The Air Force announced Monday that 2nd Lt. David J. Mitchell, 26, of Amherst, Ohio, was the pilot killed in the March 14 crash (see below) of an F-16 from Luke AFB, Ariz. Mitchell, who was from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, arrived at Luke last November to begin the base’s Basic Course Fighter Training program, which trains both active and reserve pilots. He had a total of 237 flying hours, with about 26 in the F-16.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…