The United States Department of War released the names of six American service members who were killed when a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crashed Thursday over western Iraq.
According to a statement from United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the aerial refueling tanker went down while conducting operations in the region. Officials said the aircraft was part of a two-plane mission and that the second aircraft involved landed safely. CENTCOM added that the crash was not the result of hostile fire or friendly fire.
The service members killed in the crash were identified 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
- 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. Koval, Angst and Simmons served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
Following the announcement, Tommy Tuberville, a Republican senator from Alabama, mourned the loss of Klinner in a public statement.
“Heartbreaking to learn that Auburn alumnus and Birmingham resident Major Alex Klinner was among those killed in the KC-135 crash this week,” Tuberville said.
The crash comes amid heightened tensions in the region following the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign targeting Iranian military capabilities. In recent weeks, additional American casualties have been reported in attacks attributed to Iran.
Six service members were previously killed in a Feb. 28 attack on a U.S. tactical operations center in Kuwait. They were identified as Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. Declan J. Coady, Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan.
Another service member, Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, later died from wounds sustained during a March 1 attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. In a separate incident, Maj. Sorffly Davius died March 7 from a medical emergency at Camp Buehring in Kuwait.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, a cornerstone of U.S. aerial refueling operations, was introduced to the United States Air Force in 1956. The aircraft can refuel other planes midair using either a boom system that connects directly to receiving aircraft or a probe-and-drogue system in which aircraft insert a probe into a trailing fuel receptacle.
According to Air Force data, roughly 414 KC-135 aircraft remain in the U.S. inventory, with 167 currently in active duty service. The aging tanker fleet is gradually being replaced by the newer Boeing KC-46 Pegasus.
Unlike many military aircraft, the KC-135 does not have ejection seats. The Air Force removed them in 2008, citing the aircraft’s long safety record and the rarity of catastrophic accidents involving the platform.
Officials said the crash remains under investigation.
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The Air Force took the ejection seats out because the aircraft is so safe?
If something bad can happen … it WILL!
In the 33 years that I have lived in this house, and the 19 years that I lived in the last house ( about 4 miles from this one ), I was never robbed.
But I keep my doors locked and have appropriate protection.
What CAN happen will someday happen!
Whoever thought of taking the ejection seats out of that aircraft … I can be quite sure that you aren’t/weren’t in the crew of one of them.
How stupid can you be?