23/03/2026
On March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, killing all six servicemembers on board. The incident remains under investigation, though U.S. Central Command says it was not caused by “hostile or friendly fire.” Their remains were returned to the U.S. today, with Donald Trump attending the dignified transfer.
The victims have been identified as:
Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, Auburn, Alabama
Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, Covington, Washington
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, Bardstown, Kentucky
Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, Mooresville, Indiana
Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, Wilmington, Ohio
Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, Columbus, Ohio
Maj. Klinner, Capt. Savino, and Tech. Sgt. Pruitt served with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron in Birmingham, Alabama. Klinner entered the Air Force in 2017 and is survived by his wife, 7-month-old twins, and a 2-year-old son.
Savino attended Central Washington University and earned her commission in 2017, becoming a captain in 2021. Her family said she “died doing the one thing she loved the most—flying.”
Pruitt is survived by her husband Greg, their 3-year-old daughter, and her stepson. Her father said she always knew she wanted to serve, adding she “passed doing what she loved—fighting for this country.”
Capt. Koval, Capt. Angst, and Tech. Sgt. Simmons were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Ohio.
Koval enlisted in 2006 and earned a degree from Purdue University. His wife called him “an amazing husband, father, and Airman” who loved serving.
Angst, a University of Cincinnati graduate, joined the Ohio Air National Guard in 2015. His wife said he was “incredibly proud to serve our country.”
Simmons entered the Air Force in 2017 and planned to become a civilian pilot. His father said he volunteered for the flight, adding, “He didn’t have to be on that flight—that’s just who he was.”
The U.S. death toll in the Iran War has reached 13 servicemembers, with around 200 injured, according to the Pentagon.
📷: Air Force/Courtesy Photo, Ohio National Guard, National Guard Association of the United States