Air Force Identifies Eight Heroes Lost in Deadly B-52 Crash at Edwards Base, California

Eight crew members died when a B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 15, about 11:20 a.m. Pacific time. The Air Force identified five active‑duty airmen and three civilians who were on a routine training mission, naming Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, Maj. Alexander Davis, Maj. Robert Dee, Maj. Brad Hovey, Col. Greg Watson, retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, Jeromy Smith, and Christopher Rischar among the deceased. Base officials pledged support for families and said recovery and investigation operations continued as Edwards remained closed. Col. Thomas Tauer, commander of the 412th Test Wing, lauded the crew’s professionalism and emphasized the ongoing investigation into the cause, noting it was the deadliest B‑52 incident since 1982.