Edwards AFB releases identities of B-52 bomber crash victims – One America News Network

June 18, 2026 Addie Davis US 0

FAIRFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber shortly after taking off from RAF Fairford on March 15, 2026 in Fairford, England. The United States is using the RAF base as part of its military operations in Iran. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) — A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber shortly after taking on March 15, 2026. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Addie Davis
5:39 PM – Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) released the identities of the eight individuals who died in the B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber crash.

In a Wednesday statement, the base provided the details of the deceased:

Weapons systems officers Colonel Gregory Watson, 53 years old, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Estrella, 40 years old, and Major Alexander Davis, 34 years old.
Pilots Retired Lieutenant Colonel Miles Middleton, 50 years old, Major Robert Dee, 40 years old, and Major Brad Hovey, 35 years old.
Flight test engineers Jeromy Smith, 32 years old, and Christopher Rischar, 41 years old.

Davis, Dee, Hovey and Smith were all assigned to the 419^th Test Squadron; Watson, an Air Force reservist assigned to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, and Middleton, of Tehachapi, California, worked for Boeing; Estrella was part of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Edwards AFB; and Rischar was a JT4 contractor.

Photos of the eight individuals who died in the B-52 bomber crash at Edwards Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force graphic via Edwards Air Force Base)

On Monday, the bomber crashed shortly after take-off at Edwards AFB in Southern California while conducting a routine test mission, the base confirmed. In accordance with Department of War policy, the base waited to release the names of the deceased till 24 hours after their families were notified.

“These Airmen were more than coworkers. They were friends, mentors, teammates and valued members of our Edwards and Air Force family,” said Colonel Thomas Tauer, 412^th Test Wing Commander.

“Our immediate focus is supporting the families of the teammates we lost and ensuring that all appropriate resources are available to them during this time of unimaginable loss,” he continued.

The base noted that the airfield is closed for the time being and the crash is being investigated by an Interim Safety Investigation Board.

The B-52, a long-range, heavy bomber, is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional military payloads, according to the Air Force Global Strike Command.

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