DOVER, Del. – An Indiana airman who died in the line of duty is back on U.S. soil.
Capt. Seth Koval was one of six crewmembers killed on March 12 when their refueling plane crashed in Iraq while supporting Operation Epic Fury operations in Iran.
Koval, 38, was assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Purdue University graduate from Mooresville who initially enlisted with the 122nd Fight Wing in the Indiana National Guard in 2006. He most recently served as a KC-135 instructor.
Two other members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing also died: Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.
Three members of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida were killed in the crash: Maj. John A. “Alex” Klinner, 33; Capt. Ariana Linse Savino, 31; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34.
President Donald Trump and other officials, including Indiana Sens. Jim Banks and Todd Young, attended the dignified transfer ceremony Wednesday at Dover Air Base.
“Captain Seth Koval and the five other servicemembers who gave their lives made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” Banks said in a statement. “Their courage and selflessness will never be forgotten. I am keeping his loved ones in my prayers, asking for comfort and strength in the midst of this profound loss, and I am praying for the safety of all those who continue to put their lives on the line to defend our country.”