Hardin County is preparing to welcome home its fallen son, the first Kentuckian to die in the war with Iran.
The body of Glendale native Benjamin Pennington, who was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant, will arrive at Godman Army Airfield on Fort Knox Friday afternoon, according to the Army post.
Following a dignified transfer, a motorcade will leave the Army post around 2:00 p.m to escort his remains to Trowbridge Funeral Home in Elizabethtown.
The community is encouraged to gather along the procession route which includes Severns Valley Baptist Church, Cecilian Bank, downtown Glendale, and the Elizabethtown Public Square. The procession is expected to take about an hour.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Central Hardin High School followed by the funeral service at 1:00 p.m.
A private burial for Staff Sergeant Pennington will take place at a later date at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Radcliff.
Gov. Andy Beshear ordered flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of his interment.
Pennington, 26, died from injuries suffered in an Iranian attack on an air base in Saudi Arabia on Mar. 1. He was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Kentucky's congressional delegation honored Pennington's life on Wednesday evening on the floor of the U.S. House.
"Growing up in Hardin County, he ran track at Central Hardin High School and was an Eagle Scout," U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie said. "After graduating in 2017, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving with distinction ever since. He leaves behind a loving family and community."
Funeral arrangements are pending for the second Kentucky soldier killed in the conflict with Iran. Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown was killed when a military refueling plane crashed on Mar. 12 in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury. She was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
“The Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States of America will forever be grateful to these brave heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our nation," Guthrie added from the U.S. House floor. "Their families and loved ones will always remain in our prayers."
