The U.S. Senate on March 24 unanimously passed a resolution cosponsored the same day by U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and several Republicans that honors the service of six American airmen who died during the war in Iran.
Senate Resolution 660, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), honors the service and sacrifice of United States military service members who died supporting Operation Epic Fury during a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft incident over western Iraq.
The resolution honors: Air Force Maj. John Klinner, Air Force Maj. Ariana Savino, Air Force Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt, Air Force Capt. Seth Koval, Air Force Capt. Curtis Angst, and Air Force Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons.
Koval, Angst, and Simmons were members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base based in Columbus, Ohio, and Klinner, Savino, and Pruitt were members of the 99th Refueling Squadron of the 117th Air Refueling Wing located at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, Ala.
“We continue to mourn the loss of Hoosier Captain Seth Koval and the airmen who perished while bravely answering the call to serve,” Sen. Young said. “We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice these American heroes made and continue to pray for their loved ones.”
Sen. Young also recently joined President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Caine, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), and the bill’s cosponsors at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the dignified transfer of the fallen service members.