Pentagon identifies Virginia soldier as 19th death in Iran war

Published September 23, 2026 9:19pm ET



The Pentagon has identified the soldier who marked the 19th U.S. service member death in the Middle East since the start of the Iran war.

Capt. Bianca Wilkerson, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia, died on Sept. 18 due to a noncombat-related incident, the Army said this week. After her death, she was promoted to major. The incident remains under investigation, and an autopsy is pending.

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