Feds pass deadline to answer questions about why Queens soldier wasn’t included in Iran War death count

Queens Congressmember Gregory Meeks sent a letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth calling for the restoration of fallen Queens soldier Angel Sarah Rampersad’s name to the official list of service members killed in the Iran war.  Photo via United States Army

By Ryan Schwach

The federal government has yet to explain why Queens soldier Staff Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad and three other troops were removed from the official list of Iran War casualties, a week after a Queens lawmaker set a deadline to do so.

The Pentagon has also blown past an Aug. 10 deadline set by Queens Congressmember Greg Meeks for answers about why the names remain off of the list of U.S. soldiers killed in the ongoing war with Iran.

Meeks set the deadline in a letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth he sent earlier this month.

In the letter, the lawmaker asked why the names had been removed from the government’s official tally of casualties during Operation Epic Fury after the feds gave conflicting answers to why they were not on the list.

Initially, the Pentagon reported it was a software issue that put the names of Rampersad, Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, Private Isabella Gonzales and Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton under a list of overseas casualties separate from the conflict in Iran. They were instead classified with other casualties involved in “overseas operations.”

Then, in a statement to the Eagle, the federal government said the change was made because the four soldiers died when a ceasefire was in effect.

Meeks' letter doubled down on his call for the names to be restored, having previously told the Eagle in July that Rampersad and the others "deserve it.”

“The omission of the deceased service members' names raises rightful concerns about transparency and an accurate depiction of the human cost of the Iran war,” Meeks wrote in his letter.

Rampersad, who grew up in Ozone Park, Feehan and Gonzales died in July when an Iranian missile struck the base in Jordan where they were stationed. Swinton was killed in a separate incident in Iraq.

“She served her country with honor and dedication, and she is remembered by her family, friends, and community for her commitment to serving others,” Meeks wrote of Rampersad. “The same is true for Lieutenant Feehan, Private Gonzales, and Sergeant Swinton. Each answered our nation's call, and each deserves to have their sacrifice accurately recognized in the Department's official historical record.”

When the Eagle asked the Pentagon for a response to Meeks’ letter, a spokesperson said, “as with all Congressional correspondence, the Department will respond directly to the authors.”

As of Monday afternoon, the four names had not been restored to the list connected with Operation Epic Fury.