JD Vance honors fallen troops at Dover ceremony: 'We owe our eternal gratitude'
WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance, after attending the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday, March 7, to honor the six US service members killed during 'Operation Epic Fury,' took to X and stated, "We owe our eternal gratitude."
The fallen heroes, all members of the Iowa-based 103rd Sustainment Command, were returned to their families in a somber ceremony following a fatal drone strike in Kuwait.
Today, Usha and I joined President Trump and the First Lady in honoring the ultimate sacrifice made by six American heroes who were returned to their families at Dover.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) March 8, 2026
We owe our eternal gratitude to the men and women of our Armed Forces. Please keep them all in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/oaQLBitZAb
JD Vance pays tribute to fallen US troops at Dover
JD Vance shared a post on X following the ceremony, emphasizing the gravity of the sacrifice made by the service members.
"Today, Usha and I joined President Trump and the first lady in honoring the ultimate sacrifice made by six American heroes who were returned to their families at Dover," Vance said.
His message underscored the profound debt the country carries for those in uniform, as he noted, "We owe our eternal gratitude to the men and women of our Armed Forces."
He concluded his tribute by asking the public to "Please keep them all in your prayers."
Top officials join President Trump at Dover dignified transfer
The ceremony at Dover was a high-level gathering of military and civilian officials who came together to support the grieving families.
Joining President Trump and first lady Melania Trump were Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine, Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.
Each family was present as the transfer cases were moved, marking the beginning of the journey to their final resting places after the remains were carefully identified.
Soldiers killed in drone strike served 103rd Sustainment Command
The six soldiers were integral members of the 103rd Sustainment Command, a unit that provides essential logistics such as food, fuel, and ammunition for military operations.
Before arriving in Delaware, President Trump spoke at a summit in Miami, where he described the soldiers as heroes who were “coming home in a different manner than they thought they’d be coming home.”
He labeled the drone strike in Port Shuaiba “a very sad situation” and committed to keeping future American war deaths “to a minimum.”
The War Department identified the fallen as Major Jeffery O’Brien, Captain Cody Khork, Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens, and Sergeant Declan Coady, with Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan also believed to have died in the attack.
