Tyler Simmons, a 28-year-old Black man from Columbus, Ohio, was among six U.S. Air Force crew members who died when their refueling aircraft crashed Thursday night in western Iraq. The aircraft, a KC-135, went down during a mission linked to U.S. operations tied to Trump’s war in Iran.
Military officials said the crash involved two aircraft during the mission. One plane landed safely, but the KC-135 carrying Simmons and five others did not.
Simmons served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. He worked as a boom operator, a role that involves refueling other planes in the air, one of the most technical and risky jobs on such missions.
But beyond his uniform, his story is also about a young man who had plans beyond the military.
He grew up in Columbus and finished school at Eastmoor Academy High School in 2015, where he played football. Before joining the Air Force fully, he worked in security. Later, he trained for his role in the skies, building a career he was proud of.
His mother, Cheryl Simmons, said her son had dreams of one day leaving the military to fly commercial planes. Those plans, she said, are now gone.
“It stops. We’re done. You know, no children.”
Simmons was his parents’ only child.
His death has also shaken his local community. Leaders and lawmakers shared their grief, describing him as a committed serviceman who gave his life in duty. Others pointed out that he was not alone, five more crew members also died in the same crash.
For family and friends, the loss is deeply personal. They remember his kindness, his energy, and the way he made people feel.
“He had a million-dollar smile. When people see my cousin, they’d be like, that smile is gonna take him places and it took him to his dream job,” said his cousin, Tracy Peaks.
Those close to him said he loved simple things like spending time with family and caring for his dog, Grayson. One relative summed it up plainly: “He was truly an amazing man… He would do anything for you.”
The crash also adds to a growing number of U.S. military deaths linked to the ongoing operation, raising fresh concerns about the risks faced by service members, even during what are described as routine missions.
By: Paisley Rae Thompson