John A Klinner - Operation Epic Fury -- OurWarHeroes.org

John A Klinner

Auburn, Alabama

March 12, 2026

Age	Military	Rank	Unit/Location
33	Air Force	Maj	6th Air Refueling Wing MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

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

From Auburn University auburn.edu 03/14/26

Auburn University mourns loss of alumnus Major John (Alex) Klinner
Published: March 14, 2026

Auburn University mourns the loss of alumnus Major John (Alex) Klinner, who was among six Air Force crew members killed when a U.S. military KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. Major Klinner was a 2016 graduate of Auburn University with a degree in mechanical engineering.

His commitment to serving our nation reflects the courage, character and sense of duty demonstrated by those who choose a life of service. As we honor Major Klinner’s life and legacy, we are reminded of Auburn’s long tradition of alumni who dedicate themselves to protecting and serving others through the armed forces.

On behalf of the Auburn Family, we extend our deepest condolences to Major Klinner’s family, fellow service members and all who knew and loved him. We honor his sacrifice and remain grateful for his service to our nation.

Submitted by: smithmp

From Alabama al.com 03/14/26

Alabama airman, father of 3, among 6 killed in Iraq refueling jet crash: ‘Our world shattered’

Updated: Mar. 14, 2026, 10:59 p.m.|Published: Mar. 14, 2026, 11:51 a.m.

By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.comWilliam Thornton | wthornton@al.com

One of the six American service members killed Thursday in support of Operation Epic Fury when a KC-135 crashed in Iraq was a husband and father of three who had lived in Trussville, according to his family.

Maj. Alex Klinner, 33, and his wife are parents to a two-and-a-half-year-old and seven-month-old twins.

He graduated from Auburn University in 2016 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Promoted to major months earlier, he had only been deployed about a week when he died.

“On March 12, our world shattered,” his wife, Libby, posted on Instagram.

“I’m devastated to lose the best person I know, the person that made everything more fun, my best friend. But even more so, my heart is broken for our three kids who will grow up not knowing him,” Libby wrote.

“They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them. He was an incredible person and husband, but he was the best dad.”

See also: Two others assigned to 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham die in Iraq

Major Klinner served the U.S. Air Force for eight years, his sister-in-law Sarah Rose Harrill wrote on GoFundMe. The fund had collected more than $520,000 as of early Saturday evening.

“Alex was more than a serviceman,” Harrill wrote.

“He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and the kind of person who would quietly step in to help anyone who needed it. He embodied what it means to be a servant leader. His loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.”

The Department of War identified the others killed were Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky., who were assigned along with Klinner to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

“Alex, Ashley, and Ariana are, and always will be members of the 117th family,” said Col. Mike Adams, 117th Air Refueling Wing commander.

“Even though they were not members of the Air National Guard, to us they will always be remembered as Vulcan refuelers and Alabamians.”

Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio.

Maj. Klinner’s wife wrote on Instagram just days ago that this was “by far the hardest deployment.”

“This is far from our first deployment, but the uncertain nature of the world makes this one filled with so much more worry and stress,” Libby Klinner wrote.

“The kids didn’t ask for this and they certainly don’t understand it. They just know that their world has suddenly turned upside down and that is heartbreaking.”

Libby wrote on social media in December that the family was moving from Birmingham to Oklahoma though they had petitioned to stay in Alabama. They had lived in Birmingham since 2022.

“It still doesn’t feel real. I keep thinking that I’ll get a text from him saying ‘Sorry honey! Didn’t mean to scare you’ and everything will be alright. Because Alex always made everything alright. We just moved to a new home and we had so many exciting plans in the next few years. Now we are left to navigate the void left in our hearts,” Libby posted on Saturday.

Auburn University officials released this statement this morning:

“His commitment to serving our nation reflects the courage, character and sense of duty demonstrated by those who choose a life of service,” AU’s statement said. “As we honor Maj. Klinner’s life and legacy, we are reminded of Auburn’s long tradition of alumni who dedicate themselves to protecting and serving others through armed forces.”

Several Alabama officials expressed their sympathy for the family:

“We will never forget his service and sacrifice,” U.S. Sen Katie Britt posted.

“Our state deeply grieves the loss of a father, husband, and a true patriot,” U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted.

“All of Alabama mourns the loss of Maj. Alex Klinner,” U.S. Rep. Dale Strong posted. “His sacrifice is a somber testament to the profound bravery of those who volunteer to protect our freedom.”

Trussville Mayor Ben Short said the Klinner family had recently moved to Trussville.

“While his time here was short, the loss we feel is no less significant,” Short said. He was a husband, a father to three young children and a man who chose a life of service to this country."

“His commitment to protecting others and serving something greater than himself represents the very best of our nation,” Short said.

“As a community, we ask that you surround them with compassion, support and prayers in the difficult days, months and years ahead,” he said. “We ill honor the lives of these airmen not only through our words, but through our commitment to caring for the families they leave behind.”

Efforts by AL.com to reach Klinner’s family were not immediately successful.

In a statement, the Pentagon said that “the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.”

With the incident, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the ongoing Iran conflict. These are the first casualties announced from the Air Force.

An announcement on Thursday said the incident involved two aircraft and had “occurred in friendly airspace,” with one aircraft went down, while the other, also a KC-135, landed safely, an indication there was a collision, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“War is hell,” Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday. “War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen.”

The western Iraq region where the plane crashed consists mostly of isolated desert.

The Washington Post, citing open source flight tracking data it reviewed, reported that U.S. KC-135 refueling runs on Thursday left from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Only one did not return, according to the records. Photos showed a plane that had sustained damage return to the airport, The Post reported.

The last American tanker crash occurred in 2013, according to The New York Times.

KC-135s are used to refuel different varieties of aircraft, including fighter jets, surveillance planes and cargo aircraft.

Though details of Klinner’s military service were not immediately known Birmingham is home to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard.

The 99th Refueling Squadron, part of the 117th, has been stationed in Birmingham since 2009, according to a unit history.

“Since 2019, the 117th remains the first and only Air National Guard unit to win U.S. Strategic Command’s Omaha Trophy, showcasing the wing’s dedication to excellence,” according to the Alabama National Guard.