U.S. Military Names 6 Service Members Killed in Iraq Tanker Crash

The crew members were part of the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran, bringing the death toll of American service members to 13.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:07am

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The Pentagon has identified the six U.S. service members who died when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq this week during the ongoing conflict with Iran. The crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire, according to U.S. Central Command.

Why it matters

The deaths of these six service members are a tragic loss as the U.S. and its allies continue their military operations against Iran, which have already claimed the lives of at least 13 American troops so far.

The details

The aircraft that crashed was a KC-135 refueling tanker, which is used by the Air Force to refuel other aircraft in flight. The crash occurred after an incident involving another KC-135, which landed safely. Three of the deceased were assigned to the Sixth Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, while the other three were with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio.

  • The crash happened on Thursday in western Iraq.
  • The U.S. and Israel's war on Iran is now in its third week.

The players

U.S. Central Command

The U.S. military's command responsible for operations in the Middle East.

Sixth Air Refueling Wing

A unit of the U.S. Air Force based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

121st Air Refueling Wing

A unit of the Ohio Air National Guard based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base.

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The takeaway

The tragic loss of these six service members underscores the human cost of the ongoing military conflict between the U.S., its allies, and Iran, which has already claimed the lives of over a dozen American troops.