An Army reservist injured during an Iranian drone attack on American forces in Kuwait has received the Purple Heart. Lt. Col. Robert J. Connolly was wounded when a one way drone struck U.S. units at the Port of Shuaiba on March 1.

The attack killed six Reserve soldiers and was the first and deadliest strike on Americans in the war so far. It also marked Iran’s first retaliation during the opening days of Operation Epic Fury, which launched on Feb. 28.

Connolly deployed to Kuwait on March 1, 2025, during the opening hours of the operation. He was serving with the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit.

Army officials said in a Friday release that Connolly received the Purple Heart on Sept. 23 during a ceremony at Fort Bliss, Texas. An Army official said Connolly was assigned to the Soldier Recovery Unit at Fort Bliss.

A booklet distributed during the ceremony described the attack and Connolly’s actions. “While executing his duties, LTC Connolly’s position came under intense direct fire from a one-way unmanned aerial system launched from a concealed enemy position,” the booklet said.

“Despite the immense danger, LTC Connolly demonstrated unwavering heroism and a steadfast commitment to the mission. It was during this hostile attack that he sustained wounds in action against the enemy.”

Lt. Col. Willie C. McRae, commander of the Fort Bliss recovery unit, presented the medal to Connolly. The unit is among more than a dozen specialized recovery units located at bases across the United States.

Image Credit: DoW

Those units serve troops receiving treatment for “complex” or “high-risk” injuries or health conditions resulting from combat. Connolly remained assigned to the Fort Bliss unit, according to Amabilia Payen, a spokesperson for William Beaumont Army Medical Center.

Payen said health privacy laws prevented her from providing details about Connolly’s injuries or identifying when he arrived at the Soldier Recovery Unit. She did confirm his current assignment to the unit.

“Receiving this award is bittersweet,” Connolly said in the Army release. “It is impossible to separate this medal from the loss of my teammates.”

“I hold this honor not for myself, but as a commitment to never let their names or sacrifices be forgotten.”

The six soldiers killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54; Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45; Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Master Sgt. Nicole M. Amor, 39; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20.

Connolly enlisted in the Army Reserve in August 2000 as a Motor Transport Operator, according to the ceremony booklet. He received his commission into the Army’s Transportation Corps in August 2003.

His most recent position was as a logistics management specialist with the 653rd Regional Support Group in Mesa, Arizona. Connolly completed six deployments, including missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.

The Pentagon has not maintained regular briefings or released information about continuing American operations against Iran. Meanwhile, the war has produced tens of billions in costs involving bases and U.S. munitions stockpiles.

Department of War casualty figures and combat awards have provided some insight into the scale of the Iranian military response endured by the United States. The war is now entering its eighth month.

As of Monday, 19 American service members had died and nearly 861 had been injured during the war with Iran, according to the Pentagon’s official casualty database. The Pentagon’s accounting has faced criticism over delayed reports and statistics that changed overnight with little to no context.

The Army recently awarded a Bronze Star to a soldier for the same Kuwait attack. Army officials told Task & Purpose that no additional details would be released until families of the soldiers killed in action received findings from the command investigation.