Pentagon confirms all six crew members died in KC-135 crash in Iraq; three based out of Ohio
WASHINGTON –Three of the six U.S servicemembers aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed during a refueling mission in Iraq were from Ohio, the state’s governor said on social media Friday.
The three were assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing located at the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.
“Fran and I are deeply saddened by this news and offer our sincere condolences to their families,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on X.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down at approximately 11 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, according to U.S. Central Command. The Pentagon confirmed Friday all six aboard had died.
The Defense Department did not immediately disclose where the aircraft or its crew were based, and the identities of the deceased crew members have been withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin had been notified.
“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” the 121st Refueling Wing posted Friday on Facebook. “Additionally, we ask that you respect the family’s wishes and provide them with space to mourn their loved ones during this difficult time.”
One of the crew members was identified by family to local tv station NBC4 as 28-year-old Tyler Simmons, a boom operator assigned to the 166th Air Refueling Squadron in Ohio.
“Please keep these brave airmen, their families, friends and units in your thoughts in the coming hours and days,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a news conference Friday. “Our service members make an incredible sacrifice to go forward and do the things that the nation asks of them. It’s a reminder of the true cost of the dedication and commitment of the joint force.”
U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the plane was lost “while flying over friendly airspace” as part of Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28. Central Command, which covers the Middle East, said the circumstances of the incident were under investigation but the loss of the aircraft was not due to either friendly fire or hostile fire.
In an earlier news release, Central Command said two aircraft were involved in the incident. CBS News reported that the other plane was another KC-135 that landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Thursday’s crash was the first loss of a refueling tanker during wartime since the crash of a KC-135, dubbed Shell 77, which went down in Kyrgyzstan on May 3, 2013. The crew – Capt. Victoria A. Pinckney, Capt. Mark T. Voss, and T/Sgt. Herman Mackey III – were members of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing based at Fairchild Air Force Base, flying in support of operations in Afghanistan. Since the KC-135 entered service in 1957, the aircraft has been involved in more than 50 deadly accidents, most of them outside of wartime.
Fairchild is home to the Air Force’s only KC-135 “super wing,” with 63 aircraft as of 2021. The Washington Military Department confirmed on March 6 that about 100 members of the 141st Air Refueling Wing, a Washington Air National Guard unit stationed at Fairchild, had been activated to support the military campaign against Iran, which has relied heavily on U.S. refueling planes. Central Command has declined to answer questions about the role of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, citing operational security.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said in an interview Friday that she was monitoring the situation closely and had asked Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, to notify her as soon as he learns more about the crash.
“It’s certainly a tragedy for the men and women and families involved, and our country needs to understand what an incredible service these young men and women provide,” Cantwell said. “As Gen. Caine said this morning, they were on a combat mission, and we need to honor their service and the mission they were on.”
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, wrote Friday on X that he mourns the loss of the airmen and his office had been in touch with Air Force officials.
This story is developing and will be updated.