Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Art Cader received a Distinguished Flying Cross during a ceremony at Travis AFB, Calif., May 7. Cader earned the award for his participation in a Sept. 30, 1944, B-24 bombing mission to strike Japanese refineries on the island of Borneo. Cader diverted his B-24 to protect other airmen bailing out of a bomber hit by Japanese fighters, and, despite damage to his aircraft’s engine, he brought his B-24 safely back to base.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
