All victims IDd in deadly B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base
The eight people killed when a B-52 Stratofortress crashed moments after takeoff at California’s Edwards Air Force Base last week have been identified by military officials including two contractors from Boeing.The victims were named Wednesday as Col.
Gregory Watson, 53, Lt.Col.
Gabriel Estrella, 40, Retired Lt.Col.
Miles Middleton, 50, Maj.Alexander Davis, 34, Maj.
Robert Dee, 40, Maj.Brad Hovey, 35, Jeromy Smith, 32 and Christopher Rischar, 41, according to a statement from Edwards Air Force Base“It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I can now share the names of the eightextraordinary Americans we lost during Monday’s B-52 crash,” Col.
Thomas Tauer, 412th Test WingCommander, told workers and families at Edwards AFB.“They were dedicated professionals,beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates.”Officials released few immediate details about the victims beyond their roles as Air Force reservists, active duty Airmen, retired personnel, and contractors, but said their families had been notified.The victims were aboard the nuclear-capable bomber when it plunged to the ground shortly after taking off from the sprawling Mojave Desert installation at about 11:20 a.m.
on June 15.The crash sent a massive fireball and towering plume of black smoke over the base, located about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Kern County.Images captured by witnesses showed the smoldering wreckage scattered across the desert floor as emergency crews rushed to the scene.Military officials quickly concluded there were no survivors.“An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off at 11:20 a.m.
Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” the base said hours after the disaster.At a news conference later that day, Col.James Hayes described the crash as “tragic and unsurvivable.”Hayes said the eight people on board included a mix of uniformed military personnel, g...