Pentagon Identifies Four of Six U.S. Troops Killed in Kuwait Drone Strike

The Pentagon publicly identified four of six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike that hit a command center at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait, naming Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39; and Declan J. Coady, 20. The public identification was released March 3, 2026, and officials said two additional names are being withheld until a day after next-of-kin notifications. The strike killed six Americans and wounded 18 service members, according to reporting that cited the Pentagon release.

Reports described the site struck as a command center or a temporary tactical operations center at Port Shuaiba, a commercial harbor and logistics hub through which the U.S. military ships tactical vehicles and supplies into the region. Multiple outlets said the six troops died in the same drone strike and characterized the weapon as an Iranian drone; the service members were reported to have died Saturday in the attack.

All four publicly named service members were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit based in Des Moines, Iowa, and several live broadcasts and local transcripts described them as Army Reserve soldiers working in logistics who “kept troops supplied with food and equipment.” Video coverage from WRAL and other broadcasters showed released images of the four identified soldiers, and MilitaryTimes and other national outlets published the Pentagon naming, according to aggregated reporting.

Capt. Cody A. Khork was identified as 35 years old and a captain; ABC affiliate reporting listed his hometown as Winter Haven, Florida while an ABC caption elsewhere identified Lakeland, Florida. Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens was identified as 42 and from Bellevue, Nebraska. Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor was identified as 39 and from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Declan J. Coady was identified as 20 and reported from West Des Moines, Iowa in several accounts; sources differed on his rank, listing him as Spc. Declan J. Coady in some transcripts and Sgt. Declan J. Coady in an ABC passage.

Brig. Gen. Clint A. Barnes, deputy commanding general of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, offered a formal statement quoted in live coverage: “It with deep sadness and unyielding grief that we acknowledge and recognize our Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Our Soldiers relentlessly, consistently, and fearlessly served with sincere dedication and pride. They were the ultimate ambassadors for freedom. They represent the best of what our country stands for. May God grant their families peace and comfort in their memories. We will never forget them.” Gen. Dan Caine, reported as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in ABC coverage, said bluntly, “We expect to take additional losses, and as always, we will work to minimize U.S. losses.”

ABC reporting placed the strike within the opening hours and days of a joint U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, saying the campaign had entered its fourth day and that U.S. forces had struck more than 1,700 targets inside Iran. ABC affiliates described the six service members as the first Americans killed in action in that campaign.

Discrepancies in reporting remain to be reconciled against the official Pentagon casualty release: Capt. Khork’s hometown appears alternately as Winter Haven and Lakeland, Florida, and Declan J. Coady’s rank is reported alternately as Spc. and Sgt. The Pentagon identification on March 3 provided the first public naming of four of the six killed in the Shuaiba strike; two names remain withheld pending next-of-kin notification, and officials and family statements are expected to provide further confirmation.