JD Vance attends dignified transfer for soldier Benjamin N. Pennington, the 7th US service member to die in Iran war
Vice President JD Vance stood alongside the grieving family of Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington as his remains were brought back to the US, marking the seventh US service member to die in combat during the Iran war. The dignified transfer took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saluted as the transfer case draped with the American flag was carried from the military aircraft.
Pennington, 26, from Glendale, Kentucky, was wounded during an attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 1 and succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. Retired pastor Mike Bell, who had known Pennington since he was a child, shared that the soldier was a quiet and steady individual who attended the church’s after-school program.
State and local officials, including Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, where Pennington was from, expressed their grief over the loss. Pennington was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command based at Fort Carson, Colorado, with a mission focused on missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear praised Pennington as a hero who sacrificed everything for his country. Pennington’s former automotive technology instructor, Tom Pitt, described him as an American hero and a quintessential all-American.
Photos on Pennington’s and family members’ Facebook pages showcased his achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout, with his Eagle project involving the demolition of old baseball dugouts in Glendale. He was recognized with awards and decorations such as the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and National Defense Service Medal.
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and 1st Space Brigade commanders expressed their sorrow over Pennington’s sacrifice, with plans to posthumously promote him to staff sergeant. The community mourns the loss of a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
