This was last updated March 8 at 1:28 p.m.
Sgt. Declan Coady, a Drake University student serving in the U.S. Army Reserves as an information technologies specialist, was one of four U.S. service members killed in an unmanned aircraft system attack at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait on Sunday. These soldiers were supporting Operation Epic Fury, a series of aircraft attacks on Iran, the U.S. Army Reserve said in a media release.
Coady enrolled at Drake in the fall of 2023 and majored in information systems with minors in cybersecurity and computer science. He had previously graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines and served as a troop leader and assistant senior patrol leader in the Boy Scouts of America.
“[Coady] had an incredibly bright future ahead of him,” said Jerry Parker, vice president and dean of students, in a statement to The Times-Delphic. “In moments like these, we must all come together to show much-needed love and compassion for the Coady family through this incredibly difficult time.”
Director of International Student and Scholar Services Jorona Johnson taught Coady in Blueprint for Success in fall 2023.
“He was a thoughtful and engaging young man, always willing to speak his mind in the classroom,” Johnson said in a statement to The Times-Delphic. “Even beyond the classroom, Declan was a friendly face on campus and always offered a warm greeting.”
Coady was a cadet within the Drake Army ROTC, who gave their sympathies to his family in a statement posted on their Instagram.
“Coady was thought highly of at the program,” reads the statement. “He always had a smile on his face, was a joy to talk to, and an overall great person. We commended him for his choice to enlist and join the fight in the Middle East.”
Coady, who was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant, first enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. Coady was part of the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines.
While serving, Coady earned the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.
Brig. Gen. Clint A. Barnes, deputy commanding general, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, Operational Command Post, said in a media release that the soldiers killed in Kuwait “relentlessly, consistently, and fearlessly served with sincere dedication and pride.”
“They were the ultimate ambassadors for freedom,” Barnes said. “They represent the best of what our country stands for. May God grant their families peace and comfort in their memories. We will never forget them.”
In a media release, the U.S. Army Reserve said the incident is under investigation. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff to honor Coady and another fallen soldier, Major Jeffery O’Brien from Waukee. Drake postponed the All In 24-Hour Giving Challenge — a fundraising drive originally planned to run noon-to-noon from March 4 to March 5 — until later in the spring.
There is currently a GoFundMe page active to support the Coady family “with funeral and memorial expenses, travel costs, and other unexpected expenses.” As of March 8 at 1:28 p.m., the fund has raised over $124,000 of its $150,000 goal, originally set at $75,000.
Drake will host a candlelight vigil on the front lawn of Old Main on Monday at 7 p.m. A military service will be held at a later date. These plans were organized with the Coady family’s blessing, said Parker.
“The vigil will be a chance to gather, offer comfort to one another, and mourn the loss of Declan, our beloved classmate and friend,” Parker said in a campus-wide email. “It will also be a chance to honor the tremendous legacy he leaves behind — one of service, leadership, and integrity.”
Parker encouraged campus members who wanted to share messages of support and care to send them to the Provost’s office in Old Main, where once a week, a team member will drive them to the Coadys.
Eve Loehrer contributed to reporting.
