The youngest US soldier killed in Jordan drone attack was 23
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(From left) US Army Reserve Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett and Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, were killed in the drone attack.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - The US military on Jan 29 released the names of the three Army Reserve soldiers killed in the drone attack by Iran-backed militants in Jordan
The names are: Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia.
“On behalf of the Army Reserve, I share in the sorrow felt by their friends, family, and loved ones,” said Lieutenant-General Jody Daniels, chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of US Army Reserve Command.
“Their service and sacrifice will not be forgotten, and we are committed to supporting those left behind in the wake of this tragedy.”
The attack on Jan 28 also wounded more than 40 troops when the drone slammed into the housing units early in the morning. It was the first deadly strike against US troops since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East.
Drone mix-up
The United States is trying to determine exactly why the nearly 350 troops at the base in Jordan, known as Tower 22, were unable to stop the drone.
Two US officials said on Jan 29 that air defences failed to stop the attack in part because the hostile drone approached its target at the same time a US drone was returning to the base.
The return of the US surveillance drone to the remote resupply base caused some confusion over whether the incoming drone was friendly or not, and air defences were not immediately engaged, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary findings into a major contributing factor to the incident.
Two other drones that attacked other locations nearby in south-east Syria were shot down, they added.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the drone mix-up, which is now at the heart of an investigation by the military’s Central Command. REUTERS, NYTIMES
