![\"Maj.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5195b20b-8b08-4736-b7a9-90fbeabc22ae.jpg\"\/ "\\"John")
<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSome of Mary Ellen Klinner\u2019s happiest memories were of watching her son outdoors \u2014 camping, hiking and spending long days beside his father \u2014 and later seeing him become a devoted dad to three young children of his own.But since her son Maj. John \u2018Alex\u2019 Klinner was killed in the Iran war, those memories have become both a comfort and a painful reminder of the \u201cnightmare\u201d her life has felt like in the past couple of months.John Klinner is one of the 13 U.S. troops killed in connection with Operation Epic Fury, the name the Pentagon has given to the war with Iran. He died alongside five other crew members who were aboard a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft when it crashed on March 12 in western Iraq.Earlier that month, six other service members were killed on March 1 after an Iranian strike in Kuwait\u2019s Shuaiba port. A service member died March 8 following an attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.\u201cIf any of their deaths mean anything \u2013 then please, do not look away,\u201d Klinner\u2019s aunt Jean Marie Dillon wrote on Facebook. \u201cMilitary lives are not expendable. The people who decide when and where we go to war answer to us.\u201dPresident Donald Trump has said meeting with some of the fallen soldiers\u2019 families did not give him pause about the war. He and senior officials have made clear there would likely be more casualties.Approximately 400 service members have been wounded in action during Operation Epic Fury, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, told CNN. The vast majority of injuries suffered were minor and 90% of service members returned to duty, Hawkins said.At least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S. and Israel began strikes on the country, according to state media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. One strike killed at least 168 children.As families of service members still deployed overseas wait anxiously for the war to end, the loved ones of the 13 who were killed are mourning not only the soldiers lost but the vibrant, deeply loved people they were beyond the uniform.Maj. John \u2018Alex\u2019 KlinnerWhen asked if he has a favorite memory of his son \u2014 a beloved husband and father of a 2-year-old and 7-month-old twins \u2014 John Klinner pauses.\u201cGosh, there\u2019s so many,\u201d he told CNN. \u201cAlex and I did a lot of camping trips. He loved the outdoors, and so we would go up to North Carolina every summer for years and just camped at this beautiful place. I\u2019ve got a lot of good memories from those trips.\u201dKlinner was \u201cthe perfect son, the perfect child,\u201d Mary Ellen says quietly in a classic Southern twang as the pair sit in their Alabama home.Just a day ago, they visited their grandchildren, who will now grow up without a father. \u201cWe\u2019re heartbroken that he won\u2019t be there for them,\u201d John Klinner says. \u201cHe loved those children.\u201dHis loss \u201chas left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him,\u201d according to a GoFundMe page organized to raise funds to support his family following his death.\u201cHe was just very devoted to his family and community and to the Air Force. He loved flying, he was very passionate about that,\u201d his father said. \u201cHe loved life. He was just a wonderful person and cared about others and always put others before himself.\u201dKlinner served as a major in the Air Force for eight years, his family said. As the 99th Air Refueling Squadron\u2019s chief of standardization and evaluation, Klinner oversaw the training and flight proficiency of more than 30 aircrew members, helping prepare pilots for missions, according to the Air Force.Capt. Ariana G. SavinoFor Ariana G. Savino, flying was more than a job to her \u2014 it was her greatest passion, alongside mentoring \u201cthe next generation of youth, women, and minorities\u201d in aviation and military service.The 31-year-old was a \u201cfierce, brave, passionate\u201d woman with a smile and laugh that could transform the atmosphere of any room she entered, her family said in a statement shared with CNN affiliate KOMO News after she was killed in the Iraq crash.Savino, of Covington, Washington, served as chief of current operations for the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, overseeing the unit\u2019s daily flight schedule and coordinating its training and missions, according to the Air Force.She earned her wings as a KC-135 pilot after completing her training last year but had been serving in the military since 2017, working her way up from standardization and evaluation officer to flight commander, the Air Force said.As a Puerto Rican, Savino was \u201cvery, very proud of her heritage\u201d and came from a family of service members, her friend retired Lt. Col. Ernesto Nisperos told CNN.Savino had a sweet but strong personality, Nisperos said, and had followed in the footsteps of her father, who was a pilot for Alaska Airlines.