People are gathering in Trussville, Ala., on Monday, March 30, 2026 to honor the life of Maj. Alex Klinner, one of six U.S. military members killed in a KC-135 crash in Iraq while attempting to refuel and assist in the war against Iran. (Sarah Rose Harrill via GoFundMe)
(Tribune News Service) — People are gathering in Trussville, Ala., Monday to honor the life of Maj. Alex Klinner, one of six U.S. military members killed in a KC-135 crash in Iraq while attempting to refuel and assist in the war against Iran.
Klinner’s funeral will be held at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Trussville. The family requested the media not attend.
Klinner, a father of a 2½-year-old son and 7-month-old twins and a 2016 Auburn University mechanical engineering graduate, died March 12.
“I’m devastated to lose the best person I know, the person that made everything more fun, my best friend,” his wife, Libby, wrote in a social media post announcing her husband’s death. “But even more so, my heart is broken for our three kids who will grow up not knowing him.”
“They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself,” she wrote. “They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them. He was an incredible person and husband, but he was the best dad.”
Klinner and two of the other victims were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida: Klinner, of Trussville; Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.
U.S. Air Force officials said Klinner, Savino and Pruitt were members of the co-located 99th Refueling Squadron, which is located at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham.
The squadron shares resources, space, manpower, and infrastructure with the Alabama National Guard’s 117th Air Refueling Squadron.
Klinner’s sister-in-law, Sarah Harrill, previously told AL.com, “Everyone, including Libby and Alex, were aware there are risks associated with the role he was in, but it was his duty and he had that duty to fulfill.”
She said her brother-in-law was unusually concerned about this deployment.
“He was really torn up about leaving Libby and their small children, but it was his duty and he fulfilled that duty,” she said.
“Alex was an incredible human being,” Harrill said. “He had just a goofy sense of humor and he was so good with all of their children, but especially their 2½-year-old because he was kind of silly and 2½-year-olds love silly.”
Klinner was the Chief of Squadron Standardizations and Evaluations at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron in Birmingham.
He directed the unit’s Standardization and Evaluation program, ensuring 34 aircrew maintained required proficiency, safety, and compliance with directives as an evaluator pilot.
He supported global air refueling operations and integrated guard, reserve, and active duty support to Air Mobility Command.
Klinner entered the Air Force in 2017 through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from Auburn University. He completed pilot training in November 2018 and was assigned to the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.
He completed advanced instrument training and instructor pilot upgrade in 2022, followed by evaluator pilot upgrade in 2024 while assigned to the 99th Air Refueling Squadron in Birmingham.
Klinner deployed in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2026 in support of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, United States Central Command, and United States Southern Command supporting Operations Inherent Resolve, Atlas Guardian, Southern Spear and Epic Fury, flying 362 combat hours and 181 combat support hours in theater.
A GoFundMe started by Harrill to help her sister has raised nearly $1.5 million.
“It’s incredibly touching to see that support from the American people but also from people across the globe as well,” Harrill. “As a big sister, it’s been so reassuring to see that and I’m so grateful because Libby has been staying home with their three kids.”
“It’s one less burden to worry about,” she said. “She would much rather Alex of course, but it is one less burden for her to carry in the coming years.”
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