Pentagon releases names of six US airmen killed in KC-135 refueling crash over Iraq

WASHINGTON, DC: The Pentagon on Saturday, March 14, released the names of the six US service members who died on Thursday, March 12, in the crash of a KC-135 refueling tanker in western Iraq.

The fallen airmen represented the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio.

Names of all six service members released by Pentagon  

The fallen personnel from the 6th Air Refueling Wing include 33-year-old Major John “Alex” Klinner, 31-year-old Captain Ariana G Savino, and 34-year-old Tech. Sergeant Ashley B Pruitt.

Their colleagues from the 121st Air Refueling Wing who also lost their lives are 38-year-old Captain Seth R Koval, 30 year old Captain Curtis J Angst, and 28-year-old Tech. Sergeant Tyler H Simmons.

Distinguished service of fallen soldiers

Major John “Alex” Klinner, an Auburn University alumnus, served as chief of Squadron Standardizations and Evaluations at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron. 

He entered the service in 2017, and his career was marked by four deployments, including his final tour in 2026. 

Capt. Ariana G. Savino also commissioned in 2017 via Central Washington University and served as the chief of Current Operations Pilot. 

Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, an instructor boom operator, was a veteran of four deployments since joining in 2017. 

According to Military Times, the specific service records for Koval, Angst, and Simmons are still being processed for release.

Ohio Governor and military command pay homage

Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, ordered flags to be flown at half-staff, as he confirmed that three of the six victims were Ohioans. 

“Fran and I are deeply saddened by this news and offer our sincere condolences to their families,” DeWine shared on X. 

The 121st Air Refueling Wing as well took to their official Facebook to write a statement on the tragedy. 

“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization.”

Defense Secretary honors ‘American heroes’ after tragic loss

The fatal crash occurred during a refueling mission supporting operations against Iran, bringing the total death toll of "Operation Epic Fury" to at least 13 service members. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the tragedy during a news conference, he asserted, “War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said. “And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.” 

It is to be noted that the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down in friendly airspace, an incident that military officials say was not caused by hostile fire.