
Trump to attend dignified transfer of US service members killed in western Iraq plane crash
President Donald Trump is heading to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday to attend the dignified transfer of six U.S. service members recently killed in a plane crash in western Iraq, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“This is, I know, the hardest thing the president does as commander-in-chief and as president,” Leavitt said. “He made it a point to adjust his schedule, to be there, to grieve with these families.”
“Today, I'll be going with him and just keep those families in your thoughts and your prayers as they endure this unimaginable time,” she added.
The KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq last Thursday during a combat mission in support of Operation Epic Fury.
The airmen involved were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, according to U.S. government and state officials.
Those killed were Maj. John "Alex" Klinner, 33; Capt. Ariana Savino, 31; Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34; Capt. Seth Koval, 38; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.
Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond