Pentagon Confirms Identity of Sixth Soldier Killed in Kuwait Drone Attack

The Department of Defense has officially identified Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, as the sixth Army Reserve soldier killed in an Iranian drone strike on a U.S. facility in Kuwait on March 1. Marzan's identification was confirmed by a medical examiner on March 11, following an initial release of his name on March 5 when he was believed to have been killed. This confirmation brings closure to the identification process for all six service members who perished in the attack.

The other five soldiers killed in the strike on a tactical operations center at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, include Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45; Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Master Sgt. Nicole M. Amor, 39; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20. All six fallen soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, based in Des Moines, Iowa. The March 1 drone attack remains under investigation, with questions raised about the adequacy of air defenses at the facility.

This incident is part of a broader escalation, with a total of seven U.S. troops killed since Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign against Iran, began on February 28. Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, died on March 8 from injuries sustained in a separate March 1 Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Iran has launched numerous missiles and drones at U.S. partners in the Middle East since the operation began, prompting defense officials to emphasize efforts to protect American service members.