Army Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, died during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone at Erbil Air Base as the number of U.S. military casualties in the conflict continued to rise.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Pentagon on Tuesday identified the U.S. soldier killed during an operation to dispose of a downed Iranian attack drone at Erbil Air Base in Iraq over the weekend.
Army Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, died while military personnel were conducting a controlled detonation of the Iranian one-way attack drone, according to the War Department.
Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, part of the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Additional details about the circumstances surrounding the explosion were not immediately provided. The Pentagon did not say when or where the drone had been intercepted, how long it had remained at the air base or what caused the controlled disposal operation to become fatal.
One-way attack drones are designed to strike a target without returning to their launch point. Unexploded or partially damaged drones can remain dangerous after being brought down because they may still contain warheads, fuel or other hazardous components.
Swinton’s death adds to a growing list of American military casualties as fighting involving the United States and Iran continues.
The Pentagon on Monday identified two other U.S. service members killed in Iranian attacks on American positions in Jordan.
First Lt. Tyler Feehan died Saturday, while Pvt. Isabella Gonzales was killed Friday, according to the War Department.
The department did not provide additional information in the material supplied about their units, ages, hometowns or the specific attacks in which they were killed.
At least 17 U.S. service members have died and approximately 500 have been wounded since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran on Feb. 28, according to updated casualty figures released Monday.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the revised totals as American forces continued operating across the region amid Iranian attacks on U.S. bases, personnel and military positions.
Nearly 100 American service members have been injured since July 7 alone, the Pentagon said.
The department reported that 96% of those injured troops have already returned to duty, indicating that most of the recent wounds were not severe enough to require prolonged removal from their assignments.
The remaining cases include personnel who may still be receiving treatment, undergoing evaluation or recovering before returning to active duty.
One American service member also remains missing following an attack in Jordan last week.
U.S. officials said efforts were continuing to identify human remains recovered from the site. Authorities had not confirmed whether the remains belonged to the missing service member.
The identification process may involve DNA testing and other forensic procedures before the military can notify relatives and formally determine the status of the missing individual.
Swinton served in an air defense artillery unit responsible for detecting, tracking and defending against aerial threats, which may include drones, missiles and aircraft.
The 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is based at Fort Bragg and supports air and missile defense missions involving U.S. forces and strategic locations.
Swinton’s assignment to D Battery placed him within a unit operating systems intended to protect troops and facilities from airborne attacks.
His death occurred not during an initial drone strike but during the attempted destruction of a weapon that had already been downed, illustrating the continuing danger posed by unexploded Iranian systems even after they are intercepted.
Military personnel commonly conduct controlled detonations when damaged explosives or munitions cannot be safely transported, disarmed or stored. Such operations are generally performed in designated areas intended to limit the risk to personnel and surrounding facilities.
The Pentagon had not disclosed whether other service members were injured during the Erbil detonation.
Erbil Air Base, located in Iraq’s Kurdish region, has hosted U.S. and coalition forces and has previously faced threats from missiles and drones.
The latest death comes as American personnel remain deployed at bases and outposts across Iraq, Jordan and other parts of the Middle East.
Those installations have become increasingly exposed as Iran and forces aligned with Tehran continue targeting U.S. military positions.
The casualty figures released Monday show that the conflict has resulted in significant losses for American forces in less than five months.
The 17 confirmed deaths include personnel killed in direct attacks, military operations and incidents connected to the handling of Iranian weapons.
The approximately 500 wounded service members reflect a broader range of injuries sustained during strikes and related military activity.
The Pentagon has continued releasing the names of fallen troops after notifying their families.
Swinton’s identification followed the release of Feehan’s and Gonzales’ names one day earlier, marking three newly identified American deaths connected to the conflict within a two-day period.
No information was immediately provided about funeral arrangements, memorial services or posthumous honors for Swinton.
The War Department also had not announced the findings of any investigation into the controlled detonation.
Military deaths involving explosives typically lead to a review of operational procedures, equipment, protective measures and the condition of the munition involved.
Such an investigation could examine whether the drone’s warhead detonated unexpectedly, whether previously undetected explosives remained active or whether another part of the disposal process failed.
Until that review is completed, the precise sequence of events that killed Swinton remains unclear.
The Pentagon’s announcement confirms that the latest American fatality occurred at Erbil Air Base during an effort intended to eliminate a continuing threat from an Iranian weapon.
Swinton’s death, the two fatalities in Jordan and the unresolved search involving another service member underscore the continuing risks facing U.S. troops as military operations against Iran proceed.
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