\u201cIn a lot of ways, you know, she was trying to be like dad. It was important for her to continue a legacy in her family,\u201d he said.Her family is starting an aviation scholarship for Latino youth and women who are interested in aviation, Nisperos said, to honor Savino\u2019s mission to be a role model and help people with the same dream she had.Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. SimmonsJust a day before he was killed in the Iraq crash, Tyler Simmons told his father he didn\u2019t think he was coming back, Charles Mylo Simmons said in an interview with CNN, recalling their final conversations before his son\u2019s death.\u201cAnd I told him \u2018I\u2019m praying for you\u2019 \u2026 I really was hoping that he was going to be wrong.\u201dHe said his son \u201cloved what he did, he loved his country, he loved the military,\u201d and he \u201cloved his family.\u201d\u201cHis smile would light up the room,\u201d he said. \u201cHis personality would illuminate the whole place.\u201dSimmons, a military boom operator, was their only child, and his mother had once hoped he would choose a different path than the military, according to WBNS.But his passion and drive for aviation were evident early on, his father said. Teachers, he recalled, often described him as well-mannered and disciplined, and as he grew older he became increasingly focused on his goals.\u201cKnowing Tyler, if he could do it all over again, he\u2019d probably make the same decision, because he loved what he did,\u201d Charles Mylo Simmons said. \u201cHe was just an amazing son and it was my privilege to be able to be his father.\u201dTech. Sgt. Ashley B. PruittAshley Pruitt\u2019s husband told The Associated Press, resisting tears, he had one word to describe his beloved: \u201cradiant.\u201d\u201cIf there was a light in the room,\u201d Gregory Pruitt said, \u201cshe was it.\u201d Now, he and their two young children are left to carry that light forward after the 34-year-old boom operator of Bardstown, Kentucky, was killed in the Iraq crash.Pruitt, who was based at MacDill Air Force Base, served as an instructor boom operator and assistant flight chief of operations with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, where she oversaw training and readiness and instructed fellow boom operators in the precise mechanics of midair refueling, according to the Air Force.While she had dedicated nearly a decade to the military, rising steadily through the enlisted ranks, \u201cnothing compared to the love she held for her family,\u201d her obituary read.\u201cShe was a devoted wife and a deeply loving mother, and those closest to her knew she was living in her happiest chapter,\u201d the obituary said. \u201cHer strength, warmth, and unwavering devotion created a home filled with love and laughter.\u201dCapt. Seth R. KovalSeth R. Koval, 38, was living his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot and wore the uniform with purpose.He first enlisted as a machinist with the Indiana Air National Guard in 2006 and \u201csoon discovered a calling beyond himself,\u201d according to his obituary. While serving, he earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in aviation operations from Purdue University in 2011 and later transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017.Koval was a seasoned combat pilot before he was killed in the Iraq crash and was responsible for training pilots in \u201cworldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations,\u201d his Air Force biography says.His awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, and Air and Space Achievement Medal, the Ohio National Guard said.His wife, whom he met on a childhood church mission trip, wrote on Facebook Koval was \u201cmany things \u2014 loving, generous, kindhearted, smart, devoted, a fixer of all things, a real outdoorsman, and selfless.\u201d\u201cHe always put others before himself \u2014 until the very end. I will see him in the smile of our son and carry him with me in every moment,\u201d Heather Nichole said.Capt. Curtis J. AngstAs the son of a flight attendant and a private pilot, Curtis Angst seemed to be destined for flight, Rep. Dave Taylor of Ohio said in a tribute to the fallen captain.He grew up playing with toy airplanes outside his Ohio home and his father took him up for his first flight when he was still a toddler, Taylor said.The 30-year-old, who was part of the crew killed in the Iraq crash, earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati in 2014 and joined the military the following year as a vehicle maintenance technician, according to the Ohio National Guard.Angst earned his undergraduate pilot training in 2022 before achieving his pilot initial qualification in 2024. He was previously deployed in 2015 to support Operation Spartan Shield, the guard said.His awards and decorations included the Air and Space Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Meritorious Unit Award, according to the Guard.\u201cHe was always ready to help someone else before himself. His constant smile and instantly recognizable laugh made people feel welcome, valued, and part of something bigger,\u201d his obituary said.Sgt. Declan CoadyEven as thousands of miles kept him away from his family in Iowa, Declan Coady stayed in touch with them by playing video games and talking for hours about anything from anime to his plans for the future.The 20-year-old of Des Moines, Iowa, had been sending his family updates about his safety while in Kuwait so they knew something was wrong when the updates suddenly stopped, his sister Keira Coady told CNN.