WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, President Donald Trump will honor fallen heroes at a Delaware military base as the remains of six U.S. service members, who perished in a recent aircraft crash, are returned to their families.
This marks the second occasion since the onset of hostilities with Iran on February 28 that the Republican leader will participate in the somber military ceremony known as a dignified transfer. Trump has previously described this ritual as the most challenging duty he has faced as commander in chief.
The six personnel aboard the KC-135 Air Force refueling aircraft lost their lives last week when their plane went down over friendly territory in western Iraq, as they were engaged in operations targeting Iran. The crew hailed from the states of Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Washington.
With this incident, the death toll for U.S. forces in Operation Epic Fury has climbed to at least 13. The Pentagon reports approximately 200 service members have sustained injuries, 10 of which are severe.
President Trump last visited Dover Air Force Base on March 7 to oversee the dignified transfer of six service members who died in a drone attack on a command center in Kuwait. He observed with respect as the flag-draped transfer cases were moved from the aircraft to vehicles destined for the base’s mortuary, where preparations for their final journey would commence.
Reflecting on the experience, Trump remarked to reporters, “It’s the unfortunate side of war.” When questioned about the possibility of more such ceremonies as the conflict endures, he responded, “I’m sure. I hate to do it, but it’s a part of war, isn’t it?”
U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said that the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace” over Iraq but that the loss of the aircraft during a combat mission was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.” The circumstances were under investigation. The other plane landed safely.
The crash killed three people assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Maj. John A. “Alex” Klinner, 33, who served in Birmingham, Alabama; Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.
The three others were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio: Capt. Seth Koval, 38, a resident of Stoutsville, Ohio, who was from Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, who lived in Columbus; and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus.
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