US soldiers killed in Iran war remembered for service, family and sacrifice

WASHINGTON, DC: Four US Army Reserve soldiers killed in a drone strike in Kuwait during the early days of the Iran war were identified on Tuesday, March 3, by the Pentagon.

The soldiers identified were Sgt 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39; Capt Cody Khork, 35; Sgt 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42; and Sgt Declan Coady, 20, who was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant.

“These men and women all bravely volunteered to defend our country, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said. “Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends. That’s the way it is,” President Donald Trump said of deaths.

Youngest among his class and a mother days from home

Coady, of West Des Moines, Iowa, had recently told his father he had been recommended for promotion before his deployment.

His father, Andrew Coady, said his son was one of the youngest in his class but stood out among his peers. 

“He was very good at what he did," he said. Coady served as an information technology specialist in the Army Reserve and was studying cybersecurity at Drake University while taking online classes from Kuwait. 

Sgt 1st Class Nicole Amor, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, was days away from returning home to her husband and two children when she was killed.

Her husband, Joey Amor, said she had recently been moved off-base to a shipping container-style building. “They were dispersing because they were in fear that the base they were on was going to get attacked and they felt it was safer in smaller groups in separate places,” he said.

He last spoke to her two hours before the strike, “She just never responded in the morning,” he said.

Amor was described by her family as an avid gardener who enjoyed making salsa from produce she grew with her son and spending time rollerblading and bicycling with her daughter.

A patriotic officer and a martial arts instructor

Captain Cody Khork, of Winter Haven, Florida, was remembered by his family as someone deeply committed to serving the United States.

He enlisted in the Army Reserve and participated in the ROTC program at Florida Southern College, where he studied political science and developed a strong interest in history. 

They described him as “the life of the party, known for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him.”

Sgt 1st Class Noah Tietjens, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was married with a son and lived with his family in the Omaha suburb.

In addition to his military service, he earned a black belt in Philippine Combatives and Taekwondo and served as an instructor. On the mat and as a soldier, “he carried the same values: honor, discipline, service, and commitment to others,” the Philippine Martial Arts Alliance said.

Nebraska Gov Pillen paid tribute Tuesday, March 3, writing: “Noah stepped up to serve and defend the American people from foreign enemies around the world, a sacrifice we must never forget."

He added, “We are holding the Tietjens family close in our hearts during this unbelievably difficult time and will keep them in our prayers."