\u201cI wish I had called him one more time and told him I loved him,\u201d Keira Coady said, following her brother\u2019s death after an Iranian strike at Kuwait\u2019s Shuaiba port.Declan Coady was a gym enthusiast, a fencer and an Eagle Scout with a love for camping in national parks, hiking, white-water rafting and exploring the outdoors with his family, according to his sister and his obituary.He also loved his job in the Army Reserve, even when he worked around the clock while overseas, his father, Andrew Coady, told The Associated Press.Declan Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. Among the youngest in his class, Coady stood out to his instructors and had been recommended for a promotion, according to his father.\u201cHe was very good at what he did,\u201d his father said. The soldier had received several military awards, including the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.Capt. Cody KhorkCody Khork\u2019s life was largely defined by three things: devotion, character, and service.Behind his sense of duty, he was a man \u201cknown for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him,\u201d his family said of the 35-year-old from Lakeland, Florida.He was among the group of six service members killed after an Iranian strike in Kuwait.In 2009, he enlisted in the National Guard as a multiple launch rocket system\/fire direction specialist. He attended Florida Southern College, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was known in the school community for his \u201cleadership, character, and commitment to serving others,\u201d the university said in a statement.Khork loved history and had a degree in political science, which showed \u201chis sharp mind and his sincere appreciation for the principles and sacrifices that have shaped our nation,\u201d his family said.After graduating from college in 2014, Khork was commissioned as a military police officer in the Army Reserve and was later deployed to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland.His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Joint Service Achievement Medal.Sgt. 1st Class Nicole AmorNicole Amor, a 39-year-old mother to a high school senior and a fourth-grader, was just days away from returning home, her husband said.\u201cShe was almost home,\u201d Joey Amor told The Associated Press. \u201cYou don\u2019t go to Kuwait thinking something\u2019s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first \u2013 it hurts.\u201dThe soldier, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, enlisted as an automated logistics specialist in the National Guard in 2005. She transferred to the Army Reserve a year later and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019.She was an avid gardener and enjoyed inline roller skating and bicycling with her kids, the AP reported.\u201cNicole believed deeply in caring for others and in nurturing life wherever she could,\u201d her obituary read.To carry her spirit and continue her love for gardening, her loved ones raised funds to build a greenhouse and also created a foundation to build \u201cspaces for the community to come together offering acts of service.\u201dSgt. 1st Class Noah TietjensThose who were close with Noah Tietjens knew it was rare to see him with a smile, but looks are deceiving, some of his friends told CNN.\u201cHe was the kind of man who represented service, humility, leadership, and heart in everything he did,\u201d said Faith Melegrito, co-owner of the Bellevue, Nebraska, studio where Tietjens spent his free time.Martial arts were a big part of his and his family\u2019s lives. The 42-year-old earned a double black belt in Taekwondo and Filipino martial arts and was an instructor. His wife and son also practiced.Parallel to his dedication to martial arts was his commitment to the military and mentoring. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. He was in his third deployment to Kuwait and had been there in 2019 with Amor.Army Staff Sgt. Jonn Coleman, a fellow Nebraska soldier, told CNN affiliate KETV Tietjens\u2019 mentorship was the reason he was able to advance his military career.\u201cHe took me under his wing and got me to where I needed to be,\u201d Coleman said.Tietjens\u2019 awards and decorations also include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.Maj. Jeffrey O\u2019BrienRaised on a farm near Coggon, Iowa, Jeffrey O\u2019Brien grew into a man of many passions: family, faith, jazz music and sports.The 45-year-old husband and father of three was also known for his unwavering loyalty, especially to the Chicago Cubs, according to his obituary.He was killed in Kuwait while serving in support of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, which oversees the resupply and sustainment of troops across the Middle East, the Pentagon said.O\u2019Brien had served in the Army Reserve for nearly two decades and received several awards but he was most proud of his children.He loved coaching them in track, cheering at gymnastics meets, and teaching them music and theater. \u201cMany evenings and weekends were spent at ballfields, competitions, and events, creating memories his family will carry forever,\u201d his obituary said.