Vice President JD Vance joined the grieving household of a Kentucky man who was the seventh US service member to die in fight through the Iran warfare as his stays had been introduced again to the US Monday night.
The dignified switch, a solemn occasion that honors US service members killed in motion, happened at Dover Air Power Base in Delaware for Military Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky. He died Sunday after being wounded throughout a March 1 assault on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon assertion stated.
Vance and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth saluted alongside excessive rating army officers because the switch case draped with the American flag was carried from the army plane and into an awaiting car.
Mike Bell, retired pastor of Glendale Christian Church, stated he’d recognized Pennington since he was a toddler and bought a name from Pennington’s father when the soldier was harm.
“I talked to Tim Saturday morning, and he was doing a bit of higher, and so they had been speaking about possibly transferring him to Germany,” Bell stated. Tim Pennington referred to as once more that night, Bell stated, to ask for prayers as his son’s situation was worsening, after which later informed him the soldier had succumbed to his accidents.
“He was only a quiet particular person,” stated Bell, noting that Pennington attended the church’s after-school program. “I imply, he by no means attracted consideration as a result of he was simply regular doing what he wanted to do to do it.”
State and native officers grieve
Pennington was assigned to the first House Battalion, 1st House Brigade of the U.S. Military House and Missile Protection Command primarily based at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The unit’s mission centered on “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite tv for pc communications,” based on their web site.
“This simply breaks my coronary heart,” Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, the place Pennington was from, stated in an announcement emailed to The Related Press. “I’ve recognized the household for not less than 30 years. I can’t think about the ache and struggling they’re experiencing.”
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 every part serving our nation.”
Six different troopers killed
The opposite six service members killed because the battle started on Feb. 28 had been Military 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 Power Base on the dignified switch for these six US troopers.
The dignified switch is taken into account one of the crucial somber duties of any commander in chief. Throughout his first time period, Trump stated bearing witness to the switch was “the hardest factor I’ve to do” as president.
‘An American hero’
Pennington graduated in 2017 from Central Hardin Excessive Faculty, the place he was enrolled within the automotive know-how pathway, district spokesman John Wright informed the AP. Former automotive tech teacher Tom Pitt, who taught Pennington in 2017 at Hardin County Early Faculty and Profession Heart, referred to as him “an American hero.”
“A number of instances as a instructor, you will have college students who’re sensible, you will have college students who’re charismatic, who’re likable, dare I say, enchanting,” stated Pitt, who referred to as Pennington Nate. “Not often do you will have college students who’re all of these. And Ben Pennington was all of these. He was principally the quintessential all-American.”
Photographs on his and members of the family’ Fb pages present that Pennington achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in August 2017. His Eagle challenge was the demolition of some outdated baseball dugouts in Glendale, stated Darin Life, former committee chairman for Troop 221.
“For those who search for Eagle Scout, his image’s most likely there,” stated Life, who knew Pennington all through his scouting profession. “He liked his nation. I might have anticipated nothing much less of him than to lose his life defending his nation.”
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 House and Missile Command on June 10, 2025, the Military stated in a launch.
Amongst his awards and decorations had been the Military Commendation Medal, Military Achievement Medal, Military Good Conduct Medal, Nationwide Protection Service Medal, International Battle on Terrorism Service Medal and the Military Service Ribbon.
“The U.S. Military House and Missile Protection Command is deeply saddened by the lack of Sgt. Pennington,” stated Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding basic. “He gave the final word sacrifice for the nation he liked.”
Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st House Brigade commander, described Pennington as “a devoted and skilled noncommissioned officer who led with energy, professionalism and sense of responsibility.”
Pennington will likely be posthumously promoted to workers sergeant, the Pentagon stated.
