The Defense Department has identified Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, of Glendale, Kentucky, as the American soldier who died after being wounded in a March 1 attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
Pennington, 26, died of his wound on March 8, according to the Defense Department. He is the seventh U.S. service member to die during Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military’s name for combat operations against Iran. At the time of the attack, he was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, based out of Fort Carson, Colorado.
“The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Pennington,” Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, head of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement. “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.”
Pennington will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, a news release from the command says. He enlisted in the Army as a supply specialist in 2017 and was assigned to his current unit in June 2025.
“Sgt. Pennington was a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who led with strength, professionalism and sense of duty,” Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st Space Brigade commander, said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and fellow soldiers. We remain dedicated to providing comfort and support at this time and will forever honor his legacy and ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”
U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, first announced on March 8 that a service member had died the prior night after being wounded by an Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia.
Iran has repeatedly targeted locations in Saudi Arabia since the war started, firing munitions at several sites in the country, including the capital of Riyadh and the Prince Sultan Air Base nearby, where U.S. forces operate from.
At least 18 Americans were reported wounded in the region after Iran’s retaliatory strikes the previous weekend, CENTCOM said last week. Six service members were killed in a March 1 Iranian drone attack on a U.S. facility at the Port of Shuaiba, Kuwait. Officials have released the names of six soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command who were killed in that attack.
The bodies of the six killed in Kuwait arrived back in the United States on Saturday. The dignified transfer took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and was attended by President Donald Trump, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, among other top officials.
The war with Iran is now in its second week, with CENTCOM reporting that it struck more than 3,000 targets since the start of hostilities on Feb. 28. Trump is now calling for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran.
UPDATE: 3.9.2026; This article was updated after publication once Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington was officially identified.
