U.S. military releases names of 6 Air Force members killed in Iran war

Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons

The names and photos of 6 more U.S. service members killed in the war with Iran were released by the U.S. military over the weekend. The casualties occurred when a U.S. Air Force refueling plane crashed in Iraq on Thursday.

According to a statement released by the Department of War, the members of the Air Force killed in the crash ranged in age from 28 to 38. They include Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky. All three were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at the MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

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, all from the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, also perished in the crash. 

All six members of the Air Force died when the KC-135 refueling aircraft they were flying went down in western Iraq, near the border with Jordan, according to CBS News. The crew had been deployed on a combat mission, but was in friendly airspace when the crash occurred. The military said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. 

In a post on X announcing their names, General Ken Wilsbach, the chief of staff of the Air Force, mourned their deaths and paid tribute to the fallen airmen. "We will never forget the KC-135 crew, Zeus 95, that paid the ultimate sacrifice," Wilsbach said. "These heroes make up our total force team and we mourn with their families. Their memory strengthens our resolve to fight, as we carry their legacy forward."

Klinner, who went by his middle name, Alex, was a 33-year-old husband and father of three young children. A GoFundMe set up for Klinner's wife, Libby, and children had raised more than $1.3 million as of Monday. 

Donations poured in for others who perished on the plane also. 

A GoFundMe launched for Ariana Savino had drawn nearly $60,000 in donations to help support her parents and set up a scholarship in her name as of Monday. A GoFundMe set up for Seth Koval's wife, Heather, had amassed more than $135,000 in donations as of Monday afternoon. Another GoFundMe set up to support Curtis Angst's wife, Mary, had generated more than $50,000 in donations, and a GoFundMe launched to support Ashley Pruitt's husband Greg and their two young children drew more than $120,000 in donations. 

Mylo and Cheryl Simmons, the parents of 28-year-old Tyler Simmons, spoke to CBS News about their son's life and death. "When they knocked on the door, and Milo answered the door, I heard him say, 'Oh no,' and I knew, I knew," Cheryl recalled. "And it was, you know, from there on, life would never, ever, ever be the same. It will never be the same." Watch more of their emotional interview below.