US service members killed in Iranian drone strike ID'd: Who were Cody Khork, Noah Tietjens, Nicole Amor & Declan Coady?

The four US service members who were killed by an Iranian drone strike during Operation Epic Fury have been identified.

Updated on: Mar 04, 2026 5:28 AM IST

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The four US service members who were killed by an Iranian drone strike during Operation Epic Fury have been identified. On Tuesday, March 3, the Pentagon identified those who died in the attack on Port Shuaiba, Kuwait on Sunday as Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone following a fire caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky (REUTERS)

Who were Cody Khork, Noah Tietjens, Nicole Amor and Declan Coady?

All of the four soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command, which is based in Des Moines, Iowa, the New York Post reported. The Pentagon has confirmed that the incident is under investigation.

The drone strike that killed the soldiers came a day after the United States and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran, which then launched retaliatory strikes. The operation resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which US President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post, calling him “one of the most evil people in History”.

Khamenei died shortly after the United States launched Operation Epic Fury, a major military operation with the strikes targeting key Iranian military sites, including missile facilities, naval bases, and locations near Khamenei’s office.

Operation Epic Fury included coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel, focusing on major military and naval sites across Iran. The operation aimed at eliminating immediate threats to American forces and allies in the Middle East, and at the same time sending a strong message regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.

The United States unleashed various weaponry against Iranian targets on Saturday, February 28, including suicide drones, Tomahawk cruise missiles and stealth fighters. It also used, for the first time in combat, low-cost one-way attack drones modeled after Iranian designs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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