The six U.S. crew members who died when their military refueling plane crashed in Iraq while taking part in Iran war operations this week were publicly identified Saturday.
The Defense Department identified the U.S. Air Force airmen as Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.
Klinner, Savino and Pruitt were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida but served day-to-day at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama, where their squadron is based, the Air Force said.
Koval, Angst and Simmons were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus.
U.S. Central Command said in a post on X early Friday that their KC-135 plane went down at approximately 2 p.m. ET Thursday.
“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” CENTCOM said.
It said earlier that two aircraft were involved in the incident and that one landed safely.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the crew of the refueling plane as “American heroes.”
"War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen,” he told a Pentagon news briefing Friday.
“We will greet those heroes at Dover, and their sacrifice will only recommit us to the resolve of this mission,” Hegseth said.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, speaking alongside Hegseth, said: “Our service members make an incredible sacrifice to go forward and do the things that the nation asks of them. It’s a reminder of the true cost of the dedication and commitment of the joint force.”
Maj. John 'Alex' Klinner
Klinner was the chief of squadron standardizations and evaluations for his squadron in Alabama, the Air Force said.
He helped air crew members maintain skills and safety while also supporting the squadron’s mission of air refueling, it said.
Klinner studied to become a reserve officer at Auburn University before completing programs to become a pilot trainer and instructor, according to the Air Force.
He was deployed four times since 2019 and logged 181 combat or combat support hours, the force said. Klinner was promoted four times and awarded three medals: the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Auburn University, where Klinner graduated in 2016 with a degree in mechanical engineering, said it was mourning the loss of its alumnus.
"His commitment to serving our nation reflects the courage, character and sense of duty demonstrated by those who choose a life of service," the university said in a statement.
Capt. Ariana G. Savino
Savino was the chief of current operations for her squadron in Alabama, the Air Force said.
She managed flight schedules, oversaw air crew training missions and supervised resources, it said.
A graduate of Central Washington University, Savino completed training as a combat systems officer before serving at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, the Air Force said. She studied at Mississippi’s Columbus Air Force Base to become a military pilot last year.
She had been deployed to U.S. Central Command operations three times since 2020 and flown 348 combat hours, the Air Force said.
She was promoted three times and was awarded two medals: the Air Medal and the Air and Space Commendation Medal.
Capt. Curtis J. Angst
Angst was responsible for worldwide air refueling, as well as aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations, the Air Force said.
He attended the University of Cincinnati and earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, it said, before initially enlisting in the Ohio Air National Guard in 2015 as a vehicle maintenance technician.
Angst earned a commission in 2021 and attended undergraduate pilot training in 2022, between deployments in 2015 and 2026 as part of operations Spartan Shield and Epic Fury.
He flew 860 flights hours with 67 combat hours and was awarded 10 medals, including the Air and Space Commendation, Achievement and Outstanding Unit medals, the Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He was promoted three times.
Capt. Seth R. Koval
Koval was responsible for training pilots in worldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations in support of Air Mobility Command, the Air Force said.
He enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 as a machinist with the Indiana National Guard, it said, before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in aviation operations from Purdue University in 2011.
Koval transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017 before completing pilot training in 2022 and an instructor pilot upgrade in 2024.
He was deployed five times in support of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Pacific Command, flying 443 combat hours and over 2,000 total hours.
He was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Air and Space Achievement Medal. He was promoted three times.
Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt
Pruitt oversaw air crew readiness, training and flight operations and also taught midair refueling, the Air Force said.
She was the noncommissioned officer in charge of readiness for her squadron in Alabama, and she had logged more than 2,700 flight hours, it said.
Pruitt was promoted four times and earned two college associate’s degrees, the Air Force said.
She was deployed by U.S. Central Command five times since 2018, it said, and was awarded three medals: the Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, the Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Air and Space Achievement Medal.
Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons
Simmons was responsible for conducting worldwide air refueling, as well as aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations, the Air Force said.
He entered the Air Force in 2018 and became an in-flight refueling specialist in 2022, logging more than 770 flight hours and 230 combat hours, it said.
Simmons was deployed by U.S. Central Command three times, supporting operations Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield and Epic Fury.
He was promoted once and awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal.
A total of 12 active service personnel have been killed since the conflict began Feb. 28, when U.S. forces joined with Israel to target senior leaders and military sites in Iran. A 13th died of a medical issue.
Kuwait mistakenly shot down three U.S. fighter jets but none of the crew members were killed.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, which costs almost $40 million each, has been used as a key refueling plane by the U.S Air Force, Marine Corps and the Navy for more than 60 years.
It can also be used in medical evacuations, according to the Air Force website. Typically the planes have crews of three, but that expands to basic crews of five when used for medical purposes.
