6 U.S. crew members killed in refueling plane crash in Iraq are identified
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 in western Iraq, with four crew members initially confirmed dead.
In a subsequent post, CENTCOM said that all six crew members “are now confirmed deceased.”
“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.
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.
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.
Technical Sgt. Ashley Pruitt
Pruitt oversaw air crew readiness, training and flight operations and also taught midair refueling, the Air Force said.
She was the non-commissioned 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 degrees, the Air Force said.
She was deployed by U.S. Central Command five times since 2018, it said, and was awarded three medals, it said: 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.
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.
Last week, 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 a crew of three, but this expands to a basic crew of five when used for medical purposes.
Mosheh Gains, Fiona Glisson and Marlene Lenthang contributed.
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.