Hardin County, is grieving a fallen soldier who gave his life in the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Sergeant Benjamin Pennington died Sunday week after he was injured in Saudi Arabia.

Our Laura Rogers went to his hometown and filed this report.

The quaint community of Glendale, known for antique shops, festivals and the whistle stop.

A lot of people know Glendale through that avenue.

It's now known as the hometown of an American hero.

The community is heartbroken.

I'm heartbroken.

This is unreal.

It's kind of like a nightmare.

26 year old Sergeant Benjamin Pennington was wounded and later died in an Iranian attack in Saudi Arabia.

The doctor that was attending, Ben, told his mom and dad the night that he died.

That your son's a hero.

And what your son did in the military save lives.

Brother Mike Bell of Glendale Christian Church says it was Benjamin's lifelong dream to serve in the military.

He loved the service.

He always wanted to be in the service.

And when he made his commitment to be in the service, he was 100% gung ho.

The Pentagon says Sergeant Pennington was assigned to first Space Battalion, first Space Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado.

His death follows the recent loss of six other service members, four of them with ties to nearby Fort Knox.

When they lost their lives.

I thought, oh, how awful.

And I said a little prayer for their families.

But this comes home, and when it comes home, it's a whole lot different.

And I think that's a feeling across the whole county and maybe the whole state that these things happen, other places they don't happen here and it happened here, and it's real and it's one of our children.

And we hurt.

We really hurt.

Pennington graduated in 2017 from Central Hardin High School, where his father is the track and field coach.

And a statement from the school district, they said in part, Sergeant Pennington represented the very best of our community, state and nation.

We are profoundly grateful for his service and his devotion to our country.

His dedication was exemplary and he has proven that by rendering the ultimate sacrifice.

Our hearts go out to his beloved family.

McKenzie Ben Carey is Mom and Timmy's dad.

They are people that if you know them, you love them.

Their family will be embraced by everybody in this county.

Flags flew it staff in Hardin County through sunset Wednesday.

Judge executive Keith Tall says officials will present that flag to Pennington's family.

It's never going to be enough, but it's just something that we could do.

There are more plans to honor Sergeant Pennington's service and sacrifice in the coming days.

I just appreciate any person that serves their country in this way.

Ben was doing what Ben wanted to do, and I am in a safer place because people like Ben do what they do, that I don't know what it is, but they do what they do.

And I can go to bed at night comfortable knowing that I'm safe and we all can.

U.S.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, you recognize the service and sacrifice of Sergeant Pennington on the Senate floor this afternoon?

Well, I'm confident today Glendale and the rest of Hardin County or surrounding Sergeant Pennington's parents, Timothy and Carrie, with support.

Their son was, by all accounts, deeply admired by neighbors, pastors and coaches who helped him become the man he became.

State Senator Matthew Dineen represents Sergeant Pennington's hometown.

Yesterday in Frankfort, he spoke about the young man before the Senate passed a resolution adjourning in his honor.

Talk to many people back home that grew up with him, his teachers.

Folks from Glendale, small town.

They all say the same thing.

He was an honorable young man dedicated to his country, his community, and he was a true servant of his Lord and Savior.

His family and his community.

And he exhibited that every day.

He gave his life for what he loved doing, what he grew up wanting to be.

Funeral arrangements for Sergeant Pennington have not yet been finalized.