The families of the latest group of service members who died in President Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East have now been officially recognized.
Major Alex Klinner from Auburn, Alabama, is one of the six American service members who were killed on Thursday when an Air Force refueling plane crashed while helping with military operations in Iran.
Klinner, who was 33 years old, had been in the military for eight years and was promoted to his current rank in January.
He had been on deployment for less than a week. Klinner was part of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, and leaves behind his wife and three young children.
A GoFundMe page set up for his family describes Klinner as “more than a serviceman.
He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and the kind of person who would quietly step in to help anyone who needed it.”
The page adds, “He embodied what it means to be a servant leader.
His loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.”
Tech Sergeant Tyler Simmons is the second of the six people officially identified in the crash.
He was 28 years old and had no siblings. His cousin, Tracy Peaks, told a local news station that Simmons was known for his bright smile.
“He had a million-dollar smile,” Peaks said.
“When people see my cousin, they’d be like, ‘That smile is gonna take him places.’ And it took him to his dream job.”
Simmons’ mother, Cheryl, said she never wanted him to join the military, but he promised her he would retire soon and become a commercial pilot.
Simmons was a boom operator, which means he was responsible for refueling other planes while they were in the air.
His mother described him as “truly an amazing man,” and said it takes a special person to do his job.
Simmons leaves behind his extended family and his dog, Grayson.
On Saturday, the Pentagon confirmed the names of the remaining service members.
Captain Ariana G. Savino, 31, from Covington, Washington, and Tech Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, from Bardstown, Kentucky, were both from Klinner’s 6th Wing.
Captain Seth R. Koval, 38, from Mooresville, Indiana, and Captain Curtis J. Angst, 30, from Wilmington, Ohio, were from Simmons’ 121st Wing.
The 121st Air Refueling Wing, based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, shared the news on a Facebook post on Friday evening, saying:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the tragic news of the passing of three Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and fellow Airmen who mourn their loss.
“On March 12, 2026, they were among the six Airmen on a KC-135 Stratotanker that went down in western Iraq while flying a combat mission in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.
The incident occurred in friendly airspace involving two aircraft during Operation Epic Fury.”
The post also asked for respect and privacy for the families and reminded everyone of the important work these Airmen did for their country.
The most recent deaths bring the total number of Americans killed in Trump’s war on Iran to 13.
It is reported that around 2,000 people have been killed in the region since Israel and the U.S. carried out attacks on Iran on Saturday, February 28—exactly two weeks ago.
Trump has said he expects more deaths.
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends.
That’s the way it is. Likely be more. But we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case,” Trump said in a March 1 video message.
Trump, who is 79 years old, had promised the war would be over quickly and encouraged the Iranian people to “rise up” and take control of their government.
However, after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and with his son Mojtaba Khamenei now leading the country, Trump has changed his timeline.
On Friday, as the death toll grew, he said the conflict would end “when I feel it in my bones.”
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