Barksdale AFB releases names of B52 crew members

Barksdale Air Force Base officials have released the names of the 6 crew members who were on board the ill-fated B-52 that crashed off the northern coast of Guam on Monday morning. According to the base's website, the crew members are: Maj. Christopher Cooper, 37-year-old Major Brent D. Williams, 31-year-old Capt. Michael K. Dodson, 26-year-old 1st Lt. Joshua D. Shepherd, 32-year-old 1st Lt. Robert D. Gerren, and Col. George Martin.

All of the crew members, with the exception of Colonel Martin, were stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. Col. Martin was a Flight Surgeon and Deputy Commander of 36th Medical Group at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

The bodies of two crew members were recovered on Monday night nearly 30 nautical miles northwest of Guam. DNA testing is being done to identify other remains that were recovered by search and rescue officials.

A press release from Barksdale AFB included a comment from 2nd Bomb Wing Commander, Colonel Robert Wheeler who stated, "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of these Airmen. We appreciate the military and civilian organizations who are continuing recovery efforts to bring our Airmen home ."

Andersen Air Force Base has only positively identified one set of the recovered remains as that of Major Christopher Cooper. The name of a second crewmember recovered Monday has not been released pending family notification.

Late Wednesday afternoon officials made the decision to call off the search for the crew members after officials determined that none of the 6 crew members could have survived the B-52 crash.

"Losing this bomber crew has been a tragedy felt by everyone here and across the Air Force," said Brig. Gen. Doug Owens, 36th Wing commander. "Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with the families of these Airmen as we continue to support them during this difficult time."

The aircrew was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and was deployed here with the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron as part of the DoD's continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific.