Heartbreaking news is emerging from the Pentagon tonight as officials confirm the identity of the third U.S. soldier killed in the attack on a Jordanian air base last week—and her family is now reeling from an unimaginable loss.
The Pentagon announced Tuesday night that Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, from Ozone Park, New York, is believed to be the third victim of the Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on July 17. Originally listed as missing, military officials have now updated her status to “Duty Status–Whereabouts Unknown” and believe she is deceased.
Rampersad, who joined the Army in March 2019, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, based in Ansbach, Germany. Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
The Pentagon previously identified 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, as the first two soldiers killed in the attack.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Sgt. Angel Rampersad,” said Brig. Gen.
Glenn Henke, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, in a statement. “We extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to her family and all those who are navigating this unimaginable loss.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also paid tribute on social media, writing that her heart is “with her family, loved ones, and the soldiers who stood beside her as they grieve this unimaginable loss.”
The attack is part of a broader conflict that has now claimed the lives of 18 service members and injured 447 since it began on February 28. A June ceasefire collapsed, and both the U. S.
and Iran have accused each other of violations. Tensions spiked again after a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at a 60-day negotiation window.
In the past two weeks alone, four more service members have been killed and nearly 100 wounded. The U. S.
military has conducted 11 consecutive days of strikes, targeting Iranian air defenses and missile sites, according to Central Command.
As the investigation into Rampersad’s death continues, one question lingers: how much longer will this cycle of strikes and heartbreak go on?
