MOORESVILLE — Flags across Mooresville are flying at half-staff in honor of Captain Seth Koval, a Mooresville native who was one of six airmen killed March 12 in western Iraq while supporting Operation Epic Fury, according to the Department of War.
Koval, 38, served as a KC-135R Stratotanker instructor pilot assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio. Known by the call sign "Badger," the 121st Air Refueling Wing described him as one of their best KC-135 instructors whose talents extended beyond the cockpit, calling him a machinist, master carpenter and dirt bike rider.
His family said their world has been shattered by his loss, calling him an exceptional husband, father, airman and friend who loved serving others. They said the outpouring of support and their faith are helping them through this devastating time, and they are asking for privacy as they grieve.
Koval enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 as a machinist with the Indiana National Guard. In 2011, he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in aviation operations. He deployed five times between 2014 and 2026.
Patrick Wolfe, provost and chief academic officer at Purdue, said Koval's career reflected exceptional skill and dedication.
"I think in Captain Koval's case, the thing that really sticks out to me is that later in his military career, he became a flight instructor. So this is somebody with over 2000 hours of flying time and over 400 hours of combat flying," Wolfe said. "That to me really speaks to the character and accomplishment of somebody who is so senior and experienced that he was entrusted with the training of other pilots."
At Northwood Elementary School, where the district says Koval's wife, Heather, once attended and later taught, a message of support for the family has been posted.
Treg Hopkins, president of the Mooresville Lions Club, said the loss is deeply felt throughout the community.
"It hits us hard when it's somebody in our own local community," Hopkins said.
"The Koval family is a wonderful family in Mooresville. They're well known for their kindness, their compassion," Hopkins said. "Mooresville, we're always standing together, and I know that we're going to continue to support the family and their needs as they continue on this journey without him."
Patti Frist, a Gold Star mother from Indiana whose son Luke was killed in 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said the news brought back painful memories.
"I think of their family and what they're going to be going through. And then I play, replay back in my mind what we went through when we lost Luke," Frist said.
Frist said the loss carries a personal connection for her.
"Those last six are not far from my thoughts because my brother finished his career in the Air Force flying a KC-135. So, I know what that plane was like," Frist said.
Sammy L. Davis, the state's only living Medal of Honor recipient and also a Mooresville native, offered his condolences and a call to the public.
"It breaks your heart… freedom is not free. God bless him," Davis said. "They are over there earning our freedom, although they are fighting in another country, it really is about the freedom of the United States. I want everyone to support them and stand up for them," Davis said.
An investigation into the crash in western Iraq is still underway.
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