By Haley Britzky, Taylor Romine

(CNN) — Emotional tributes began to pour in after the identification of four US service members who perished in a deadly Iranian drone strike while serving in the port of Shuaiba in Kuwait, the first deaths in the large-scale operation against Iran.

While they all served as soldiers under the US Army Reserve, they played many roles, including a “heroic son” and a mother of two who “was almost home.”

The Pentagon identified four of the six US service members killed as Capt. Cody Khork, 35; Sgt. Declan Coady, 20; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39; and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42. All four were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve sustainment unit out of Iowa. Two other soldiers who were killed in the strike haven’t yet been identified.

While these are the first American casualties in the large-scale operation launched by the US and Israel Saturday, President Donald Trump said Monday that the “big wave” against Iran is yet to come. Both the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that more casualties are likely.

“They’re great people,” Trump said about the six troops who were killed in a phone interview with the Daily Mail. “And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous — it could happen again.”

The soldiers were honored as “relentlessly, consistently, and fearlessly” serving the country, and making “the ultimate sacrifice,” Brig. Gen. Clint A. Barnes, deputy commanding general of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, said in a release by the US Army Reserve on Tuesday.

1st Theater Sustainment Command is a stand-alone group based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, composed of troops from units around the country who are assigned to support roles overseas in nine-month rotations.

The operations center was a triple-wide trailer with office space inside; the building was surrounded by concrete barriers that are typically used to protect military structures overseas from things like car bombs and improvised explosive devices, according to a source familiar. However, there was nothing overhead that could shield the building from drones or missiles.

There was no siren or warning ahead of the strike to give the troops time to take cover in a bunker, the source familiar said.

The four service members varied in careers, with titles ranging from Multiple Launch Rocket System/Fire Direction Specialist to Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, but all dedicated themselves to public service thousands of miles away from their families despite the unmistakable risks.

Here is what we know about the US service members who took that risk.

Capt. Cody Khork

Khork, who was from Lakeland, Florida, enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a multiple launch rocket system/fire direction specialist. He commissioned as a military police officer in the Army Reserve in 2014, and deployed to Saudi Arabia; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and Poland.

Behind his sense of duty was “a man whose life was defined by devotion, character, and service,” his parents and stepmother said in a statement Tuesday.

“Cody was truly the life of the party, known for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him,” the statement said.

Khork loved history and had a degree in political science, which showed “his sharp mind and his sincere appreciation for the principles and sacrifices that have shaped our nation,” his family said.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Joint Service Achievement Medal.

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor

Amor, from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, enlisted as an automated logistics specialist in the National Guard in 2005. She transferred to the Army Reserve a year later and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019.

Amor, who was a mother to a high school senior and a fourth-grader, was just days away from returning home to her family, her husband, Joey Amor, told The Associated Press.

“She was almost home,” Joey Amor told the AP, and said he had spoken to her two hours before she died, but, “She just never responded in the morning.”

Amor’s decorations included the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.

Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens

Tietjens was from Bellevue, Nebraska, and enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. He had deployed to Kuwait twice before, in 2009 and 2019. His awards and decorations also include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.

Nebraska US Sen. Pete Ricketts said in a statement his “heart and prayers are with the Tietjens family as they mourn the loss of their heroic son.”

Sgt. Declan Coady

Coady, from Des Moines, Iowa, was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. His awards include the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.

Coady was also studying information systems, cybersecurity and computer science at Drake University, according to school officials, who described him as “well-loved and highly dedicated.” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds honored Coady for his service, saying in a statement he “heroically answered his nation’s call to duty and gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

This story has been updated with additional details.

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