{"id":48241,"date":"2019-01-18T13:39:40","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T13:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/18\/pentagon-identifies-three-americans-killed-in-syria\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:12:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:12:18","slug":"pentagon-identifies-three-americans-killed-in-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/01\/18\/pentagon-identifies-three-americans-killed-in-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon identifies three Americans killed in Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Defense Department has identified three of the Americans killed<\/a> earlier this week by a suicide bomber in the northern Syria town of Manbij<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deceased who were identified include two U.S. service members and one Defense Intelligence Agency civilian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another U.S. civilian working as a contractor has not been officially identified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Farmer, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon Kent and DoD civilian Scott Wirtz died Wednesday in Manbij, Syria, as a result of wounds sustained from a suicide improvised explosive device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its propaganda agency immediately following the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wirtz, 42, was from St. Louis, Missouri. He was a former Navy SEAL assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency as a civilian operations support specialist. He had been working in that role, overseeing human intelligence collection, since February 2017, and deployed multiple times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are deeply saddened by the loss of this patriot,\u201d DIA Director Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, Jr., said. \u201cThis is a stark reminder of the dangerous missions we conduct for the nation and of the threats we work hard to mitigate. As President Lincoln described on the fields at Gettysburg, this officer gave the last full measure of devotion\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wirtz\u2019s military awards and decorations include the SEAL Insignia, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon and Pistol Expert Medal. His DIA awards include the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are thankful for the dedicated men and women of DIA who continue to put themselves in harm\u2019s way to keep the nation safe,\u201d Ashley said. \u201cOur adversaries never grow tired, so our mission to provide seamless battlefield intelligence, which includes the deployment of DIA personnel to combat zones, never stops.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Farmer, 37, was an Army Green Beret from Boynton Beach, Florida. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmer joined the Army on March 30, 2005. He graduated in 2007 from the Special Forces Qualification Course as an engineer sergeant and was assigned to 5th Group, where he remained throughout his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmer was selected to attend the Special Forces Warrant Officer Candidate School, where he earned his commission in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmer served on six overseas combat tours. Twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2007 and January 2009; once in support of Operation New Dawn in August 2010; once in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2012; and twice in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in January 2018 and January 2019 until his passing.<\/p>\n\n\n\t