OHIO — The two other members of the Ohio Air National Guard who were killed during Operation Epic Fury have been identified.
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The Pentagon identified the six airmen killed in an aircraft crash in western Iraq on Thursday, according to CNN.
This includes the other two members of the Ohio Air National Guard. They were Captain Seth Koval of Stoutsville, and Captain Curtis Angst of Columbus.
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As previously reported by News Center 7, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds statewide.
Flags will be lowered in honor of the life and service of three members of the Ohio Air National Guard killed during Operation Epic Fury.
Governor DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine issued the following statement:
“Fran and I join the rest of our state and nation in mourning the tragic deaths of three elite airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus. Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Angst, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons were trained to transfer fuel from one plane to another in midair, and their work was critical in long-distance missions in defense of our nation. Every mission they undertook involved risks that they were willing to take and the courage to put the lives of others above their own. They served with honor. We offer our deepest condolences to their families, as well as to the families of Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt from Alabama, who died alongside them. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
The three airmen were among six killed in a refueling aircraft crash in Iraq, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
As previously reported, the KC-135 went down in western Iraq on Thursday in friendly airspace while supporting Operation Epic Fury.
The airplane did not crash due to hostile or friendly fire. A second plane was damaged but landed safely.
Our media partner, WBNS-10 TV, identified one of the crew members as Tyler Simmons, of Columbus.
He was an airman with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.
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