US military identifies all 8 victims killed in B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base: Details
The US military officials on Wednesday (local time) identified all eight men who were killed earlier this week in a fiery crash of a B-52
The US military officials on Wednesday (local time) identified all eight men who were killed earlier this week in a 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 the team that was devoted to keeping the bomber flying for decades to come, AP reported, citing military officials. Also Read | 8 killed after US B-52 bomber crashes at Edwards Air Force base in California Here's what we know about the deceased The victims were identified as: Col Gregory Watson, 53; Retired Lt Col Miles Middleton, 50; Lt Col Gabriel Estrella, 40; Maj Alexander Davis, 34; Maj Robert Dee, 40; Maj Brad Hovey, 35; Jeromy 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 419th Test Squadron pilots. Smith was a flight test engineer from the 419th Flight Test Squadron; Rischar was a contractor and flight test engineer.
Middleton was a Boeing pilot and Watson a Boeing weapons officer and 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 On Monday, the B-52 Stratofortress bomber took off just before noon under clear weather conditions. It was headed 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. The wreckage in the field suggested the aircraft had dropped suddenly. Footage released showed that nothing was left of the aircraft that crashed at the base in the Mojave Desert, roughly 100 miles (161 km) northeast of Los Angeles. Officials pay tribute to those killed In a statement, Col Thomas Tauer, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, said, "It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I can now share the names of the eight extraordinary Americans we lost during Monday's B-52 crash," and added, “They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates...These Airmen were more than coworkers.
They were friends, mentors, teammates and valued members of our Edwards and Air Force family.” Boeing also paid tribute to two of its employees who lost their lives during the crash and said their loss "is deeply felt across our teams, and our hearts remain with their families, loved ones and those who worked with them.” Paying tribute to Hovey, who was an Iowa native, Governor Kim Reynolds offered her "sincere condolences and prayers for his family," in a statement. She said, "Again, we are reminded of the incredible sacrifice demanded of every American who chooses to serve our country," and added, "As we honor Maj Hovey's life and service, let us never forget the cost of our freedom." Why was the B-52 bomber being tested? The aircraft that crashed on Monday was taking part in a test mission as part of a programme that sought to make the 65-year-old bomber fleet operable through at least 2050. The B-52 bomber arrived at Edwards Air Force Base back in December last year, after it received a modernized radar installed at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, the report stated, citing an Air Force press release that said at the time.
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