Department of War Identifies Soldier Killed at Iraq Air Base

The Department of War on Tuesday identified Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, as the active-duty soldier killed during a controlled detonation at Erbil Air Base in Iraq.

Swinton was killed in action July 19 during the detonation of a downed one-way unmanned aerial system, the department said. He was assigned to D Battery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

U.S. Central Command dated the Iraq death to July 18 and described unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone.

In a July 20 release, the department identified 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, as soldiers killed in an attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

Feehan was killed in action July 18, while Gonzales was killed July 17. Both supported Operation Inherent Resolve. CENTCOM said the attack involved Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. Both incidents remain under investigation, the department said.

CENTCOM initially reported two deaths July 17 and one missing service member. On July 19, it said searchers found unidentified remains and verification was ongoing. Four evacuated service members were discharged.

At least 17 U.S. service members have been killed and about 500 wounded since the United States and Israel began attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.

ABC News reported the figures, citing the Defense Department and an updated casualty count provided Monday by Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.

This is a developing story. Virginia Times will update as information becomes available.