The deceased were identified by the Pentagon as Chief Warrant Officer Robert M. Marzan and Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien on Wednesday, March 4
Credit: U.S. Army Reserve
NEED TO KNOW
- The Pentagon has revealed the identities of the remaining two U.S. service members who died in a drone strike on Sunday, March 1, which killed a total of six soldiers
- Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, was identified by the Department of Defense on Wednesday, March 4
- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, is “believed to be” the sixth individual who died in the attack, the Pentagon said
The final two of six United States service members who were killed in a drone strike during the war with Iran have been identified.
Maj. Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, died during the unmanned aircraft system attack on March 1 in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, the Department of Defense announced on March 4.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, Calif., is "believed to be" the sixth individual who died as a result of the drone strike in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, Sunday, the Pentagon said. An identification of Marzan will be completed by a medical examiner.
On Monday, March 2, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that six U.S. service members were killed by a direct Iranian strike on a makeshift operations center at the Shuaiba port in Kuwait on Sunday, March 1.
The first four Army Reserve Soldiers were previously identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Credit: U.S. Army Reserve
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on March 2 that the attack occurred when an incoming munition hit a tactical operations center in the country, according to CBS News. Hegseth also noted that the operations center was “fortified,” but there was “one” projectile that made it through air defenses, CNN reported.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The drone strike came just one day after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would be taking “massive and ongoing” military action, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury."
Credit: AFP via Getty
In an interview with the Associated Press on Wednesday, March 4, Joey Amor, Nicole’s spouse, remembered communicating with his wife just two hours before her death.
“She was almost home,” Joey said, sharing that she was just days away from returning home to her family. "You don’t go to Kuwait thinking something’s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first — it hurts.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Meanwhile, Derek Hoff, Nicole’s brother, told The New York Times that his sister’s recent deployment in Kuwait was probably going to be her final one.
Hoff noted that his sister, who had spent 20 years in the military, had an 18-year-old son who was graduating high school, and she also didn’t want to lose more time with her 9-year-old daughter.
“She just missed them,” Hoff told the newspaper.
Read the full article here
