Last Words of 20-Yr-Old American Soldier Killed in US-Israel vs Iran War Released
- Declan Coady, a US Army Reserve Sergeant, was killed in a drone strike in Kuwait after earlier telling his family that he was safe
- Kim Reynolds, Iowa's Governor, described him as having answered the call to duty and having made the ultimate sacrifice
- Drake University said the late Coady, a second-year student and IT specialist, had had an incredibly bright future ahead of him
A 20-year-old American Army soldier has lost his life in the ongoing US-Israel and Iran war.
He has been remembered as a devoted son and dedicated soldier after he was killed in an Iranian strike in Kuwait, just hours after reassuring his family that he was safe.
Source: UGC
Declan Coady, from West Des Moines, Iowa, died on Sunday, March 1, during a drone attack at Shuaiba Port in Kuwait, where he was serving with the 103rd Sustainment Command, a Des Moines-based unit.
The strike came amid escalating hostilities following joint United States-Israeli military operations against Iran, with officials confirming that six US service members have so far been killed in the conflict.
The Pentagon identified three other soldiers who died in the same attack as Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Florida; Sergeant. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Nebraska; and Sergeant 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of Minnesota.
Coady was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant.
US soldier's last words before his death
Coady’s father, Andrew, said he last spoke to his son on Saturday, February 29, the day before the attack.
“He was telling us that he was safe,” he said.
According to the family, the young soldier had been providing frequent updates as tensions in the region intensified.
He last spoke to his older brother, Aidan, 25, an Army corporal based in Italy.
Their father believes the strike may have occurred shortly after that final call.
“But we had a feeling based on the limited timeframe, we felt shortly after he got off the phone with his brother, that this incident happened,” he said.
Coady’s sister, Keira, 22, described the heartbreak of losing her younger brother.
“He was my younger brother... I'm just really sad that I didn't get a chance to tell him I love him one more time,” she said.
Source: Getty Images
Declan Coady: Tributes from state leaders, university
In a statement, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds paid tribute to the fallen reservist, describing him as 'a young Iowan who heroically answered his nation’s call to duty and gave the ultimate sacrifice'.
She called on residents of the state to keep his family in their prayers.
Drake University, where Coady was a second-year student studying information systems, cybersecurity and computer science, said it was heartbroken by the news of his death.
The university noted that he had served in the US Army Reserve since 2023 as an Information Technologies Specialist and said he had 'an incredibly bright future ahead of him'.
Coady chose deployment despite possible exemption
Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve while studying at Drake and could have avoided deployment because of his participation in ROTC.
However, he chose to deploy to Kuwait in August 2025.
His father said he had been considering transitioning to active duty after completing his deployment.
“That’s how much he loved it,” he said.
Coady would have celebrated his 21st birthday on May 5, 2026.
Late US sergeant remembered as shy but courageous
A graduate of Valley High School in 2023, Coady was described by his family as kind, modest and quietly determined.
“He was just the nicest. He was quite shy and a man of few words, but he was amazing,” his sister said.
His father added:
“He was still outgoing in many ways. He was not afraid of doing anything. He would always step up and help people. Declan was very good at what he did in the Army.”
Outside his military service and academic pursuits, he enjoyed gaming, going to the gym, camping and hiking with his family.
He had also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, following in the footsteps of his two brothers.
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An online fundraiser set up to support the family described him as 'more than a soldier, he was a son, a family member, a friend, and a light in the lives of those who knew him'.
US-Israel vs Iran: Names of soldiers released
Legit.ng previously reported that the US had released the names of four American soldiers killed during the ongoing war with Iran.
The Defense Department said they were among six service members killed in an Iranian strike on a tactical ops centre in Kuwait.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
