Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has been identified as the U.S. soldier killed during a controlled demolition of a downed Iranian drone. Swinton died in action on July 19 at Erbil Air Base in Iraq.
The incident involved an unexploded ordnance from the drone, which was undergoing a controlled detonation when it exploded. US Central Command stated that a second service member sustained a minor injury during the event. The incident remains under investigation.
Sergeant Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
His death brings the total U.S. military toll to 17 since the U.S. and Iran initiated conflict on February 28.