The “Doolittle Raiders” of the historical April 18, 1942, raid on Tokyo, Japan, recently gathered in Dayton, Ohio, for their 64th reunion—opening the normally private ceremony to the media. Eight of the 16 surviving Raiders were present, with retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole, 90, toasted Lt. Col. Horrace Crouch, the Raider who died since the group’s last meeting. “We do this to pay homage to the people we love and lost,” said Cole—who was Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot. Each Raiders has an engraved silver goblet that is turned upside down upon his death. (Read our article on Jimmy Doolittle, “An American Hero.”) (The Air Force has a special Web site on the Doolittle Raider heritage.)
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”