\u201cHe was not only a role model to our kids, but also a goofy and silly dad, always looking for ways to make the kids laugh,\u201d his family said in a statement to CNN affiliate KCCI.\u201cWe are in shock, grieving, and grappling with the reality that we have lost the most important man in our lives, and we are trying to come to terms with how we move forward,\u201d the family said, calling O\u2019Brien a \u201ctrue hero in every sense of the word.\u201dChief Warrant Officer 3 Robert MarzanRobert Marzan, 54, was a mentor to young service members and often brought others in front of a whiteboard to help them \u201cmap out a life plan.\u201d\u201cAs I reflect, Rob was probably one of the best humans I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d said Connor Kuehl, a friend who met Marzan after enlisting in 2013. The late soldier helped him finish school and push him to advance in his career, Kuehl told CNN affiliate KCRA.Marzan, from Spotsylvania, Virginia, was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa.He served in the military for decades, first enlisting in the Army in 1990 and deployed to Croatia, Bosnia, Egypt and Kuwait throughout his career, according to the Army Reserve.Outside of being a soldier, his sister, Elizabeth Marzan, wrote in a Facebook post he was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend.At the time of the strike, Robert Marzan was in the final two months of his deployment and his family was planning a celebration for his 55th birthday and the end of his military service, Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa said on Facebook.Sgt. Benjamin PenningtonBenjamin \u201cBen\u201d Pennington\u2019s path to the military began early as he played Army with friends, watched the Military Channel and spent his days in a room decorated with Army prints and model planes hanging from the ceiling.\u201cEveryone who knew Ben well knew he was destined to be an Army man, and there was no convincing him otherwise,\u201d his family said in the 26-year-old\u2019s obituary.Pennington, of Glendale, Kentucky, died on March 8 after sustaining injuries in an attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. He was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, a unit within the Army\u2019s Space and Missile Defense Command.He enlisted in 2017 when he was 18 as a unit supply specialist and was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, the Army said.Outside the military, Pennington embraced hobbies and interests that kept him closely connected to home and family, according to his obituary.A fan of Major League Baseball, he hoped to visit each of its ballparks. While stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado, he developed a love for hiking, snowboarding and skiing, and spent time exploring the state\u2019s mountains with friends.During trips home to Kentucky, his family said he enjoyed visiting bourbon distilleries and building his bourbon collection in recent years.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Some of Mary Ellen Klinner\u2019s happiest memories were of watching her son outdoors \u2014 camping, hiking and spending long days beside his father \u2014 and later seeing him become a devoted dad to three young children of his own.<\/p>\n
But since her son Maj. John \u2018Alex\u2019 Klinner was killed in the Iran war, those memories have become both a comfort and a painful reminder of the \u201cnightmare\u201d her life has felt like in the past couple of months.<\/p>\n
John Klinner is one of the 13 U.S. troops killed in connection with Operation Epic Fury, the name the Pentagon has given to the war with Iran. He died alongside five other crew members who were aboard a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft when it crashed on March 12 in western Iraq.<\/p>\n
Earlier that month, six other service members were killed on March 1 after an Iranian strike in Kuwait\u2019s Shuaiba port. A service member died March 8 following an attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf any of their deaths mean anything \u2013 then please, do not look away,\u201d Klinner\u2019s aunt Jean Marie Dillon wrote on Facebook. \u201cMilitary lives are not expendable. The people who decide when and where we go to war answer to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump has said meeting with some of the fallen soldiers\u2019 families did not give him pause about the war. He and senior officials have made clear there would likely be more casualties.<\/p>\n
Approximately 400 service members have been wounded in action during Operation Epic Fury, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, told CNN. The vast majority of injuries suffered were minor and 90% of service members returned to duty, Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
At least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S. and Israel began strikes on the country, according to state media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. One strike killed at least 168 children.<\/p>\n
