Alabama’s entire congressional delegation joined together on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday morning to honor the servicemembers killed in a KC-135 crash over western Iraq last week, including three airmen with ties to Birmingham’s Air National Guard.
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, led the bipartisan group, which included Reps. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Gary Palmer (R-Hoover), Shomari Figures (D-Mobile), and Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) — in a moment of silence on the House floor. Ohio was also represented in the tribute.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues from the State of Alabama and Ohio to honor the lives of the six KC-135 crew members who tragically lost their lives in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 12 of 2026,” Rogers said. “Our prayers are with the families.”
Rogers honored Major John Klinner, Captain Ariana Savina, and Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruett, who were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing performing duties through the 99th Air Refueling Squadron out of Birmingham, Alabama.
He also paid tribute to the Ohio Air National Guard crew members: Captain Seth Covell, Captain Curtis Angst, and Technical Sergeant Tyler Simmons, assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing out of Columbus.
Yesterday, Alabama’s two U.S. Senators, Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), alongside President Donald Trump and other senior U.S. officials, who attended the dignified transfer of the six fallen KC-135 crew members in which the remains of the airmen were received on American soil.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
