About Hulk 46

February 3rd, 1991 marked a day that would be remembered in the hearts and minds of many people. Hulk 46, a B-52G bomber used in Operation Desert Storm was returning to base on an island in Diego Garcia located the Indian Ocean. The aircraft was crewed by six people. Aircraft Commander, Captain Kevin Kent; Co-Pilot, Captain Jeffrey Love; Gunner, Sergeant Steven Ellard; Radar Navigator, Bombardier Captain Jon Jeffry Olson; Navigator, 1st Lieutenant Jorge I. Arteaga; and Electronic Warfare Officer, 1st Lieutenant Eric D. Hedeen.

As a result of multiple systems failures, Hulk 46 crashed approximately 50 miles north of Diego Garcia into the Indian Ocean. Three of the crew managed to eject from the aircraft and survive, sadly, Eric Hedeen, Jeffry Olson, and Jorge Arteaga were unable to eject safely and perished in the crash. Only Eric Hedeen’s body could be recovered.

While time has passed, these heroes are not forgotten. Their legacy lives on as men who lived, laughed, loved and fought courageously.