As families of service members still deployed overseas wait anxiously for the war to end, the loved ones of the 13 who were killed are mourning not only the soldiers lost but the vibrant, deeply loved people they were beyond the uniform.<\/p>\n
Maj. John \u2018Alex\u2019 Klinner<\/p>\n
\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\tMacDill Air Force Base via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama is remembered by his family for his immense love for his children, hiking with his father, humble intelligence, kindness and care for those around him.<\/p>\n
When asked if he has a favorite memory of his son \u2014 a beloved husband and father of a 2-year-old and 7-month-old twins \u2014 John Klinner pauses.<\/p>\n
\u201cGosh, there\u2019s so many,\u201d he told CNN. \u201cAlex and I did a lot of camping trips. He loved the outdoors, and so we would go up to North Carolina every summer for years and just camped at this beautiful place. I\u2019ve got a lot of good memories from those trips.\u201d<\/p>\n
Klinner was \u201cthe perfect son, the perfect child,\u201d Mary Ellen says quietly in a classic Southern twang as the pair sit in their Alabama home.<\/p>\n
Just a day ago, they visited their grandchildren, who will now grow up without a father. \u201cWe\u2019re heartbroken that he won\u2019t be there for them,\u201d John Klinner says. \u201cHe loved those children.\u201d<\/p>\n
His loss \u201chas left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him,\u201d according to a GoFundMe page<\/a> organized to raise funds to support his family following his death.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was just very devoted to his family and community and to the Air Force. He loved flying, he was very passionate about that,\u201d his father said. \u201cHe loved life. He was just a wonderful person and cared about others and always put others before himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Klinner served as a major in the Air Force for eight years, his family said. As the 99th Air Refueling Squadron\u2019s chief of standardization and evaluation, Klinner oversaw the training and flight proficiency of more than 30 aircrew members, helping prepare pilots for missions, according to the Air Force.<\/a><\/p>\n Capt. Ariana G. Savino<\/p>\n For Ariana G. Savino, flying was more than a job to her \u2014 it was her greatest passion, alongside mentoring \u201cthe next generation of youth, women, and minorities\u201d in aviation and military service.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old was a \u201cfierce, brave, passionate\u201d woman with a smile and laugh that could transform the atmosphere of any room she entered, her family said in a statement shared with CNN affiliate KOMO News<\/a> after she was killed in the Iraq crash.<\/p>\n Savino, of Covington, Washington, served as chief of current operations for the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, overseeing the unit\u2019s daily flight schedule and coordinating its training and missions, according to the Air Force.<\/p>\n She earned her wings as a KC-135 pilot after completing her training last year but had been serving in the military since 2017, working her way up from standardization and evaluation officer to flight commander, the Air Force said.<\/p>\n As a Puerto Rican, Savino was \u201cvery, very proud of her heritage\u201d and came from a family of service members, her friend retired Lt. Col. Ernesto Nisperos told CNN.<\/p>\n Savino had a sweet but strong personality, Nisperos said, and had followed in the footsteps of her father, who was a pilot for Alaska Airlines.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a lot of ways, you know, she was trying to be like dad. It was important for her to continue a legacy in her family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Her family is starting an aviation scholarship for Latino youth and women who are interested in aviation, Nisperos said, to honor Savino\u2019s mission to be a role model and help people with the same dream she had.<\/p>\n Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tOhio National Guard via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLoved ones of Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio miss his smile and positivity that would light up every room he stepped foot in.<\/p>\n Just a day before he was killed in the Iraq crash, Tyler Simmons told his father he didn\u2019t think he was coming back, Charles Mylo Simmons said in an interview with CNN<\/a>, recalling their final conversations before his son\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I told him \u2018I\u2019m praying for you\u2019 \u2026 I really was hoping that he was going to be wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n He said his son \u201cloved what he did, he loved his country, he loved the military,\u201d and he \u201cloved his family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis smile would light up the room,\u201d he said. \u201cHis personality would illuminate the whole place.\u201d<\/p>\n Simmons, a military boom operator, was their only child, and his mother had once hoped he would choose a different path than the military, according to WBNS.