Pentagon Names 6 Military Members Killed in Iraq Tanker Crash

The crew members had been part of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran, bringing the death toll of American service members in the conflict to at least 13.

The Pentagon on Saturday identified the six United States service members who died this week when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq.

The service members were Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky.; 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.

U.S. Central Command had stated that the aircraft crashed after an incident involving another plane, which landed safely. The crash, which happened Thursday in western Iraq, was not a result of hostile or friendly fire, the Central Command said.

The plane that went down was a KC-135, which is used by the Air Force to refuel a wide range of aircraft while in flight. A U.S. official previously said that the other plane involved was also a KC-135.

Three of the service members — Major Klinner, Captain Savino and Sergeant Pruitt — were assigned to the Sixth Air Refueling Wing at the MacDill Air Force Base.

Major Klinner was a husband and father to 7 month-old-twins, a boy and a girl, and a 2-year-old son, according to Mr. Klinner’s brother-in-law, James Harrill. Mr. Harrill said Mr. Klinner had been deployed to the Middle East for less than a week before his death and was nearing the end of his military career.

“You could just hear the excitement in his voice about the possibilities of what was next,” Mr. Harrill said on Saturday night.

In a statement, Col. Ed Szczepanik, the Sixth Air Refueling Wing Commander, mourned the loss of the squadron’s members.

“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,” the colonel said. “To lose them at the same time is unimaginable.”

All three had been stationed in Alabama before deployment.

From left, Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt were among those killed in the crash.Credit...Via U.S. Air Force; Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt/U.S. Air Force; via U.S. Air Force

The other three — Captain Koval, Captain Angst and Sergeant Simmons — were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio, the Pentagon said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine offered his condolences on Saturday and had earlier ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in their honor.

The six deaths brought the total number of American service members killed in the war with Iran to at least 13 as it stretched into its third week.

Georgia Gee contributed research.

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