Six U.S. service members, including three from the Ohio Air National Guard and three from the 6th Air Refueling Wing, were identified as casualties in a re
Identifying the Fallen: U.S. Service Members in Iraq Crash
Six U.S. service members, including three from the Ohio Air National Guard and three from the Florida-based 6th Air Refueling Wing, were identified as the casualties of a tragic aircraft crash in Iraq last week. The Department of Defense provided the identities of the deceased:
- **Capt. Seth R. Koval**, 38, from Mooresville, Indiana
- **Capt. Curtis J. Angst**, 30, from Wilmington, Ohio
- **Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons**, 28, from Columbus, Ohio
- **Maj. John A. Klinner**, 33, from Auburn, Alabama
- **Capt. Ariana G. Savino**, 31, from Covington, Washington
- **Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt**, 34, from Bardstown, Kentucky
Family and Friends Bear the News
Simmons’ mother, Cheryl Simmons, expressed her shock when uniformed officers arrived at their home to deliver the news. "When he opened the door he said, 'Oh no,' and I jumped up and ran in there and they were lined up out on the porch," she recounted to local CBS affiliate WBNS. "You got to be kidding me."
Tragic Crash Details
The incident occurred on March 12, involving an aerial refueling aircraft participating in operations against Iran. The KC-135 aircraft, a part of the U.S. Air Force’s tanker fleet, crashed in western Iraq near Turaibil, along the Iraqi-Jordanian border. The Iraqi intelligence source provided this location information to CBS News.
Praise and Investigation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth honored the fallen as "American heroes," while Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the crew was on a combat mission but flying over friendly territory when the tragic event unfolded. The Department of Defense stated that the incident is currently under investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
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