| Lafayette Journal & Courier
LAFAYETTE, IN — An Indiana native and Purdue University graduate was among those killed when a military plane crashed in Iraq last week.
Seth R. Koval, a 38-year-old pilot from Mooresville, graduated from Purdue in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in aviation operations, the Department of War said in a statement.
He had a wife and son.
Koval and five others were killed on Thursday when their refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command said. They were supporting another plane as part of the U.S. war on Iran.
“Seth was a man whose life I could never confine to a single statement and whose loss will echo in my heart forever,” Koval’s wife, Nichole, said in a written statement. “Seth was exceptional in everything he did. He was truly the most amazing husband, father, son, brother, friend, and Airman.”
Koval enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 as part of the Indiana National Guard, according to his DoW biography. After graduating from Purdue, he transferred to the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017.
He flew more than 440 combat hours and 2,076 total hours, the DoW said, deploying in 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023 and this year in Iraq.
“He loved what he did, and he was proud to put his uniform on and serve others,” Nichole said. “He grew up dreaming about becoming a pilot, and to stand beside him as he made his dreams come true was an honor.”
The crash that killed Koval and five other service members brings the American death toll in the war against Iran to at least 13, the Associated Press reported.
The cause of the crash isn’t yet known but was “not due to hostile or friendly fire,” U.S. Central Command said. The other plane involved reportedly landed safely in Israel.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita called Koval a “true hero” in a Facebook post on Sunday morning, saying the state will “never forget your sacrifice.”
“Thoughts and prayers to his wife, young son, and entire family as they grieve this unimaginable loss,” Rokita wrote.
Koval’s family is asking for donations through a GoFundMe created Saturday evening.
