U.S. identifies 6 service members killed in refueling aircraft crash in Iraq

Updated on: March 14, 2026 / 10:35 PM EDT/ CBS News
Six U.S.

service memberswho were killed in a military refueling aircraft crash over Iraq last week have been identified as members of the Ohio Air National Guard and Florida-based crew members.

The Department of Defense on Saturday identified them as:
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 toCBS affiliate WBNSFriday the moment uniformed officers arrived at their home to deliver the news.

"When he opened the door he said, 'Oh no,' and I jumped up and ran in there and they were lined up out on the porch," she told the station.

"'You got to be kidding me.'"
The six serviced members died on March 12 when an aerial refueling aircraft taking part in operations against Irancrashed in western Iraq.

The KC-135 aircraft went down near Turaibil, which is along the Iraqi-Jordanian border, an Iraqi intelligence source told CBS News.

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 flying over friendly territory when the crash happened.

The incident is under investigation, the Defense Department said.

Tucker Realscontributed to this report.

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