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Pentagon names 6 service members killed in Iraq crash, including Air Force captain from Washington

Capt. Luke Luikens, 1st Lt. Cary Reeves and Staff Sgt. Greg Albers, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew, discuss pre-flight checks prior to an in-air refueling mission, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, May 8, 2014. Prior to starting the Stratotankers engine for a mission, aircrew meet with maintainers to discuss pre-flight procedures, safety and conduct a walk around to ensure the aircraft is operable. The aircrew is deployed from the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, WA.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
Orlando Mayorquín and Chris Hippensteel New York Times

The Pentagon on Saturday identified the six United States service members who died this past week when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the wider conflict in the Middle East.

The service members were Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; 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.

U.S. Central Command had stated that the aircraft crashed after an incident involving another plane, which landed safely. The crash, which happened Thursday in western Iraq, was not a result of hostile or friendly fire, the Central Command said.

The plane that went down was a KC-135, which is used by the Air Force to refuel a wide range of aircraft while in flight. A U.S. official previously said that the other plane involved was also a KC-135.

Three of the service members — Klinner, Savino and Pruitt — were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

The other three were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio, the Pentagon said.

The six deaths brought the total number of American service members killed in the war with Iran to at least 13 as it stretched into its third week.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.