The Department of Defense has identified four of the six U.S. service members killed by a lethal drone attack in Kuwait on Sunday, March 1, 2026. The soldiers, serving in the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), based in Des Moines, Iowa, were attacked while on duty at a tactical operations center in Port Shuaiba.
The strike took place in the heat of regional tension, as tensions of a regional nature rose to the breaking point that led to the initial U.S. combat casualties in the modern, direct standoff with Iran.
The Fallen Heroes
The Pentagon has identified the following four soldiers. The remaining two victims’ names are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin.
1. Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35.
- Hometown: Winter Haven, Florida.
- Background: A career officer with a lifelong career dedicated to service, Capt. Khork was commissioned in 2014. He served on tours in Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and Poland, among other deployments. His family still remembers him as a "deeply patriotic" leader who led his life purposefully and faithfully.
2. Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens: 42.
- Hometown: Bellevue, Nebraska.
- Background: Tietjens enlisted in 2006, an experienced "military brat" who grew up in a similar family from his father and brothers. This was his third deployment to Kuwait, where he had served in 2009 and 2019. He leaves behind a wife and a young child.
3. Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39.
- Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
- Background: A mother of two, Sgt. Amor was a couple of days away from her tour and coming home. She was a passionate gardener and outdoorsy individual. Her husband, Joey, called her a "source of light" who dutifully tended to people around her. She had had 20 years serving in the military, from Iraq and Kuwait, respectively.
4. Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20.
- Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa.
- Background: Coady was a student at Drake University and was a proud Eagle Scout and was posthumously promoted from Specialist. He joined the force in 2023 as an Information Technology Specialist. His father, Andrew, noted that Declan "loved the Army," and was thinking about a transition to active duty.
Details of the Attack
The fatal attack involved a one-way “kamikaze” drone suspected of being Iranian that went around air defense systems and hit a temporary command center. The facility was composed of modular trailers secured with 12-foot concrete T-walls. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said most incoming threats were intercepted but that this specific munition was able to breach the tactical operations center during a round of retaliatory strikes. Among the six people killed were at least 18 other service members who were seriously injured in the attack.
A Nation in Mourning
In a statement from the White House, the President hailed the soldiers as “true American patriots,” but warned that more casualties are expected as the military campaign continues. The 103rd Sustainment Command is a logistics-heavy unit that provides the troops with food, water, and fuel. The loss of these four lives has left a void in the Des Moines community and the Army Reserve family.
