The residents of Ozone Park are mourning the death of Indo-Caribbean American Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, who died in the war theater in the Middle East recently. This is possibly the first casualty within the Indian-origin community in the US during this current, ongoing and expanding conflict in that region.
In a vigil outside Rampersad’s parents’ home in Ozone Park, July 23, 2026, her mother paid tribute to her daughter, New York Daily News reported. “She died for this country, and I am a mother who’s highly proud of her. … and I know she was really, really focused on what she was doing, and she loved it,” said Carol Acevedo in the NYDN report. Family members reminisced about Sgt. Rampersad determined and calm demeanor, her courage and strength.
President Trump met privately with the family of Sgt. Rampersad and the other three soldiers killed in the Iran war, Politico reported.
During her 7 years in the US Army, Rampersad had received several awards for her high performance. Sgt. Rampersad enlisted in the U.S. Army in March 2019.
Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon, according to a press release from the Department of War (DOW).
In a July 21, 2026, the Department of War announced what it “believed to be” the death of formerly missing soldier Angel S. Rampersad who belonged to the U.S. Army 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command “who was supporting overseas operations in Jordan.”
“Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, is believed to have been killed in action on July 17, 2026, during an enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan. The incident is under investigation,” the DOW said.
The Ozone Park Residents Block Association announced July 22, it is scheduling a press conference “regarding the tragic death of Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad,” on July 23.
Sgt. Rampersad was assigned to 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52d Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Ansbach, Germany, where she served as a 25U Signal Operations Support Specialist.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Sgt. Angel Rampersad,” said Brig. Gen. Glenn Henke, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “We extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to her family and all those who are navigating this unimaginable loss. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command is grieving, and we will continue to support one another as we process this tragedy.”
New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who represents the constituency of Ozone Park, issued a statement honoring the fallen soldier.
“On July 17th, one of our own—a beloved daughter of Ozone Park—was killed in an Iranian missile strike while bravely serving our nation in the Middle East.
“She answered America’s call with courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to defending our nation and the freedoms we hold dear,” Rajkumar added, saying Sgt. Rampersad “embodied the very best of the United States Army and of our country. She served far from home, stood in harm’s way, and carried out her duty with honor. Her service and sacrifice will never be forgotten by Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, or a grateful nation.”
Rajkumar went on to say, “We have a sacred obligation to honor those who wear our nation’s uniform and the families who serve and sacrifice alongside them.”
The Assemblywoman is a member of the New York State Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “….my commitment is to honor the courage and sacrifice of those who serve and stand with the families who bear that sacrifice alongside them. … I stand shoulder to shoulder with her family, especially her parents, Basdeo and Carol, and with all who love her during this unimaginable loss.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement July 22, recognizing Sgt. Rampersad’s sacrifice.
“We mourn the loss of Sgt. Angel Rampersad, an Ozone Park native who was killed at a military base in Jordan while serving our country,” Mamdani said. “Sgt. Rampersad’s courage and sacrifice will be remembered not just in Queens, but across all five boroughs. My deepest condolences are with her family, loved ones, and all those grieving this profound loss.”
Mamdani went on to say, “For so many New Yorkers, wars overseas are never distant—they are felt here at home. The sacrifices made by service members and their families are a constant reminder of this. We are forever grateful for their service and will work every day to honor it.”
The local community in Ozone Park are holding the press conference in front of 133-01 96th Street, to “provide an opportunity to honor Sgt. Rampersad’s life, military service, and connection to the Ozone Park community.” The community also plans to hold a vigil in the near future.
A Reuters report on the ceremonial receipt of the bodies of four soldiers, including that of Sgt. Rampersad, showed President Donald Trump and top administration officials at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The ceremony is known as a “dignified transfer” of the bodies. The three U.S. service members killed when an Iranian missile hit their sleeping barracks at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Friday, July 17, were First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, 28, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, Reuters reported, and the fourth death was that of Sergeant Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, which occurred on Sunday, 19th in a separate incident in Erbil, Iraq, when a controlled detonation of an attack drone was being undertaken.
“Family members, who arrived in a convoy of vans, watched from a short distance as the flag-draped transfer cases were carried off the aircraft one by one and placed in one of two vans,” Reuters reported.
“We’re going to honor them. For me it’s one of the hardest things to do as a president. But it has to be done,” Trump is quoted saying in the Reuters report, and when asked what he would tell the families of the fallen, Trump said: “All I’m going to say is, we love you. We love your child, and that’s what they are to them. They’re their children. There’s no games, no nothing.”
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