TRANSCOM Mantle Passes; an Era Ends:
It’s official: The dual command of both US Transportation Command and USAF’s Air Mobility Command ended Sept. 7 when Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz took command of US Transportation Command, replacing Gen. John W. Handy, who had also commanded AMC. (See DR, 09/06/05.)
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the venerable bomber in the nearly…