‘Heartbreaking’: War Department identifies U.S. service members killed in tanker crash in Iraq
The Department of War on Saturday released the identities of the six American service members killed in the Thursday crash of a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in Iraq.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) acknowledged the aerial refueling tanker, crewed by six, went down over western Iraq in a statement released Friday. CENTCOM later stated the incident involved a second aircraft which landed safely, rather than hostile fire or friendly fire.
The Pentagon has identified the six airmen killed in an aircraft crash in western Iraq:
Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, AL
Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, WA
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, KY
Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, IN
Capt. Curtis… pic.twitter.com/GG6JrDAWaM— Julia (@Jules31415) March 15, 2026
Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky. served as part of the 6th Air Refueling Wing out of MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, a War Department statement released Saturday night reads. Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio served as part of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio National Guard.
“Heartbreaking to learn that Auburn alumnus and Birmingham resident Major Alex Klinner was among those killed in the KC-135 crash this week,” Republican Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville stated.
Heartbreaking to learn that Auburn alumnus and Birmingham resident Major Alex Klinner was among those killed in the KC-135 crash this week.
Our state deeply grieves the loss of a father, husband, and a true patriot. I hope every Alabamian will join me in prayer for the Klinner…
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) March 14, 2026
Six other American service members were previously killed in an Iranian attack on a tactical operations center in Kuwait; a seventh died of wounds sustained March 1 in a Iranian attack on an American base in Saudi Arabia since President Donald Trump announced the start of Operation Epic Fury. Another American service member died from a medical incident.
The six service members killed in the Feb. 28 attack in Kuwait were identified by the Department of War as Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa; Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, Calif.
Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Ky., died of wounds sustained during the March 1 attack at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, on March 8, according to a press release from the Department of War. Maj. Sorffly Davius, 46, from Cambria Heights in Queens, NY, died March 7 due to a medical incident at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, according to a War Department release.
The KC-135 first entered service in the United States Air Force in 1956, according to an Air Force fact sheet. It is capable of refueling aircraft both by use of a “boom” which plugs into the receiving aircraft as well as a “probe and drogue” system in which the aircraft being fueled maneuvers a probe into a drogue locking mechanism trailing the fueling aircraft to initiate the transfer.
Of the 414 KC-135s in its inventory, 167 are on active duty, the Air Force’s website states. The veteran aircraft are being replaced by the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker, which is based on the Boeing 767 airliner.
Normally, a KC-135 carries a crew of three: a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator. The aircraft are not equipped with ejection seats, and the Air Force removed them from aircraft in 2008, citing the rarity of mishaps and accidents involving the type.
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