Fayetteville, NC, man identified as U.S. soldier killed in Iran war
A Fayetteville man and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command soldier was killed Sunday during the controlled detonation of a drone in Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday, July 21.
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Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, was killed while supporting overseas operations at Erbil Air Base in Iraq, the Department of Defense said. The incident is “under investigation.” National media outlets reported Swinton was disarming a downed Iranian drone when he was killed.
Lt. Gen. John L. Rafferty, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command commanding general, said Swinton was killed “during an operation to safeguard fellow soldiers.”
“His service will not be forgotten, and his sacrifice is not in vain,” Rafferty said. “We will support Sgt. Swinton’s family and his unit during this difficult period. His loss will inspire his fellow Soldiers to continue the mission.”
Swinton was stationed at Fort Bragg, assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the Department of Defense said. He enlisted in the Army in 2017 as an Air Defense Early Warning System Operator.
During his service, Swinton won seven awards and badges, including an Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal, the Department of Defense said. He will posthumously receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be promoted to staff sergeant.
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“Sgt. Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him,” Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber, Army Air and Missile Defense Command commanding general, said. “He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication.”
Swinton’s wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted Sunday on Facebook that she was informed that morning that Swinton was killed in Iraq. She posted a tribute video Tuesday with moments she, Swinton and their kids shared with each other.
“I didn’t think this would be the last time I ever saw you,” Gonzalez-Swinton wrote Sunday. “I have no words.”
Swinton’s death comes amid the U.S.-Iran trading attacks as the ceasefire between the two countries collapses. The Department of Defense announced Monday that another Fort Bragg soldier, 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, was killed in Jordan during an “enemy attack.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2026 at 11:04 AM with the headline “Fayetteville, NC, man identified as U.S. soldier killed in Iran war.”
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