A squadron operations chief who had recently earned her wings as a pilot, a major overseeing flight training for dozens of airmen, and a young boom operator remembered for his "million-dollar smile" were among six US Air Force airmen killed when an aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, the Pentagon said.

The nation's highest military honor was presented to two veterans during the 2026 State of the Union, Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover and Navy Captain Royce Williams.

Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter. He covered the 2024 elections and was previously an associate producer for the CBS News political unit in the 2021 and 2022 election cycles.