<\/p>\n But his passion and drive for aviation were evident early on, his father said. Teachers, he recalled, often described him as well-mannered and disciplined, and as he grew older he became increasingly focused on his goals.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing Tyler, if he could do it all over again, he\u2019d probably make the same decision, because he loved what he did,\u201d Charles Mylo Simmons said. \u201cHe was just an amazing son and it was my privilege to be able to be his father.\u201d<\/p>\n Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tMacDill Air Force Base via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt was living “her happiest chapter” as a loving mother who served her country.<\/p>\n Ashley Pruitt\u2019s husband told The Associated Press<\/a>, resisting tears, he had one word to describe his beloved: \u201cradiant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf there was a light in the room,\u201d Gregory Pruitt said, \u201cshe was it.\u201d <\/p>\n Now, he and their two young children are left to carry that light forward after the 34-year-old boom operator of Bardstown, Kentucky, was killed in the Iraq crash.<\/p>\n Pruitt, who was based at MacDill Air Force Base, served as an instructor boom operator and assistant flight chief of operations with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, where she oversaw training and readiness and instructed fellow boom operators in the precise mechanics of midair refueling, according to the Air Force.<\/p>\n While she had dedicated nearly a decade to the military, rising steadily through the enlisted ranks, \u201cnothing compared to the love she held for her family,\u201d her obituary<\/a> read.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was a devoted wife and a deeply loving mother, and those closest to her knew she was living in her happiest chapter,\u201d the obituary said. \u201cHer strength, warmth, and unwavering devotion created a home filled with love and laughter.\u201d<\/p>\n Capt. Seth R. Koval<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tOhio National Guard via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCapt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana leaves behind a son and a grieving wife who said his loss will echo in her heart forever.<\/p>\n Seth R. Koval, 38, was living his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot and wore the uniform with purpose.<\/p>\n He first enlisted as a machinist with the Indiana Air National Guard in 2006 and \u201csoon discovered a calling beyond himself,\u201d according to his obituary.<\/a> While serving, he earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in aviation operations from Purdue University in 2011 and later transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017.<\/p>\n Koval was a seasoned combat pilot before he was killed in the Iraq crash and was responsible for training pilots in \u201cworldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations,\u201d his Air Force biography<\/a> says.<\/p>\n His awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, and Air and Space Achievement Medal, the Ohio National Guard said.<\/p>\n His wife, whom he met on a childhood church mission trip, wrote on Facebook<\/a> Koval was \u201cmany things \u2014 loving, generous, kindhearted, smart, devoted, a fixer of all things, a real outdoorsman, and selfless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe always put others before himself \u2014 until the very end. I will see him in the smile of our son and carry him with me in every moment,\u201d Heather Nichole said.<\/p>\n Capt. Curtis J. Angst<\/p>\n As the son of a flight attendant and a private pilot, Curtis Angst seemed to be destined for flight, Rep. Dave Taylor<\/a> of Ohio said in a tribute to the fallen captain.<\/p>\n He grew up playing with toy airplanes outside his Ohio home and his father took him up for his first flight when he was still a toddler, Taylor said.<\/p>\n The 30-year-old, who was part of the crew killed in the Iraq crash, earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati in 2014 and joined the military the following year as a vehicle maintenance technician, according to the Ohio National Guard.<\/p>\n Angst earned his undergraduate pilot training in 2022 before achieving his pilot initial qualification in 2024. He was previously deployed in 2015 to support Operation Spartan Shield, the guard said.<\/p>\n His awards and decorations included the Air and Space Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Meritorious Unit Award, according to the Guard.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was always ready to help someone else before himself. His constant smile and instantly recognizable laugh made people feel welcome, valued, and part of something bigger,\u201d his obituary <\/a>said.<\/p>\n Sgt. Declan Coady<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tUS Army via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEven when Sgt. Declan Coady was far from home, he remained deeply connected to the family he loved fiercely.<\/p>\n Even as thousands of miles kept him away from his family in Iowa, Declan Coady stayed in touch with them by playing video games and talking for hours about anything from anime to his plans for the future.