Curtis J Angst - Operation Epic Fury -- OurWarHeroes.org

Curtis J Angst

Wilmington, Ohio

March 12, 2026

Age	Military	Rank	Unit/Location
30	Air Force	Capt	121st Air Refueling Wing Rickenbacker ANG Base Columbus, Ohio

Airmen died on March 12, 2026, in the crash of a KC-135 in western Iraq.

The Willmington News Journal wnewsj.com 03/14/26

Wilmington mourns Capt. Curtis Angst following military crash in Iraq
news engin -
March 14, 2026

WILMINGTON, Ohio — The community is mourning the loss of a native son following the March 12 military aircraft crash in western Iraq that claimed the lives of six crew members, officials confirmed.

Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, a Wilmington High School graduate, was identified as one of the service members killed in the crash.

Three Ohio National Guard Airmen died when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on March 12, 2026: Angst, Capt. Seth Koval, 38, and Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.

Angst served as KC-135R pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron at the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. He was responsible for flying worldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo, and passenger operations while executing the Air Force’s primary mission of global reach.

Before commissioning, Captain Angst attended the University of Cincinnati, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. He initially enlisted in the Ohio Air National Guard on May 6, 2015, as a vehicle maintenance technician with the 123rd Air Control Squadron. Captain Angst went on to earn a commission in 2021, attended undergraduate pilot training in 2022, followed by the KC-135R Pilot Initial Qualification in 2024.

Captain Angst deployed in 2015 and 2026 in support of Spartan Shield and Epic Fury. During his time with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron, he flew a total of 880 flight hours with 67 combat hours.

Transition to Flight

After years of service on the ground, Angst pursued a commission, graduating from Total Force Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in 2021. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on Nov. 20, 2021.

His transition to aviation moved quickly:

2022–2023: Attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.

2023: Promoted to first lieutenant.

2024: Completed KC-135R Pilot Initial Qualification at Altus, Oklahoma.

2025: Promoted to the rank of captain.

His contributions have been recognized with several military honors, including the Air and Space Commendation Medal, the Air and Space Achievement Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Award. He is also a recipient of the Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Ribbon.

Maj. Gen. Matthew S. Woodruff, Ohio adjutant general, released a statement: “Today we mourn the loss of three remarkable airmen whose service and commitment embodied the very best of our Ohio National Guard. Their impact on their teammates and our mission will not be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and fellow service members, and our entire Guard family stands with them as we grieve together during this difficult time.”

Official Condolences

In an email addressed to the “Wilmington Schools Family” on Friday, Wilmington City Schools Superintendent Tim Dettwiller showed his support for a veteran aide within the district, Lisa Angst, who is Curtis’ mother.

“Last night, the family of Lisa Angst… was notified by the military that her son was among those in the military aircraft crash in Iraq yesterday,” Dettwiller wrote. “It was just announced that all six crew members are deceased.”

Dettwiller called the loss “unimaginable” and urged staff and families to offer support while respecting the family’s privacy.

Earlier today, the Clinton County Republican Party also issued a statement identifying the service member as Curtis Angst. In a Facebook post, the party chairman extended condolences to both the Angst and McCarty families.

“God rest Curtis Angst,” the statement read. “Please pray for them and the souls of the brave crew that was with him on their mission.”

The tragedy has also struck a particular chord in Wilmington due to the close relationship established between the city and the unit during recent military exercises.

“The Wilmington community offers its heartfelt condolences,” Mayor Pat Haley said in a statement. “The entire community grieves alongside the families, friends, and fellow servicemembers during this devastating time.”

The bond between the community and the 121st Air Refueling Wing was solidified in May 2025, when the unit conducted the “Live in ‘25” exercise at the Wilmington Air Park. The five-day event marked the first time all four wings of the Ohio Air National Guard participated in a joint training exercise at a non-military installation in the state.

Local officials noted that the professionalism of the service members left a lasting impression on the city during their time training for the challenges of active deployment.

“Wilmington stands with the families and loved ones of those lost, honoring their service and sacrifice,” Haley said. “Their legacy will remain a part of our community and in the hearts of all who knew them.”

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued the following statement on the deaths of Angst, Koval, and Simmons:

“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.”

Following the official release of the identities of the airmen by the U.S. Department of War, Governor DeWine has updated this morning’s flag-lowering order and has issued three individual orders for Koval, Angst, and Simmons.

Background

U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash in western Iraq on Thursday followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace” and that the other plane landed safely.

The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with the seven others killed in combat. About 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

The KC-135 has been in service for more than 60 years and has been involved in several fatal accidents, most recently in 2013. Adding to concerns about their reliability, the aircraft don’t always carry parachutes.

Here’s what is known so far about the tanker, which is the fourth U.S. military aircraft publicly acknowledged to have crashed since the war against Iran began on Feb. 28:

Cause of crash not immediately known

U.S. Central Command said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation but that the loss of the aircraft was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the other plane involved was also a KC-135. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., wrote on X that the other plane landed safely in Israel.

Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday morning that the crash occurred “over friendly territory in western Iraq, while the crew was on a combat mission” and reiterated that hostile or friendly fire was not the cause.

