The Army on Tuesday identified Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, as the U.S. service member killed while troops attempted to destroy a downed Iranian attack drone Sunday at an air base in Iraq.
Swinton, a U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) soldier, was killed in action during a controlled detonation of the one-way unmanned aerial system at Erbil Air Base, the Department of War announced. The incident remains under investigation.
“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military.”
Swinton’s death brought the number of U.S. service members killed since the beginning of the conflict with Iran to 17. The toll includes deaths from Iranian attacks as well as crashes and other incidents connected to American military operations in the region.
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“USASMDC is saddened by the loss of Sgt. Swinton, whose death occurred during an operation to safeguard fellow soldiers,” Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty, USASMDC commanding general, wrote in a statement. “His service will not be forgotten, and his sacrifice is not in vain. We will support Sgt. Swinton’s family and his unit during this difficult period. His loss will inspire his fellow soldiers to continue the mission.”
U.S. Central Command previously said the unexploded ordnance came from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. Another service member was injured during the detonation and received medical treatment.
Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“Sgt. Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him,” Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber said in a statement. “He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication.”
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Swinton, who will receive the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, had already received the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Combat Action Badge.
His death followed the killing of two U.S. soldiers in Jordan on Friday – 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas – as American and allied forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
Central Command said another service member remained missing after those attacks, with President Donald Trump suspecting that missing member to have died, too.
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“We hit them very hard again tonight, and we did that in honor of the probably three – it’s probably three as opposed to two great patriots,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night.
“We feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon.”
The United States launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on Feb. 28. U.S. and partner forces have since targeted Iranian air defenses, missile and drone facilities, maritime capabilities and other military infrastructure in a restarting of strikes after the Iranian violations of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) over its fight for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 50,000 U.S. military personnel are operating across the Middle East, according to Central Command.
Fox News’ James Levinson contributed to this report.