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old of Des Moines, Iowa, had been sending his family updates about his safety while in Kuwait so they knew something was wrong when the updates suddenly stopped, his sister Keira Coady told CNN.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish I had called him one more time and told him I loved him,\u201d Keira Coady said, following her brother\u2019s death after an Iranian strike at Kuwait\u2019s Shuaiba port.<\/p>\n Declan Coady was a gym enthusiast, a fencer and an Eagle Scout with a love for camping in national parks, hiking, white-water rafting and exploring the outdoors with his family, according to his sister and his obituary.<\/a><\/p>\n He also loved his job in the Army Reserve, even when he worked around the clock while overseas, his father, Andrew Coady, told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n Declan Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. Among the youngest in his class, Coady stood out to his instructors and had been recommended for a promotion, according to his father.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was very good at what he did,\u201d his father said. The soldier had received several military awards, including the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.<\/p>\n Capt. Cody Khork<\/p>\n Cody Khork\u2019s life was largely defined by three things: devotion, character, and service.<\/p>\n Behind his sense of duty, he was a man \u201cknown for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him,\u201d his family said of the 35-year-old from Lakeland, Florida.<\/p>\n He was among the group of six service members killed after an Iranian strike in Kuwait.<\/p>\n In 2009, he enlisted in the National Guard as a multiple launch rocket system\/fire direction specialist. He attended Florida Southern College, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was known in the school community for his \u201cleadership, character, and commitment to serving others,\u201d the university said<\/a> in a statement.<\/p>\n Khork loved history and had a degree in political science, which showed \u201chis sharp mind and his sincere appreciation for the principles and sacrifices that have shaped our nation,\u201d his family said.<\/p>\n After graduating from college in 2014, Khork was commissioned as a military police officer in the Army Reserve and was later deployed to Saudi Arabia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland.<\/p>\n His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Joint Service Achievement Medal.<\/p>\n Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor<\/p>\n Nicole Amor, a 39-year-old mother to a high school senior and a fourth-grader, was just days away from returning home, her husband said.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was almost home,\u201d Joey Amor told The Associated Press<\/a>. \u201cYou don\u2019t go to Kuwait thinking something\u2019s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first \u2013 it hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n The soldier, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, enlisted as an automated logistics specialist in the National Guard in 2005. She transferred to the Army Reserve a year later and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019.<\/p>\n She was an avid gardener and enjoyed inline roller skating and bicycling with her kids, the AP reported.<\/p>\n \u201cNicole believed deeply in caring for others and in nurturing life wherever she could,\u201d her obituary<\/a> read.<\/p>\n To carry her spirit and continue her love for gardening, her loved ones raised funds to build a greenhouse and also created a foundation<\/a> to build \u201cspaces for the community to come together offering acts of service.\u201d<\/p>\n Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tFrom US Army via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens was a devoted presence in the martial arts community, remembered for the passion, patience, and love he brought to teaching.<\/p>\n Those who were close with Noah Tietjens knew it was rare to see him with a smile, but looks are deceiving, some of his friends told CNN.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was the kind of man who represented service, humility, leadership, and heart in everything he did,\u201d said Faith Melegrito, co-owner of the Bellevue, Nebraska, studio where Tietjens spent his free time.<\/p>\n Martial arts were a big part of his and his family\u2019s lives. The 42-year-old earned a double black belt in Taekwondo and Filipino martial arts and was an instructor. His wife and son also practiced.<\/p>\n Parallel to his dedication to martial arts was his commitment to the military and mentoring. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. He was in his third deployment to Kuwait and had been there in 2019 with Amor.<\/p>\n Army Staff Sgt. Jonn Coleman, a fellow Nebraska soldier, told CNN affiliate KETV<\/a> Tietjens\u2019 mentorship was the reason he was able to advance his military career.<\/p>\n \u201cHe took me under his wing and got me to where I needed to be,\u201d Coleman said.<\/p>\n Tietjens\u2019 awards and decorations also include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.