Speaking at the same news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the crew heroes.

“War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said. “And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.”

Hegseth and Caine spoke to reporters before the deaths of the six crew members had been made public.

Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said it would be rare for a refueling tanker to be downed by enemy fire because such operations are usually conducted in the rear of combat zones.

Last week, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire. All six crew members ejected safely.

The KC-135 is a long-serving tanker plane

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft used to refuel other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane is also used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

“The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s,” Yang said.

Based on the same design as the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the KC-135 is set to be gradually phased out as more of the next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers enter service.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.

A basic KC-135 crew consists of three people: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator. Nurses and medical technicians are added in aeromedical evacuation missions.

Refueling typically happens at the back of the plane, where the boom operator is located. A fuel boom is lowered to connect with fighters, bombers or other aircraft. On many of the planes, the boom operator works lying face down while looking out of a window on the underside of the plane.

Some KC-135s can also refuel planes from pods on their wings. The tankers have room to carry cargo or passengers if needed.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

From 10 WBNS TV 10tv.com 03/14/26

All 3 Ohio crew members have been identified in the deadly Iraq plane crash.
Here's who they were
The Pentagon has identified Capts. Seth Koval and Curtis Angst as well as Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, who died in the Thursday crash.

Author: 10TV Web Staff, Associated Press
Published: 10:28 PM EDT March 14, 2026
Updated: 10:28 PM EDT March 14, 2026
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The crew members from Ohio killed in a U.S. refueling aircraft crash in Iraq were formally identified Saturday.

The U.S. Department of Defense identified Capts. Seth Koval and Curtis Angst as well as Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, who died in the Thursday crash during Operation Epic Fury, according to a release from the Ohio Adjutant General. Three other crew members died in the crash and were also identified.

DeWine said in a post on X on Friday that the three Ohioans were deployed with the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.

Koval, 38, was an aircraft commander from Stoutsville with 19 years of service. Angst, 30, was a KC-135 pilot from Columbus with 10 years of service. Simmons, an Eastmoor Academy High School graduate, was a 28-year-old boom operator with eight years of service.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace" and that the other plane landed safely.

DeWine has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Angst, Koval and Simmons.

United States and State of Ohio flags are to be lowered at all public buildings and grounds statewide. The flags will remains lowered until sunset on the day of their funerals.

“Today we mourn the loss of three remarkable Airmen whose service and commitment embodied the very best of our Ohio National Guard. Their impact on their teammates and our mission will not be forgotten," said Maj. Gen. Matthew Woodruff. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and fellow service members, and our entire Guard family stands with them as we grieve together during this difficult time."

The following biographies are provided by the United States Air Force:

Capt. Seth R. Koval was a KC-135R Stratotanker Instructor Pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron attached to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus. He was responsible for training pilots in worldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations.

Koval enlisted into the Air Force in 2006 as a machinist with the Indiana National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aviation operations from Purdue University in 2011 before transferring to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017.

He was selected for a commission in 2018 with the 121st Air Refueling Wing, completed pilot training in January 2020 and completed instructor pilot upgrade in 2024, while assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing.

Koval deployed in 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2026 in support of U.S. Air Force in Europe, United States Central Command and United States Pacific Command for operations Enduring Freedom, Spartan Shield and Epic Fury, flying 443 combat hours and 2,076 total hours.

"Seth was a man whose life I could never confine to a single statement and whose loss will echo in my heart forever," said Heather Nichole on behalf of the Koval family. "He was truly the most amazing husband, father, son, brother, friend, and Airman. He loved what he did, and he was proud to put his uniform on and serve others. He grew up dreaming about becoming a pilot and to stand beside him as he made his dreams come true was an honor."

Capt. Curtis J. Angst served as a KC-135R pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron at the 121st Air Refueling Wing. He was responsible for flying worldwide air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations.

Before commissioning, Angst attended the University of Cincinnati, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering.

He initially enlisted in the Ohio Air National Guard on May 6, 2015, as a Vehicle Maintenance Technician with the 123rd Air Control Squadron.

Angst went on to earn a commission in 2021 and attended undergraduate pilot training in 2022, followed by the KC-135R Pilot Initial Qualification in 2024.

He deployed in 2015 and 2026 in support of operations Spartan Shield and Epic Fury. During his time with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron, Angst flew a total of 880 flight hours with 67 combat hours.

Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons was a KC-135R Boom Operator at the 166th Air Refueling Squadron at the 121st Air Refueling Wing. He was responsible for conducting worldwide air refueling and transferring fuel from the tanker to receiver aircraft, along with aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations.

Simmons entered the Air Force in 2017 through Air Force Basic Military Training. He completed security forces technical training school in May 2018.

He became an Inflight Refueling Specialist in April 2022, followed by becoming a Mobility Force Aviator in 2023 with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron at the 121st Air Refueling Wing.

Simmons deployed in 2018, 2023 and 2026 in support of U.S. Central Command, supporting operations Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield and Epic Fury, flying 230 combat hours.

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