A Birmingham airman was one of the six crew members killed in a KC-135 refueling crash in Iraq.
Alex Klinner, a husband and father, was identified by his family.
“Alex proudly served our country as a Major in the United States Air Force for eight years,” his sister-in-law, Sarah Rose Harrill, stated on a GoFundMe page. “He was recently deployed in support of Operation Epic Fury, and on March 12, 2026, Alex made the ultimate sacrifice when his KC-135 plane crashed in western Iraq while serving his country."
The GoFundMe page had reached 90% of the $150,000 goal as of Saturday afternoon.
His wife, Libby Klinner, posted on Instagram, thanking those who have reached out.
“On March 12, our world shattered,” Libby Klinner wrote. “Alex and his crew were on the plane that crashed in Iraq. I’m devastated to lose the best person I know, the person that 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. They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could. 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. 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.
“It still doesn’t feel real. I keep thinking that I’ll get a text from him saying ‘Sorry honey! Didn’t mean to scare you’ and everything will be alright,” she continued. “Because Alex always made everything alright. We just moved to a new home and we had so many exciting plans in the next few years. Now we are left to navigate the void left in our hearts.”
U.S. Central Command said the aircraft went down after an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace.” The second plane landed safely.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed that three of the six crew members were from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing.
At least 13 service members have been killed in Operation Epic Fury.
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