A US airman with a “million-dollar smile” has been identified as one of the six killed in the Iraq jet crash, as his family reveal his tragic last call.

Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, died when a KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 12.

Simmons family have publicly identified him as one of the casualties.

All six crew members on board the Stratotanker have been confirmed dead.

Previously, US Central Command said identities of the downed troops would be withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin were notified.

Simmons was a technical sergeant and boom operator with the 121st Sir Refuelling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, before being deployed to the Middle East as part of military operations around Iran.

His heartbroken mother, Cheryl Simmons, told WSYX: “He called me on Wednesday, and we were able to talk to him.

“I was over here, and we actually had a beautiful conversation. I was like Tyler, how are you?

“He said I’m good. I’m good, but mother knows.

“He was having some challenges, you know, he told me they had been shot at, but he was okay.”

Cheryl says she is still waiting for answers, as the family remember his dream to serve his country.

Simmons’ cousin Tracy Peaks told the outlet “he had a million-dollar smile”.

Adding: When people see my cousin, they’d be like, that smile is gonna take him places and it took him to his dream job.”

Attending Eastmoor Academy High School, Simmons played football and ran for the track team.

His former track coach, Ty Erskine, said: “He was always the energy of the room, the energy on the bus, pretty much they could say the same when it came to football.”

After leaving school Simmons began his journey to becoming a pilot, but kept in touch with his coach.

Erskine said: “When I saw that he was a [boom pilot], I thought that was great. I had never seen anybody like that.

“For him, being a Black man doing that is rare. I can see he was very proud of himself as well.”

The saddest part was the thought of never “seeing his smile again”, Erskine said.

But “the impact on the people that he knew will live longer than anything he’s ever done,” he added.

A KC-135 Stratotanker was lost during operations over western Iraq on Thursday evening after reportedly crashing into a second tanker aircraft as part of Operation Epic Fury.

An Iranian proxy group claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft.

Islamic Resistance in Iraq released a statement saying they shot down the Stratotanker as it entered Iraqi airspace.

Washington is yet to comment on the claims as they continue to say the enemy is not believed to have struck the planes.

At least seven US troops have died in the conflict so far with up to 150 feared to have been wounded.

The war in Iran has now spilled over into Iraq as the Middle East continues to contend with Tehran’s aggression.