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All six crewmen were killed in the crash.
The first U.S. airman to be identified was father-of-three Maj. John “Alex” Klinner of Birmingham, AL.
Here’s our original report on that:
HEARTBREAKING: U.S. Airman Killed in KC-135 Crash Identified
Now, the rest of the fallen soldiers’ identities have been released to the public.
Here are their names:
🚨 BREAKING: The US has identified the fallen six Air Force Airmen following the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in Iraq
Rest in peace, heroes 🙏🏻💔
– Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Alabama
– Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Washington
– Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Kentucky… pic.twitter.com/f1ZfVDx4v1— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 15, 2026
BREAKING: The US has identified the fallen six Air Force Airmen following the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in Iraq
Rest in peace, heroes 🙏🏻💔
– Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Alabama
– Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Washington
– Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Kentucky
– Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Indiana
– Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Ohio
– Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Ohio
A DOW press release confirmed:
The Department of War announced the death of six Air Force Airmen who were supporting Operation Epic Fury.
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., were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. and 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 were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.
The six Airmen died on March 12, 2026, in the crash of a KC-135 in western Iraq. The incident is under investigation.
Multiple soldiers killed in the crash were from the Ohio National Guard.
Here are some photos of one of the National Guardsmen, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons:
Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, was one of three Ohio Air National Guard members who died when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 12. https://t.co/pxnexRGz7t pic.twitter.com/MOZGXQBV7v
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) March 14, 2026
🇺🇸 The identities of the American crew lost in the KC-135 crash in western Iraq are starting to be released.
Pilot Tyler Simmons has been confirmed dead, while the names of the five other crew members will follow soon. pic.twitter.com/5G3rUlEhh2
— Defense Intelligence (@DI313_) March 14, 2026
Tyler Simmons’ loved ones spoke to local news outlet ABC 6 about his tragic death:
“He called me on Wednesday, and we were able to talk to him,” his mother, Cheryl Simmons, told WSYX. “I was over here, and we actually had a beautiful conversation. I was like Tyler, how are you? He said I’m good. I’m good, but mother knows. He was having some challenges, you know, he told me they had been shot at, but he was okay.”
“Tyler was just a fantastic, amazing man,” she said.
His mother said she’s waiting for answers on how this happened.
Family and friends all remember the positivity Simmons brought into their lives.
His cousin Simone Sanchez described him as “a man of faith.” His best friend since elementary school, Tatyana Preston, said she knows where he is now.
“If you’re having a bad day and you’re around him, you’re now going to be a happy person. And I know he’s in Heaven.”
Those who knew him say Tyler’s legacy is clear: a young man from Columbus who dreamed of serving his country and making an impact in the world. In just 28 years, his family says, he did exactly that.
Photos have also been shared online of deceased Capt. Ariana G. Savino/Bouche:
Ariana Bouche, one of the Air Force officers killed in the crash of the KC-135 over Iraq, callsign Zeus95.
Fly high, and rest in peace.
You will not be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/yTwg5rS7FZ
— Special Ops Magazine (@realmacsavage) March 14, 2026
The U.S. Air Force lost 1st Lt. Ariana A. Bouche, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot, in the recent crash in western Iraq…. one of six crew members killed while serving. She died doing what she loved mostbehind every call sign is a real person with family and dreams. RIP pic.twitter.com/Ut4VWEMYeS
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) March 14, 2026
Absolutely heartbreaking.
Fatalities are a part of war, but they are never easy.
It’s tragic that we lost all of these brave, young soldiers. But, they will not be forgotten.
Please keep their families and all of our troops in your prayers.
The Military Times shared more:
“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.
Rest in peace, heroes.