Family and friends remembered a U.S. airman killed in a crash in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury as a charismatic young man with a huge smile.
Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, was honored at a celebration of life at the First Church of God at 3480 Refugee Road. After the service a 21-gun salute was held along with a flyover that included a KC-135 Stratotanker, the same type of refueling tanker to which Simmons was assigned.
Simmons was one of six service members killed March 12 when their tanker airplane crashed in western Iraq while in support of Operation Epic Fury in Iran. Two other Ohioans, Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Stoutsville, and Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, a Wilmington native, also died in the crash.
Simmons was a boom operator and a member of the 166th Air Refueling Squadron, 121st Air Refueling Wing, at the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, according to a bio by the US Air Force. Boom operators are aircrew members who direct the transfer of fuel from the KC-135 fuel tanker to other aircraft in mid-flight.
The Department of Defense has not publicly said what caused the crash, other than it was not the result of enemy or friendly fire. Military experts have speculated the crash was the result of a mid-air collision with another KC-135 which was missing a section of its tail fin when it landed in Tel Aviv, Israel.
In interviews before the funeral service, Simmons’ family said he joined the Air Force because he wanted to be a pilot. Cousin Ronnie Beatty Jr. said his interest in airplanes started at a young age.
The military gave him an opportunity to learn to fly while serving his country, cousin Edward Dudley Jr. said.
“I’m like, ‘Tyler, are you sure you want to do that?’” Dudley said “He said, ‘The thing is, I’m fighting for my country. I’m getting paid to do it. I’m getting paid to fight, I’m getting paid to fly.’”
Beatty said Simmons was “goofy, but serious.” He was a jokester, but he was serious about his dog Grayson, his country, God and most of all, his family.
Simmons joined the military despite his mother’s reservations, Beatty said. He said Simmons’ mother worried for him, and would have rathered he stayed close to home.
Beatty said Simmons was determined. He thinks nothing would have stopped him from joining the Air Force.
“We need more people like that, that are fearless,” Beatty said. “Fearless, and purpose driven.”
Dudley described an active, spontaneous young man who would show up at his home on short notice or lure him to downtown Columbus any time he was feeling down.
“He wouldn’t let me be alone,” Dudley said.
One night, Simmons called Dudley asking for a recipe. He called him again to tell him he didn’t like what he had made, and would be coming over for dinner to eat Dudley’s food. He used to send Ubers to Dudley’s home to whisk him Downtown on short notice.
“He was like, I’m about to send you an Uber,” Dudley said. “I didn’t know what Uber was. I’m 43.”
Dudley said that when Simmons died, he couldn’t get any real sleep for 10 days.
“Whenever I closed my eyes, I would see his face,” Dudley said.
Dudley remembers and misses Simmons whenever he sees the empty spot on the couch he used to claim when he visited.A Columbus native, Simmons graduated from Columbus City Schools’ Eastmoor Academy High School in 2015. At Eastmoor, he was a quarterback for the football team and also ran track. He grew up in the Berwick community on Columbus’ East Side.
Simmons enlisted in 2017. He logged 230 combat hours in three deployments, and he participated in operations Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield, Inherent Resolve, Deliberate Resolve and Epic Fury.
Simmons had 779 flight hours and was assigned to the KC-135 Stratotanker, a Boeing aerial refueling tanker.
The Columbus City Council and Columbus City Schools both recently honored Simmons at separate city council and school board meetings.
Simmons was posthumously promoted to master sergeant from tech sergeant.
“He died in sacrificial service to an imperfect country,” Rev. John S. Little, who officiated the memorial service, said. “He died with his friends. He died with assured knowledge of salvation.”
Military leaders who worked with Simmons said he had a “billion-dollar smile” and was dedicated to his work. They said he accomplished much in his short time, and was known for his jokes and for the way he would always check in on other service members.
Simmons loved flaming hot Cheetos, skating, Spider-Man and playing “Call of Duty,” his friends and colleagues said. He documented his work with the Air Force on his Instagram account, @_flywithty.
Beatty said some of his thoughts were with the service members still in the Middle East. He said he hopes they can return safely so their families don’t go through what his family has gone through.
“I wish they can just get here without the tragedy,” Beatty said. “They can wake up with their families. They can get together, hug each other, you know, and they can do it with their soldier, too.”
Following the service, Simmons was buried at Union Cemetery on Olentangy River Road. A large procession of police, motorcyclists and many carloads of friends and family accompanied him to the gravesite.
Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus airman killed in Iraq remembered for courage and kindness
Reporting by Bailey Gallion, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
