Local News
Major Alex Klinner Killed in KC-135 Refueling Aircraft Crash in Iraq
Family members are mourning the loss of U.S. Air Force Maj. Alex Klinner, one of six American service members killed on March 12 when a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq while supporting military operations in the Middle East.
According to relatives, Klinner was a devoted husband and father of three young children.
His wife, Libby Klinner, shared a heartfelt message on social media describing the profound impact of his death on their family.
โOn March 12, our world shattered,โ she wrote in a post on Instagram. โIโm devastated to lose the best person I knowโthe person who made everything more fun, my best friend. But even more so, my heart is broken for our three kids who will grow up not knowing him.โ
The couple were parents to a two-and-a-half-year-old child and seven-month-old twins. Libby Klinner said her children will grow up without the opportunity to know their fatherโs humor, compassion, and deep love for his family.
โThey wonโt see how goofy and funny he was. They wonโt witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself,โ she wrote. โHe was an incredible husband and person, but he was the best dad.โ
Maj. Klinner served in the United States Air Force for eight years.
His sister-in-law, Sarah Rose Harrill, described him as a servant leader in a memorial fundraiser created to support the family.
โAlex was more than a serviceman,โ Harrill wrote. โHe was a devoted husband, a loving father, and the kind of person who would quietly step in to help anyone who needed it. His loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.โ
Just days before the tragedy, Libby Klinner had posted about the challenges of deployment, describing the current assignment as particularly difficult due to global instability.
โThis is far from our first deployment, but the uncertain nature of the world makes this one filled with so much more worry and stress,โ she wrote. โThe kids didnโt ask for this and they certainly donโt understand it. They just know that their world has suddenly turned upside down.โ
The family had recently relocated after living in the Birmingham area since 2022.
Libby said they had hoped to remain in Alabama but had recently moved to Oklahoma.
โIt still doesnโt feel real,โ she wrote. โI keep thinking Iโll get a text saying, โSorry honey! Didnโt mean to scare you,โ and everything will be alright. Because Alex always made everything alright.โ
The fatal crash occurred during operations connected to Operation Epic Fury.
According to the United States Department of Defense, the aircraft went down in what officials described as โfriendly airspace.โ
Pentagon officials said the loss of the aircraft was not the result of hostile fire or friendly fire.
Early information indicates the incident involved two KC-135 aircraft, with one crashing while the other landed safely. Aviation tracking data reportedly showed that aerial refueling missions had departed from Ben Gurion Airport earlier that day, with one aircraft failing to return.
The incident marks the first Air Force fatalities publicly announced in the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran, bringing the total number of U.S. service members killed in the conflict to at least 13.
Mike DeWine confirmed that three of the six service members killed in the crash were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing, part of the Ohio Air National Guard based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base.
Among those killed was Technical Sgt. Tyler Simmons, a boom operator and graduate of Eastmoor Academy in Columbus.
Military officials and community leaders described Simmons as a dedicated airman whose work helped sustain operations and protect service members around the world.
โBehind every uniform is a son, a friend, a teammate, and a member of a community who leaves a lasting impact,โ officials said in a statement honoring Simmonsโ service and sacrifice.
Officials have not yet released the full list of all six service members killed in the crash, and it remains unclear where the remaining victims were from.
The U.S. military continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As families, fellow service members, and communities mourn those lost, tributes continue to pour in honoring the dedication and sacrifice of the crew members who died while supporting operations overseas.
MORGAN COUNTY, Ohio โ Gloriana Blair of Glouster, Ohio, has died following a tragic accident involving a moving truck on Pounds Road in Morgan County on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to the Morgan County Sheriffโs Office.
The incident occurred in the 5500 block of Pounds Road when a pickup truck reportedly began rolling backward after stalling while traveling up a steep incline. Blair, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was struck during the incident and later died from her injuries at a hospital.
According to the Morgan County Sheriffโs Office, the accident involved a 2007 Ford truck driven by Richard Blair, also of Glouster.
The truck was traveling eastbound along Pounds Road when it stalled while attempting to climb a steep incline. After the vehicle stopped, Richard Blair exited the truck to inspect the problem.
Gloriana Blair, who had been riding as a passenger, also began to get out of the vehicle. At that moment, the truck unexpectedly started rolling backward down the roadway.
As the truck moved backward, the passenger-side door struck Gloriana Blair, knocking her to the ground. She was then struck by the moving vehicle, resulting in critical injuries.
The sudden movement of the truck turned what began as an apparent mechanical problem into a devastating accident. Emergency responders were called to the scene to provide assistance.
Members of the M&M Emergency Squad responded to the incident and transported Blair to OโBleness Hospital in Athens County for medical treatment.
Despite emergency medical efforts, she later died from the injuries she sustained in the accident.
The Athens County Coronerโs Office also responded as part of the official investigation into the fatal incident.
Investigators believe a possible mechanical defect may have contributed to the truckโs unexpected movement. However, the exact cause of the accident has not been established, and the Morgan County Sheriffโs Office has emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the vehicleโs mechanical failure and the events that led to the fatal injuries.
The Morgan County Sheriffโs Office, M&M Emergency Squad, and Athens County Coronerโs Office responded to the incident.
Following the tragedy, the sheriffโs office extended its condolences to Gloriana Blairโs family and loved ones as they cope with the devastating loss.
The death of Gloriana Blair has left her family, friends, and community mourning after a sudden accident on Pounds Road. What began as a vehicle problem during an ordinary journey quickly became an unimaginable tragedy.
As the investigation continues, thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew and loved Gloriana Blair. May her family find strength and comfort during this difficult time.
May Gloriana Blair rest in eternal peace.