The Pentagon has identified six United States Air Force service members who died after a KC‑135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday.
The aircraft went down on March 12 while flying over friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, according to officials.
Three of the fallen airmen were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
They were identified as:
• John A. Klinner, 33, a major from Auburn, Alabama
• Ariana G. Savino, 31, a captain from Covington, Washington
• Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, a technical sergeant from Bardstown, Kentucky
The remaining three were members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.
They include:
• Seth R. Koval, 38, a captain from Mooresville, Indiana
• Curtis J. Angst, 30, a captain from Wilmington, Ohio
• Tyler H. Simmons, 28, a technical sergeant from Columbus, Ohio
Military officials said the crash involved another KC‑135 Stratotanker, though details surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The Pentagon confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
The KC-135 aircraft is widely used by the U.S. Air Force to refuel military jets mid-air, enabling extended flight operations during overseas missions.
Officials say further information will be released as the investigation progresses. ✈️
