JAKARTA - The family of the US soldier who was killed in the war against Iran denied the statement by Defense Minister (Menhan) Pete Hegseth who received the full support of the families of fallen US military members.
It was learned that the meeting at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware was Charles Simmons on Wednesday, March 18, between US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the families of six US soldiers killed in the war against Iran.
The next day, Hegseth in his press conference claimed that the six families gave him a message that they fully supported the US government along with Israel to attack Iran until the end.
"What I hear through tears, through hugs, through strength and through unwavering determination is the same from family to family. They say, 'Finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Don't waver. Don't stop until the job is done,'" Hegseth said at the press conference.
One of the families Hegseth met was Charles Simmons, whose 28-year-old son, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, was among six aircrew killed when a US refueling plane crashed in Iraq last week in a series of wars against Iran.
Simmons said what he told Hegseth in Dover on Wednesday in the moment of meeting between the US Secretary of Defense and the families of dead soldiers was very different.
"I can't speak on behalf of other families. When he spoke to me, it was not something we talked about," he told NBC News in an interview on Thursday local time.
Simmons said at that moment, he spoke separately with Hegseth and US President Donald Trump in Dover. He thanked the US officials for the warmth they showed him.
In his conversation with Hegseth, Simmons revealed most of the topics about Tyler, related to the late son's military record and development.
He told Hegseth, "I understand there are a lot of dangers involved in making a decision like that, and I certainly hope the decision that's made is the right one."
Asked if he had said anything to Hegseth or Trump about the push and the need to continue the war against Iran, Simmons said, "No, I didn't say anything related to that."
Simmons, a 60-year-old music teacher in Columbus, Ohio, questioned why the US attacked Iran.
"Who wants war?" he said.
"Sometimes it's a necessity, but I don't know what's going on right now [the war against Iran]," Simmons continued.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Secretary Hegseth respects every US soldier who died on the battlefield. However, the Pentagon did not respond to Secretary Hegseth's claims, which were denied by the families of US soldiers killed in the war against Iran.
"Secretary Hegseth has great respect for our Gold Star families and has pledged to honor the sacrifices of their loved ones. While in Dover, the Secretary spoke with each of our fallen heroes' families and the details of each individual conversation remain private," Parnell said.
Want to Become a Pilot of a Flying Company Died
Simmons last spoke to his only son a day before an US refueling plane crashed in Iraq killing Tyler. In a shaky voice, Simmons recalled Tyler telling him at the time "how much he loved me."
He added, Tyler hopes to retire from the military and become a commercial airline pilot. "Tyler has a magnetic personality. Never felt out of place with anyone. He would walk into a room, and the room would instantly light up," the father recalled.
Hegseth's statement on the message of the families of the dead US soldiers was in line with what Trump said after another meeting with the families of six different military members whose bodies were returned to the US earlier this month.
Trump met with the families at Dover in a military ceremony on March 7.
Speaking to reporters two days later, Trump said the families of the slain US soldiers were "incredible people" and that "everybody" said the same thing to him: "Finish the job [the war mission against Iran], sir. Please, finish the job."
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