A Fort Bragg soldier and Fayetteville native has been identified as a service member who was killed over the weekend.
Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, was killed in action during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian one-way attack drone on Sunday, July 19, at Erbil Air Base, Iraq, according to the Department of War. The incident remains under investigation.
Sgt. Swinton was assigned to D Battery, 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg.
His mother, Christel Andujar, sent ABC11 this statement about her son: “Sgt. Michael Swinton was the kind of person who could light up any room. He had a contagious laugh, an incredible sense of humor, and loved making people smile. He was a true jokester who believed life was meant to be lived to the fullest…