US military identifies all 8 victims killed in B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base: Details | Today’s news
US military officials on Wednesday (local time) identified all eight men who were killed earlier this week in the fiery crash of a B-52 during one of its test flights at California’s Edwards Air Force Base.
Among those killed were four active-duty airmen, a reservist and three civilians who were part of a team dedicated to keeping the bomber in flight for another decade, the AP said, citing military officials.
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Here’s what we know about the deceased
The victims were identified as: Colonel Gregory Watson, 53; Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50; Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40; Maj Alexander Davis, 34; Maj Robert Dee, 40; Maj Brad Hovey, 35; Jerome Smith, 32; and Christopher Rischar, 41.
While Estrella was part of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Edwards, Dee and Hovey were pilots of the 419th Test Squadron. Smith was a flight test engineer with the 419th Flight Test Squadron; Rischar was a contractor and flight test engineer. Middleton was a Boeing pilot and Watson was a Boeing weapons officer and an Air Force reservist assigned to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas. Davis was a weapons systems officer.
B-52 Crash: Here’s What We Know
A B-52 Stratofortress bomber took off just before noon on Monday in clear weather. He was heading southwest into the prevailing winds. After maintaining a straight flight path, it crashed on the same 15,000-foot (4,572-meter) runway from which it had taken off. Debris in the field indicated that the plane had gone down suddenly.
Footage released showed nothing left of the plane that crashed at the base in the Mojave Desert, about 100 miles (161 km) northeast of Los Angeles.
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Officials pay tribute to those killed
In a statement, Col. Thomas Tauer, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, said, “It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I can now share the names of the eight extraordinary Americans we lost in Monday’s B-52 crash,” adding, “They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates. . . . These Airmen were more than valued friends, our co-workers, our co-workers.” and the Air Force family.”
Boeing also paid tribute to two of its employees who lost their lives in the crash, saying their loss “is deeply felt across our teams and our hearts go out to their families, loved ones and those who worked with them”.
Governor Kim Reynolds paid tribute to Hovey, who was from Iowa, and offered her “heartfelt condolences and prayers for his family” in a statement. She said, “We are reminded once again of the incredible sacrifice required of every American who chooses to serve our country,” adding, “As we honor the life and service of Maj. Hovey, let us never forget the price of our freedom.”
Why was the B-52 bomber tested?
The plane that crashed Monday was participating in a test mission as part of a program aimed at keeping the 65-year-old bomber fleet operational until at least 2050. The B-52 bomber arrived at Edwards Air Force Base last December after receiving an upgraded radar installed at a Boeing facility in San Antonio, the report said, citing an Air Force press release at the time.
According to the Air Force, the bomber was to be used as a test bed throughout 2026 to help military officials decide whether to continue with the B-52 radar upgrade program. Before serving as a test platform, the bomber was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for nearly a decade, where it was the flagship of the 307th Bombardment Wing.
A long-range bomber, the B-52 entered service in 1955 and is built to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. It has often been used in conflicts involving the US military, from Vietnam to Iran.
According to a CBS News report, the incident will be investigated by the US Air Force Accident Investigation Branch, and the investigation could take up to six months to reach initial conclusions about the cause of the crash.
