South Jersey Soldier Killed by Drone in Middle East Attack

A South Jersey man was one of three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers who died in a drone attack Sunday in Jordan, the Dept of Defense said.

South Jersey Army Reservist Killed in Drone Attack

Military officials say Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Willingboro, died in the attack that killed three soldiers and left dozens of other troops injured.

All three were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, Fort Moore, Ga. was deployed at a logistics supply base known as Tower 22 near the Syrian border when a one-way attack drone struck housing units on the base.

Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23 also died.

Sgt. Rivers Began His Military Career at Fort McGuire-Dix

Rivers enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2011 as an interior electrician and served a nine-month deployment to Iraq in 2018. Last year, Rivers was assigned to the engineer brigade at Fort Moore.

NJ Gov. Murphy to Order Flags to Half-Staff

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he would sign an executive order this week lowering flags to half-staff to honor Rivers.

“As parents, Tammy and I send our heartfelt sympathies to all three families who now face the unimaginable pain of losing a cherished loved one. As Americans, we share our gratitude for the soldier's bravery and sacrifice, and for the courage of every servicemember fighting terrorism at home and abroad, to whom we owe a debt we can never repay.”

 

President Biden Blames Iran

Sunday's drone attack caused the first U.S. fatalities after months of strikes by Iran-backed groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

President Biden said Monday that “we’ll hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”