‘Devoted’ Father of 3 Was Deployed Less Than a Week Before Fatal Plane Crash that Killed 6 U.S. Service Members in Iraq

Summary: On March 12, a U.S. military KC-135 refueling plane crashed in western Iraq, tragically killing all six service members on board. One of the fallen heroes was Major Alex Klinner, a devoted father from Alabama. He had just been promoted in January and was deployed less than a week before the crash. He leaves behind his wife, Libby, a 2-year-old son, and 7-month-old twins. A fundraiser for his family has already raised over $1.2 million.

The military community is also mourning the other crew members, including Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, who was remembered as a "radiant" mother, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, whose smile could light up any room. The crash happened during the ongoing conflict with Iran, and officials are still investigating what caused the plane to go down.

For more details, see people at people.com/dad-of-3-deployed-a-week-before-fatal-military-refueling-plane-crash-11926806 (opens in new tab)

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