The Pentagon on Tuesday released the name of a U.S. soldier killed during the disposal of an Iranian drone in northern Iraq.
Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, N.C., died Saturday during a controlled detonation at Erbil Air Base. The incident is under investigation, the Pentagon said.
Sergeant Swinton had been assigned to the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, in North Carolina.
Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty, the commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement that Sergeant Swinton’s death had “occurred during an operation to safeguard fellow soldiers.”
“His service will not be forgotten,” General Rafferty added, “and his sacrifice is not in vain.”
Sergeant Swinton was not involved in the actual detonation, but was killed by flying debris from the blast, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
The announcement came one day after the Pentagon released the names of two other soldiers killed in the war in recent days. They died in Jordan after an Iranian attack there on Friday. There have now been 17 American military personnel killed since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
The deaths occurred during a week of spiraling clashes between U.S. and Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf, where tensions have worsened since the collapse of a cease-fire reached by the countries last month.
As of Tuesday morning, U.S. forces had been striking targets in Iran, including military command centers and missile and drone launch sites, for 10 straight nights, according to U.S. Central Command. Iran said on Tuesday that it had attacked Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, countries that host U.S. military bases.
The Iranian attack on Friday that killed two soldiers in Jordan also left another soldier missing, but remains found at the scene are believed to be those of the missing soldier.
In a text message to The New York Times, Sergeant Swinton’s mother, Christel Swinton Andujar, said her son was adventurous, fearless and “the kind of person who could light up any room.”
He grew up in Cumberland County, N.C., and loved basketball and fishing, his mother said. He was married and had two children.
“He had a contagious laugh, an incredible sense of humor and loved making people smile,” Ms. Swinton Andujar said. “He was a true jokester who believed life was meant to be lived to the fullest.”
The Army said in a statement on Tuesday that Sergeant Swinton would receive the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge, and that he would be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.
“Sergeant Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him,” said Brig. Gen. John Dawber, who leads the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “He answered the call to duty with courage, honor and selfless dedication.”
“He was an amazing man,” Jamiah Gonzalez-Swinton, his wife, said tearfully when reached by phone on Tuesday morning. She was unable to say more.
Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.
