardin High School, the place he was enrolled in the automotive expertise pathway, district spokesperson John Wright advised the AP. Former automotive tech teacher Tom Pitt, who taught Pennington in 2017 at Hardin County Early College and Career Center, referred to as him “an American hero.”
“A lot of times as a teacher, you have students who are smart, you have students who are charismatic, who are likable, dare I say, enchanting,” mentioned Pitt, who referred to as Pennington Nate. “Rarely do you have students who are all of those. And Ben Pennington was all of those. He was basically the quintessential all-American.”
Photos on his and members of the family’ Facebook pages present that Pennington achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in August 2017. His Eagle undertaking was the demolition of some outdated baseball dugouts in Glendale, mentioned Darin Life, former committee chairman for Troop 221.
“If you look up Eagle Scout, his picture’s probably there,” mentioned Life, who knew Pennington all through his scouting profession. “He loved his country. I would have expected nothing less of him than to lose his life protecting his country.”
Awards and decorations
A month after his Eagle ceremony, Pennington posted a photograph of himself taking the oath of enlistment. He entered the service as a unit provide specialist and was assigned to the Space and Missile Command on June 10, 2025, the Army mentioned in a launch.
Among his awards and decorations have been the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
“The US Army Space and Missile Defense Command is deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Pennington,” mentioned Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding basic. “He gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country he loved. That makes him nothing less than a hero, and he will always be remembered that way. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”
Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st Space Brigade commander, described Pennington as “a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who led with strength, professionalism and sense of duty.”
Pennington can be posthumously promoted to workers sergeant, the Pentagon mentioned.
Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
