Kentucky Soldier Dies from Injuries in Iran Conflict, Becomes 7th U.S. Casualty

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, died Sunday from wounds sustained in a March 1 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon confirmed he is the seventh U.S. service member to die in the Iran war that began February 28.

The Pentagon confirmed Monday that a Kentucky soldier has become the seventh American service member to lose his life in the ongoing Iran conflict.

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, from Glendale, Kentucky, succumbed to injuries Sunday after being hurt in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 1, according to Pentagon officials.

Mike Bell, former pastor at Glendale Christian Church, said he had watched Pennington grow up since he was very young. Bell received a phone call from the soldier’s father, Tim, when his son was initially injured.

“I talked to Tim Saturday morning, and he was doing a little better, and they were talking about maybe moving him to Germany,” Bell explained. However, Bell said Tim Pennington reached out again that same evening requesting prayers as his son’s medical situation deteriorated, and later informed him that the young soldier had died from his wounds.

“He was just a quiet person,” Bell remembered, recalling how Pennington participated in the church’s after-school activities. “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 served with the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade under the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado.

According to their official website, the unit specializes in “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications.”

“This just breaks my heart,” expressed Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County where Pennington grew up, in a written statement 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 a small unincorporated community with approximately 300 residents, located south of Elizabethtown, the Hardin County seat.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear honored Pennington on social media, describing him as “a hero who sacrificed everything serving our country.”

The previous six military deaths in this conflict involved Army reservists who were killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone attacked an operations center at a civilian port facility.

President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday for those six fallen soldiers, joining their families during the solemn ritual.

The dignified transfer ceremony, which honors fallen service members by returning their remains home, represents one of the most serious responsibilities for any president. Trump previously described witnessing these transfers as “the toughest thing I have to do” during his first presidential term.

Pennington completed his education at Central Hardin High School in 2017, where he studied automotive technology, confirmed district spokesman John Wright to the AP. Tom Pitt, his former automotive technology teacher at Hardin County Early College and Career Center, praised him as “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,” Pitt shared, noting that Pennington, whom he knew as Nate, was also a Boy Scout. “Rarely do you have students who are all of those. And Ben Pennington was all of those. He was basically the quintessential all-American.”

Following graduation, Pennington joined the military as a unit supply specialist and was later transferred to the space and missile defense command on June 10, 2025, according to Army records.

His military honors included 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 U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Pennington,” stated Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding general. “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, commander of the 1st Space Brigade, characterized Pennington as “a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who led with strength, professionalism and sense of duty.”

The Pentagon announced that Pennington will receive a posthumous promotion to staff sergeant.