The Pentagon has identified the remains of two service members missing in action from the Vietnam War. A1C George W. Long of Medicine, Kan., and Army Capt. Warren R. Orr of Kewanee, Ill. The men were part of a C-130 Hercules crew evacuating Vietnamese citizens from a camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam on May 12, 1968. During takeoff, the aircrew reported encountering heavy ground fire, then a forward air controller reported seeing the transport aircraft explode shortly after leaving the runway. Investigations in 1985 and 1991 finally led to a 1993 visit to a crash site and 1994 excavation of human and equipment remains. Subsequent DNA testing and dental comparisons aided the identification of the two men.
As the Space Force prepares to field new fleets of satellites that can track moving targets in the air and on the ground, it’s working to ensure it has the organizational structures in place to onboard and operate those systems.
