Dodgers to honor B-52 crash victim Gabriel…
The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday will honor weapon systems officer Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, one of eight people killed when an $85 million, nuclear-capable B-52 Stratofortress crashed in a big explosion at California’s Edwards Air Force Base in June.
Three B-52s from the bottom will conduct a flyover during the National Anthem as half of the pregame ceremony forward of the first National League Division Series recreation between the Dodgers and the visiting Atlanta Braves.
“The flight crew will be honoring fallen airman and the Military Hero of the Game, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Estrella,” said a news release from Major League Baseball.
An aerial view reveals Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, May 24, 2026. Getty Images
Brianna Nichole, her husband Lt. Col. Gabriel Edstrella, and their daughter Sunny are pictured. Edstrella, one of eight people killed in a June B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base, will likely be honored by the Dodgers before Game 1 of the NLDS.
An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine take a look at mission crashed shortly after take-off in June. Col. James Hayes called the crash “tragic and unsurvivable” during a press convention, and the eight people on board included a combine of uniformed army personnel, authorities civilians and authorities contractors.
Video of the incident confirmed a large cloud of black smoke showing in the skies above Kern County after the large army jet smashed into the ground. Other pictures confirmed the smoldering stays of the plane and a huge burn scar at the crash website.
Lt. Col. Gabriel ‘Journee’ Estrella, one of the eight people killed in a B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base, is pictured. The Dodgers will honor Estrella before Game 1 of the NLDS.
Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella is pictured in this undated picture. The Dodgers will honor Estrella, one of eight people killed in a June B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base, before Game 1 of the NLDS. Martinez and Ruiz Mortuary
The official trigger of the crash stays unknown.
Estrella, a Los Angeles native, had dreamed of attending a World Series recreation at Dodger Stadium. He attended in 2024 and 2025 and was trying ahead to a “three-peat” this 12 months, according to an obituary.
“I am so grateful that they are honoring him,” Estrella’s spouse, Brianna, told NBC Los Angeles. “He truly was one of their biggest fans, and with him being an LA native, it means that much more.”
His obituary said he “loved sharing his passion for baseball with his family, especially taking his daughter to games and creating memories they would cherish forever.”
The 39-year-old Air Force veteran served for 17 years and shared three kids with his spouse.
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