WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) delivered a speech Tuesday on the Senate floor recognizing the service and sacrifice Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Angst and Major Sgt. Tyler Simmons who lost their lives in a KC-135 crash in Iraq on March 12, 2026.
The three servicemembers were serving with the 121st Air Refueling Wing based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.
Key excerpts
“I come today to request a pause in the political discourse in this chamber, for a moment of reflection.
“As those both in this chamber and across the nation know, last Thursday, March 12, 2026, an American KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq.
“The crash claimed the lives of the aircraft’s six crew members.”
. . .
“I would like to take a moment of the Senate’s time this evening to honor three of Ohio’s favorite sons, the airmen who were serving in the Ohio National Guard with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.”
. . .
“Let me first speak of one of Ohio’s favorite sons, Captain Curtis J. Angst.
“He was 30 years old from Wilmington, Ohio with ten years of military experience.”
. . .
“His family stated that, ‘Those who knew Curtis remember his steady kindness and the joy he carried with him everywhere he went.’”
. . .
“He will be missed by his wife Mary, his parents and many more friends and family.”
. . .
“Master Sergeant Tyler Simmons was 28 years old from Columbus, Ohio.”
. . .
“His father said that Sergeant Simmons loved airplanes and always had plans for joining the Air Force.”
. . .
“His family says his mother said he loved serving in the military and that he was born for it.
“We mourn today alongside Master Sergeant Simmons’ entire family.”
. . .
“I would like to honor Captain Seth Koval. He was 38 years old from Mooresville, Indiana.”
. . .
“He was a man of devout faith with Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
“He was described as loving, generous, selfless, kindhearted, smart, devoted, and a fixer of all things and a real outdoorsman.
“His loss is one mourned by many, but most of all by his wife Heather, his son and countless other close family members and friends of Captain Seth Koval.”
. . .
“These service members, alongside their three other brothers and sisters in arms, gave the last full measure of devotion to their country last week.
“I thank my colleagues for hearing their stories this evening, for honoring their service, for celebrating their lives and for mourning their loss alongside a grateful nation.”