ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. – The Pentagon has confirmed the death of a Kentucky native in the line of duty, marking him as the seventh U.S. service member to lose their life in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, a 26-year-old from Glendale, Kentucky, was killed following injuries sustained in a March 1 attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

According to a Pentagon statement, Sgt. Pennington, who joined the Army immediately after high school, passed away on Sunday. His tragic death underscores the continuing risks faced by American troops stationed abroad.

Mike Bell, a retired pastor from Glendale Christian Church and a longtime family friend, shared that he had known Pennington since he was a young child. He received a call from Pennington’s father when his son was initially injured.

“I spoke with Tim on Saturday morning, and at that time, there seemed to be some hope as Benjamin’s condition had slightly improved. There was even talk of transferring him to Germany for further treatment,” Bell recounted. However, later that day, the situation took a turn for the worse. Tim Pennington reached out again, requesting prayers as Benjamin’s condition deteriorated, eventually leading to his passing.

Reflecting on Pennington’s character, Bell described him as a “quiet person” who consistently fulfilled his responsibilities without seeking attention. “He was just a steady presence, always doing what needed to be done,” Bell said, reminiscing about Pennington’s participation in the church’s after-school program.

Sgt. Pennington was serving with the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade under the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado.

The unit’s mission focused on “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications” according to their website.

“This just breaks my heart,” Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, where Pennington was from, said in a written statement emailed to The Associated Press. “I have known the family for at least 30 years. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they are experiencing. To lose a single service member is just a devastating blow. But when it is one of our own, we grieve as a community.”

Glendale is an unincorporated town of about 300 residents south of the Hardin County seat of Elizabethtown.

In a statement posted on social media, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called Pennington “a hero who sacrificed everything serving our country.”

The other six service members killed since the conflict began on Feb. 28 were Army reservists killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations center at a civilian port.

President Donald Trump on Saturday had joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for those six U.S. soldiers.

The dignified transfer, a ritual that returns the remains of U.S. service members killed in action, is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.

Pennington graduated in 2017 from Central Hardin High School, where he was enrolled in the automotive technology pathway, district spokesman John Wright told the AP. Former automotive tech instructor Tom Pitt, who taught Pennington in 2017 at Hardin County Early College and Career Center, called him “an American hero.”

“A lot of times as a teacher, you have students who are smart, you have students who are charismatic, who are likable, dare I say, enchanting,” said Pitt, who added that Pennington — whom he called Nate — was a Boy Scout. “Rarely do you have students who are all of those. And Ben Pennington was all of those. He was basically the quintessential all-American.”

Pennington enlisted that year as a unit supply specialist, and was assigned to the space and missile command on June 10, 2025, the Army said in a release.

Among his awards and decorations were the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

“The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Pennington,” said Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, USASMDC commanding general. “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.”

Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st Space Brigade commander, described Pennington as “a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who led with strength, professionalism and sense of duty.”

Pennington will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, the Pentagon said.

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Associated Press reporters Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.