(IRAQ)-A 34-year-old Bardstown woman serving in the U.S. Air Force has been killed in action, becoming the second Kentuckian to lose her life in the ongoing war on Iran.
Tech Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt died Thursday when her KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft went down in Iraq during a combat mission. Pentagon officials said the crash occurred in friendly territory, that a second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely, and that neither hostile nor friendly fire was responsible.
Pruitt was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Five fellow airmen perished alongside her: Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.
Pruitt is the second Kentuckian to fall in the conflict. Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, died from wounds suffered during an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 1 — one day after the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28. The six deaths from Thursday’s crash bring the total number of American military fatalities in the war to 13. At least 12 people have been killed in Israel.
Gov. Andy Beshear mourned Pruitt publicly, asking Kentuckians to pray for her family as well as for the family of Sgt. Pennington, calling both fallen service members “American heroes who called our commonwealth home.” U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green also offered condolences on behalf of his family, praising Pruitt’s sacrifice.
State Rep. Candy Massaroni and Sen. Jimmy Higdon, both representing the Bardstown area, released a joint statement honoring Pruitt’s memory. The two lawmakers said her willingness to serve at such a young age exemplified the dedication that defines America’s armed forces, and called her death a powerful reminder that the nation’s freedoms come at a profound cost. They extended their deepest sympathies to her family, friends, and the people of Nelson County.