<\/p>\n Maj. Jeffrey O\u2019Brien<\/p>\n Raised on a farm near Coggon, Iowa, Jeffrey O\u2019Brien grew into a man of many passions: family, faith, jazz music and sports.<\/p>\n The 45-year-old husband and father of three was also known for his unwavering loyalty, especially to the Chicago Cubs, according to his obituary<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was killed in Kuwait while serving in support of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, which oversees the resupply and sustainment of troops across the Middle East, the Pentagon said.<\/p>\n O\u2019Brien had served in the Army Reserve for nearly two decades and received several awards but he was most proud of his children.<\/p>\n He loved coaching them in track, cheering at gymnastics meets, and teaching them music and theater. \u201cMany evenings and weekends were spent at ballfields, competitions, and events, creating memories his family will carry forever,\u201d his obituary said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was not only a role model to our kids, but also a goofy and silly dad, always looking for ways to make the kids laugh,\u201d his family said in a statement to CNN affiliate KCCI<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in shock, grieving, and grappling with the reality that we have lost the most important man in our lives, and we are trying to come to terms with how we move forward,\u201d the family said, calling O\u2019Brien a \u201ctrue hero in every sense of the word.\u201d<\/p>\n Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\tFrom US Army via CNN Newsource\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan was killed before he could attend the birthday and end of deployment celebration his family was planning for him.<\/p>\n Robert Marzan, 54, was a mentor to young service members and often brought others in front of a whiteboard to help them \u201cmap out a life plan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I reflect, Rob was probably one of the best humans I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d said Connor Kuehl, a friend who met Marzan after enlisting in 2013. The late soldier helped him finish school and push him to advance in his career, Kuehl told CNN affiliate KCRA.<\/a><\/p>\n Marzan, from Spotsylvania, Virginia, was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa.<\/p>\n He served in the military for decades, first enlisting in the Army in 1990 and deployed to Croatia, Bosnia, Egypt and Kuwait throughout his career, according to the Army Reserve.<\/a><\/p>\n Outside of being a soldier, his sister, Elizabeth Marzan, wrote in a Facebook post<\/a> he was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend.<\/p>\n At the time of the strike, Robert Marzan was in the final two months of his deployment and his family was planning a celebration for his 55th birthday and the end of his military service, Rep. Ashley Hinson<\/a> of Iowa said on Facebook.<\/p>\n Sgt. Benjamin Pennington<\/p>\n Benjamin \u201cBen\u201d Pennington\u2019s path to the military began early as he played Army with friends, watched the Military Channel and spent his days in a room decorated with Army prints and model planes hanging from the ceiling.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone who knew Ben well knew he was destined to be an Army man, and there was no convincing him otherwise,\u201d his family said in the 26-year-old\u2019s obituary<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pennington, of Glendale, Kentucky, died on March 8 after sustaining injuries in an attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. He was assigned to 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, a unit within the Army\u2019s Space and Missile Defense Command.<\/p>\n He enlisted in 2017 when he was 18 as a unit supply specialist and was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, the Army said.<\/p>\n Outside the military, Pennington embraced hobbies and interests that kept him closely connected to home and family, according to his obituary<\/a>.<\/p>\n A fan of Major League Baseball, he hoped to visit each of its ballparks. While stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado, he developed a love for hiking, snowboarding and skiing, and spent time exploring the state\u2019s mountains with friends.<\/p>\n During trips home to Kentucky, his family said he enjoyed visiting bourbon distilleries and building his bourbon collection in recent years.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Loved](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8866c141-b66e-476d-8984-ebd08e37cc93.jpg\"\/ "\\"Tyler")
<\/p>\n![\"Tech.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ccf09352-f480-4607-abec-d25dfb60f19b.jpg\"\/ "\\"Ashley")
<\/p>\n![\"Capt.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cd4fc62a-7980-4091-acf0-5f57319f8e0b.jpg\"\/ "\\"Seth")
<\/p>\n![\"Even](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/dc6f7dc2-4102-43ab-b5ea-2c7fa18a88c0.jpg\"\/ "\\"Declan")
<\/p>\n![\"Sgt.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cbf297d5-1dc7-4a93-8f5a-3c4efd322e88.jpg\"\/ "\\"Noah")
<\/p>\n![\"Chief](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5cfc5e01-6497-409e-8d8a-2bd0cdb1d69b.jpg\"\/ "\\"Robert")
<\/p>\n