The war in Iran has hit home for the Columbus, Ohio, area military installation, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. Three service members from the base were killed in a war-related refueling accident in Iraq on March 12, 2026. Since then, fellow service members and a supporting organization have been in mourning, while also looking for ways to honor the lives lost and help the families they left behind.
"It was a huge shock to us when we found out about the losses," said Michael Reed, board secretary for the non-profit organization, Rickenbacker Military Families, in an interview with Military.com. "The initial response was, 'Is that really our unit?' But once we learned the names of the officers, it was very sobering and very sad."
The accident, which occurred during Operation Epic Fury, remains under investigation by the Department of Defense. Officials have said the crash was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. Since the incident, Rickenbacker Military Families has been channeling the community's collective grief into action. Within days of the deadly accident, the non-profit launched a special fundraiser for the families of the three victims, raising more than $15,000 and counting.
"It's our way of saying we're here for you and we're doing what we can to support you," said Reed. "We're over $15,000 in donations now, and that's in less than two weeks. Donations have come through our website from individual donors and a few large private donations as well."
Identities of the Deceased Servicemen
The deceased servicemen have been identified as Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio, and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio. They were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker, which is located at Rickenbacker International Airport, outside Columbus. The base is named after the famous early aviator and Columbus native, Eddie Rickenbacker.
"It's actually been pretty heartwarming to see all of the community support, on and off base," Reed said, adding that the organization's mission has always been focused on supporting Ohio airmen and their loved ones. "In such a short time, we've raised about two-thirds of what we would raise in a given year to support service members and their families."
Since the war with Iran started in late February, more than a dozen American service members have been killed. The Ohio service members were among six killed in the refueling incident. The others were assigned to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
"We hope other charities and support systems are taking care of the other soldiers killed, the way we are taking care of the three from Rickenbacker," said Reed. "Of course, when we found out about this tragic event, we started brainstorming about what we could do to help."
Condolences for the Families of the Fallen
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who represents the Columbus area, offered condolences to Simmons' family on X, saying she was "heartbroken" to hear of Simmons' death. The Town Council of Mooresville, Indiana, extended its condolences to the Koval family, calling his death "a profound tragedy and a solemn reminder of the courage and sacrifice demonstrated by the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who faithfully defend our nation."
Separately, Capt. Angst's mother-in-law, Mindy McCarty-Stewart, released a statement to the media that was shared with Military.com, saying Angst "was doing what he loved most—flying and serving alongside the men and women he cared so deeply about."
Donations to assist loved ones of the fallen soldiers are still being accepted through Rickenbacker Military Families non-profit.
"Honestly, we're just feeling our way through it," said Reed, adding there's no set funding goal or amount. "We'll get to a point where we think it's appropriate to give a distribution to the families. But we don't have a ceiling. We'll keep bringing in money and sending it to the families for as long as the donations keep coming."
For more information on donations, visit www.ricmilfam.org.
