Trump pays respects in Delaware to US service members killed in a plane refueling crash

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) — President Donald Trump paid his respects Wednesday at a Delaware military base where the remains of six U.S. service members killed in a refueling plane crash were returned to their families.

It will be the second time since launching war with Iran on February 28 that the Republican president will attend the solemn military ritual known as the “Honorable Transfer,” which he once described as “the hardest thing” he had to do as commander-in-chief.

Read more: The US military announced that all six pilots on board the refueling plane that crashed in Iraq were killed

Upon landing in Dover, Trump was greeted on the runway by Colonel Jamil Musa, commander of the 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, and Colonel Martha “Jenny” Sasnett, commander of Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, Dover Air Force Base, and headed to the ceremony — which was closed to the press.

The entire crew of an Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft were killed last week in a plane crash over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. They were from the states of Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Washington.

“Every person on that plane carried a weight that most Americans will never see, and they carried it with professionalism, courage and a level of quiet excellence that deserves recognition,” retired Lt. Col. Ernesto Nesperos, a friend of one of those killed, said in a text message Wednesday.

The incident brought the American death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 soldiers. The Pentagon said about 200 US service members were injured, including 10 seriously.

Read more: A generous quote for a Kentucky soldier who was the seventh American service member to die in the Iran War

Trump last traveled to Dover Air Force Base on March 7 for the dignified transfer of six US service members killed in a drone strike on a command center in Kuwait. He praised the flag-draped transport boxes containing the remains of fallen service members, as they were transferred from military aircraft to vehicles awaiting transport to the base morgue to prepare them for their final resting place.

“It’s the bad part of the war,” he told reporters afterward. When asked if he was concerned about having to make multiple trips to the base for additional dignified transfers as the war continued, he said, “I sure am. I hate doing it, but it’s part of the war, right?”

US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said the incident followed an unspecified incident involving two planes in “friendly airspace” over Iraq, but that the loss of the plane during a combat mission “was not due to hostile or friendly fire.” The circumstances were under investigation. The other plane landed safely.

The accident killed three people assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Major John A. “Alex” Kleiner, 33, who served in Birmingham, Alabama; Capt. Ariana Lince Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; And technology. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, from Bardstown, Kentucky.

Kleiner, who leaves behind a wife, a 2-year-old son and 7-month-old twins, was known for his steady leadership and goofy nature, as well as his willingness to help others. Pruitt’s husband described her as a “radiant” woman who lit up the room. Nisperos, who serves as her family’s spokesperson, said Savino was a friend, mentee and “a source of positive energy” who was proud of her Puerto Rican heritage and inspired young Latinos.

“She had that warmth that made you feel seen, the strength that came through in everything she touched, and that spark — that spice — that made her unforgettable,” Nisperus said. “If you knew her, even for just a moment, you knew you were in the presence of someone who would change the world.”

The other three were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio: Capt. Seth Koval, 38, a resident of Stottsville, Ohio, who was from Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, who lived in Columbus; and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus.

Koval grew up dreaming of becoming a pilot, according to his wife, who described him as a loving and generous “fixer of all things.” Angst’s family said his life was marked by service, generosity and a “genuine love of people.” Simons loved confiding in and working with his 85-year-old grandmother, Sen. Jon Husted said Tuesday, when he and Sen. Bernie Moreno honored the Ohio Airmen on the Senate floor.

“To the mother and father of these three young soldiers, I can’t even fathom what you’re going through,” Moreno said. “I can’t even imagine the emotions you’re feeling.” “Just know that America is grateful beyond words for the sacrifice made by your heroic young sons.”

Associated Press writers Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, and Haley Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.