US service members killed in refueling plane crash in Iraq identified as Ohio National Guard members and Florida-based crew

Six US service members who died in a military refueling plane crash over Iraq last week have been identified as members of the Ohio Air National Guard and crew members based in Florida.

The Department of Defense identified them on Saturday as:

• Captain Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana
• Captain Curtis J. Angst, age 30, from Wilmington, Ohio
• Technology. Sergeant. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio
• Major John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama
• Captain Ariana G. Savino, 31, from Covington, Washington
• Technology. Sergeant. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky

Koval, Angst and Simmons were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.

Klinner, Savino and Pruitt were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Simmons’ mother, Cheryl Simmons, recalled to News affiliate WBNS on Friday the moment uniformed officers arrived at her home to deliver the news.

“When he opened the door he said, ‘Oh no,’ and I jumped up and ran over there and they were lined up on the porch,” she told the station. “‘You’ve got to be kidding me.'”

The six soldiers died on March 12 when a refueling plane was participating in operations against Iran. crashed in western Iraq. The KC-135 plane crashed near Turaibil, which is along the Iraq-Jordan border, an Iraqi intelligence source told News themezone.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised them as “American heroes.”

Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the crew was on a combat mission but was flying over friendly territory when the crash occurred. The incident is under investigation, the Department of Defense said.