DOD has confirmed the identification of remains for two Army Air Forces airmen—2nd Lt. Robert H. Cameron of Elkhart, Ind., and Cpl. George E. Cunningham of Rich Hill, N.Y.—whose C-47 aircraft went down on Dec. 10, 1944, after it took off from New Guinea and ran into bad weather. A Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command team recovered the remains from a crash site excavation in Papua New Guinea in 2004. Remains of other aircrew members—2nd Lt. Stanley D. Campbell of Pioche, Nev., and Cpl. Carol A. Drain (no hometown listed)—had been recovered in 1979 and 1980.
Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich assumed command of U.S. European Command on July 1, taking over the key assignment as the U.S. and its allies contend with a resurgent Russia and a grinding war in Ukraine.