The Pentagon has identified six service members who were killed on March 12 when a U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed during combat operations against Iran.
Maj. John “Alex” Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky, were killed in the crash, the Pentagon announced. They were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
Also deceased are 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, each of whom were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing out of Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Alex, Ariana and Ashley” U.S. Air Force Col. Ed Szczepanik, 6th Air Refueling Wing commander, said in a release Saturday. “To lose a member of the Air Force family is excruciatingly painful, especially to those who know them as son, daughter, brother, sister, spouse, mom, or dad. To lose them at the same time is unimaginable. Our hearts and minds are with the family, friends and loved ones of our fallen Airmen.”
The incident is under investigation.
Klinner was the chief of Squadron Standardizations and Evaluations at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, the Air Force announced. He entered the Air Force in 2017 through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from Auburn University and would go on to deploy in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2026.
Klinner’s awards include the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Aerial Achievement Medal, and Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Numerous KC-135s are currently deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations, where crews have provided aerial refueling for other aircraft as a part of Operation Epic Fury.
The downed KC-135 is the fourth manned U.S. aircraft to be lost this month amid combat operations against the Islamic Republic.
A total of 13 U.S. service members have been killed during combat actions and roughly 140 more wounded — eight severely — across the opening two weeks of Operation Epic Fury.
Another service member, an Army National Guard officer who also served as a New York City policeman, died on March 6 following a non-combat incident.
“Our service members make an incredible sacrifice to go forward and do the things that the nation asks of them,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine said Friday while speaking about the crash. “It’s a reminder of the true cost of the dedication and commitment of the joint force.”
J.D. Simkins is Editor-in-Chief of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
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