An Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case with the remains of U.S. Army Reserve soldier Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, of White Bear Lake, Minn., who was killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, past President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during a casualty return, at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on March 7, 2026. Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo
President Donald Trump stood at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware with several federal and state leaders on March 7 to pay tribute to the six fallen U.S. service members who were killed in Kuwait during Iran’s first wave of retaliation to Operation Epic Fury.
Maj. Jeffery R. O’ Brien of Iowa, Capt. Cody A. Khork of Florida, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan of California, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor of Minnesota, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens of Nebraska, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady of Iowa were members of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command out of Des Moines, Iowa. They were killed in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
Their remains returned stateside for a dignified transfer. Contained in a transfer case, the fallen soldiers are first flown to Dover Air Force Base, where they are identified by their families. They will then be placed in a casket and transported to their final resting places.
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Earlier that same day, Trump shared his plans to attend the transfer while speaking to leaders of several Latin American countries in Miami. He called it “a very sad situation” to greet the families of fallen heroes coming home from war.
“They’re great heroes in our country, and we’re going to keep it that way,” he said.
The president attended the solemn event in the company of the service members’ families, as well as leaders and lawmakers from their respective states.
Those leaders included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen; Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, and her husband, Kevin Reynolds; as well as Nebraska Sens. Deb. Fischer and Pete Ricketts; Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst; and Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester.
No elected representatives from California or Minnesota were in attendance.
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Several other members of the Trump administration were also present, including Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Ambassador Steve Witkoff, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George.
Once the transfer is complete, the president is expected to return to South Florida.
Since Operation Epic Fury was launched on Feb. 28, no additional fatality has been reported after the six fallen service members, as of March 7, with several reported to have received injuries in Iran’s initial response.
“When it comes to war, there’s always that,” Trump said of casualties. “We’re going to keep it to a minimum.”
