The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded by the President to service members wounded or killed in action. Latest: a North Carolina sergeant died in Iraq while disarming an Iranian drone.
Sgt. Michael Swinton has died during a controlled detonation at an air base in Irbil, northern Iraq. Two other soldiers were injured as U.S. forces face ongoing clashes related to Iranian strikes. The Defense Department confirms posthumous honors and a promotion for Swinton. The violence comes amid broader attacks that have killed two other service members in Jordan recently.