Leo Bach, a 24-year-old first lieutenant in the Army Air Forces when he bailed out of his B-17 in April 1944, finally received his Purple Heart at Travis AFB, Calif., on March 21 during a formal ceremony. Bach had received injuries to his right leg and back after bailing out following an attack by German fighters. He evaded capture for three days before being sent off to Stalag Luft One. Long after the war was over, Bach tried to pursue the Purple Heart but initially was stymied due to a lack of medical records from his POW experience.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
