RIGHT NOW ON KEY. THIS IS BREAKING NEWS OF THE U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN A PLANE CRASH IN IRAQ HAVE BEEN RELEASED. ONE OF THEM IS FROM BARDSTOWN. THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR SAYS TECHNICAL SERGEANT ASHLEY PREWETT DIED ON THURSDAY. SHE WAS ONE OF SIX SERVICE MEMBERS ON A KC 135 THAT CRASHED. THE KC 135 AIRCRAFT IS TYPICALLY USED FOR REFUELING. IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE YOU SEE IN THIS VIDEO HERE. THE VICTIMS WERE ASSIGNED TO A NATIONAL GUARD BASE IN COLUMBUS, AND THEY’RE FROM SEVERAL STATES. TWO WERE FROM OHIO. AND THAT CRASH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES COMING IN FROM ACROSS KENTUCKY. REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE ANDY BARR SAID, QUOTE, PRAYING FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF TECHNICAL SERGEANT ASHLEY PRUITT OF BARDSTOWN. GOD BLESS HER MEMORY AND HER ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN OPERATION EPIC FURY. MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE AMY MCGRATH SAYS SHE IS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF PRUITT’S DEATH AND THOSE OF THE OTHER AIRMEN. WE ALSO GOT THIS STATEMENT FROM THE CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU. IT READS IN PART, QUOTE, OUR THOUGHTS, PRAYERS AND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THEIR FAMILIES, THE WINGMEN AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WE’RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR WHAT’S HAPPENING OVERS
Airman killed when a refueling tanker crashed in Iraq is a 34-year-old from Kentucky
An airman from Kentucky has been identified as one of the six U.S. airmen inside a plane that went down in Iraq on Friday.Her name is Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34. She was from Bardstown, Kentucky, which is in Nelson County, about 45 minutes away from Louisville.The DoW said she and six other airmen — Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, 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. — died March 12 after a KC-135, a refueling tanker, crashed in western Iraq.Sgt. Pruitt was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and was supporting Operation Epic Fury at the time of her death.She joined the Air Force in 2017 and had been deployed four times during her time as a service member.Gen. Steven Nordhaus, Chief of the National Guard Bureau released a statement about the six service members who died: “Heroes, all.”Our air refueling warriors enable every aerial combat mission to succeed by skillfully transferring tens of thousands of pounds of fuel at cruising altitudes and high speeds, extending global reach and delivering decisive air dominance for our Joint Force. Combat aviators in every service understand the critical role of our air refueling crews and boom operators.” Bardstown Mayor Richard Heaton and the city of Bardstown released a statement about her:” are deeply saddened by the loss of Tech Sgt. Ashely B. Pruitt, who gave her life while on a refueling mission over Western Iraq. A proud member of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Sgt. Pruitt was a true patriot and a hero to the citizens of Bardstown and Nelson County. We stand in Solemn gratitude for her service and sacrifice. Our Deepest prayers remain with her family, her friends, and the loved ones of the fellow service members lost in this tragic accident.” Gov. Andy Beshear put out a message about her passing:”I am sad to share that Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt of Bardstown was one of the six service members killed in an aircraft crash in Iraq.”Kentucky, please join Britainy and me as we pray for her family — and for the family of her fellow Kentuckian Sgt. Benjamin Pennington of Glendale — during this difficult time. They are two American heroes who called our commonwealth home.”
An airman from Kentucky has been identified as one of the six U.S. airmen inside a plane that went down in Iraq on Friday.
Her name is Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34. She was from Bardstown, Kentucky, which is in Nelson County, about 45 minutes away from Louisville.
The DoW said she and six other airmen — Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, 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. — died March 12 after a KC-135, a refueling tanker, crashed in western Iraq.
Sgt. Pruitt was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and was supporting Operation Epic Fury at the time of her death.
She joined the Air Force in 2017 and had been deployed four times during her time as a service member.
Gen. Steven Nordhaus, Chief of the National Guard Bureau released a statement about the six service members who died:
“Heroes, all.
“Our air refueling warriors enable every aerial combat mission to succeed by skillfully transferring tens of thousands of pounds of fuel at cruising altitudes and high speeds, extending global reach and delivering decisive air dominance for our Joint Force. Combat aviators in every service understand the critical role of our air refueling crews and boom operators.”
Bardstown Mayor Richard Heaton and the city of Bardstown released a statement about her:
“[We] are deeply saddened by the loss of Tech Sgt. Ashely B. Pruitt, who gave her life while on a refueling mission over Western Iraq. A proud member of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Sgt. Pruitt was a true patriot and a hero to the citizens of Bardstown and Nelson County. We stand in Solemn gratitude for her service and sacrifice. Our Deepest prayers remain with her family, her friends, and the loved ones of the fellow service members lost in this tragic accident.”
Gov. Andy Beshear put out a message about her passing:
“I am sad to share that Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt of Bardstown was one of the six service members killed in an aircraft crash in Iraq.
“Kentucky, please join Britainy and me as we pray for her family — and for the family of her fellow Kentuckian Sgt. Benjamin Pennington of Glendale — during this difficult time. They are two American heroes who called our commonwealth home.”