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Pilot honors 3 Ohio service members killed with special flight path
A pilot honored three Ohio Air National Guardsmen that were killed in a refueling tanker crash in Iraq with a special saluting flight path on March 19, 2026. Credit: Flightradar24 via Storyful
A flight path in Ohio paid special tribute to three Ohio Air National Guardsmen who were killed overseas this month.
Video perspective:
Footage from Flightradar24 shows a pilot drawing a saluting service member and three headstones in their flight path to honor the Ohio guardsmen.
The flight was taken over Ohio on March 19 north of Columbus.
A pilot honored three Ohio Air National Guardsmen that were killed in a refueling tanker crash in Iraq with a special saluting flightpath on March 19, 2026. Credit: Flightradar24 via Storyful (L-R: Captain Seth Koval, Captain Curtis Angst and Master …
US service members killed in Iran war
The backstory:
Captain Seth Koval, Captain Curtis Angst and Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons were supporting the Operation Epic Fury on March 12 when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq at about 2 p.m. ET, according to the US Central Command.
The three had been assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing.
What they’re saying
The Ohio National Guard said the three served with dedication, professionalism and pride. "They were valued members of our team and their loss is deeply felt across the 121st and the entire Ohio National Guard," the Guard said in a video message on Facebook.
Dig deeper
Three additional U.S. service members died in the crash: Major John Alex Klinner of Auburn, Alabama, Captain Ariana G. Savino of Covington, Washington, and Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown, Kentucky.
At least 13 U.S. service members have died so far in the Iran war.
U.S. service members killed during Operation Epic Fury
RELATED: These American service members have died in Iran conflict
The Source: Information in this article was taken from Flightradar24 and Storyful, a social media video licensing agency. Background information was taken from the Ohio National Guard and previous FOX Television Station reporting. This story was reported from Detroit.