How it happened is described by a USAF member familiar with the training exercises taking place at the time. Also from the Internet.
"This was a MITO (Minimum Interval Take-Off) with a B-52H in front, and a B-52G in the rear.
"SAC TAC Doctrine required 9 second spacing between similar aircraft, but 30 second spacing between dissimilar aircraft.
"Unfortunately, the planners thought that B-52G's and H's were similar aircraft--They are not.
"For about 90 seconds during take-off, the B-52G's water injected engines are more powerful than the otherwise perkier B-52H engines.
"The pilot of the trailing B-52G pulled back power to avoid collision with the B-52H...Several engines flamed-out, and the G-model crashed in a field. Only the EW ejected, but the hapless fellow's chute took him through the fireball. Needless to say, nobody survived."
It was reported that the pilot avoided hitting any structures on the ground.
Yet more reminders that even without actual combat there are hourly heroics and sacrifices made by our military.
“...that even without actual combat there are hourly heroics and sacrifices made...”
A good friend of mine, a retired Fleet sailor on carriers for most of his career said it this way:
“We never came back with everyone we left with. Never.”
Your last statement is SO correct! I live in Jacksonville,NC, which is home to CampLejeune MCB and New River Air Station. Our community knows all too well the sacrifices made every day by our military - whether they are at home or deployed. The liberals probably think that it is a waste of time and resources for them to "practice" so much, but that is the reason that they can perform so well in combat situations. They have trained so well that they do their jobs without even thinking. A case in point is the recent story or a soldier who was killed saving a young Afghan girl who was about to be run over by a large military vehicle. He acted instinctively without regard to his own personal safety.