SPOKANE, Wash. — A retired Air Force colonel is calling on the Spokane community to rally around military families following Thursday’s deadly KC-135 crash over western Iraq.
US Central Command confirmed all six American crew members on board were killed.
Colonel (Ret) Brian Newberry is the former commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base. He said Thursday’s news was familiar after three of his own airmen died in a similar crash near Kyrgyzstan — the last time a U.S. KC-135 went down overseas.
“It’s just such a critical airplane, and it’s just sad to hear that one went down,” Newberry said. “But more importantly for the Spokane area, we’re the last tanker that we lost.”
Colonel Newberry says the names of Shell 77 often.
“Captain Voss, Captain Pinckney, and Sergeant Mackey. May we never forget them,” Newberry said.
On Friday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine confirmed three of the airmen killed in Thursday’s incident were deployed with the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing. The identities of the remaining three crew members will not be released until 24 hours after their families have been notified.
Fairchild Airforce Base is home to the largest fleet of KC-135 refueling aircraft in the military. A Washington National Guard refueling unit from Fairchild was activated for deployment in early March.
The KC-135 aircraft serve as “fuel stations in the sky,” delivering fuel to other planes during flight to extend their range and keep them operational within battle zones for longer periods.
“You can’t deliver global reach and global power without that mighty tanker, the KC 135,” he said.
Newberry emphasized that regardless of which units the fallen airmen served with, the entire military community feels the impact.
“At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter. We lost six airmen and we need to remember them,” Newberry said. “And I just hope that this community can uplift them with their thoughts, support to Fairchild any way that you can, and just know that your support made a difference and made a difference for my wing.”
The investigation into the cause of Thursday’s crash is ongoing.
US Central Command says they will not release the names or unit of the remaining three crew members until 24 hours after their families have been notified.
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