Pilot traces tombstones and a soldier in tribute flight path to honor 3 Ohio airmen killed in Iraq

COLUMBUS, OHIO: A pilot in Ohio took to the skies on Thursday, March 19, to perform a unique aerial tribute for three Ohio Air National Guardsmen who were killed on March 12 in a refueling crash over Iraq.

Using the sky as a canvas, the flight path north of Columbus traced the image of a saluting service member and three headstones.

The tribute honored Captain Seth R Koval, Captain Curtis J Angst, and Tech Sergeant Tyler H Simmons, who were among the six airmen killed on March 12 during "Operation Epic Fury."

The trio, assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing, died when their KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq at approximately 2 pm ET, according to the US Central Command.

Ohio National Guard mourns the 'tremendous loss'

The Ohio National Guard expressed deep grief, stating the men served with "dedication, professionalism, and pride."

In a video message on Facebook, the Guard stated, "They were valued members of our team and their loss is deeply felt across the 121st and the entire Ohio National Guard."

Notably, Captain Koval, 38, of Stoutsville, served as an aircraft commander with 19 years of service, while Captain Angst, 30, was a pilot with 10 years of service. 

Technical Sergeant Simmons, 28, served as a boom operator for eight years, and all three were among six crew members who died in the KC-135 crash in Iraq. 

Military leaders reflected on the "lasting impact of these Airmen" and asked the public to "respect their privacy as they mourn this tremendous loss."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth honors the fallen airmen

Earlier, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the tragedy during a press conference, stating, "War is hell. War is chaos." 

He noted that "bad things can happen" even in friendly airspace, as the crash was not caused by hostile fire. 

Hegseth called the service members "American heroes, all of them," as the total death toll for the operation reached at least 13. 

Other airmen who died in the crash in Iraq

The Pentagon also identified the three other airmen killed in the crash, who were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base.

Major John “Alex” Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama, served as a squadron chief and was a father of three.

Captain Ariana G Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, served as the chief of current operations, while Technical Sergeant Ashley B Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky, was a veteran instructor boom operator.

Their commander, Col Ed Szczepanik, stated that losing members of the Air Force family is "excruciatingly painful" and "unimaginable."