Workmen in the Netherlands discovered the remains of an Army Air Forces P-47 that crashed in 1943 during a bomber escort mission returning from Germany. Workmen found the wreckage in April and Royal Netherlands Air Force and local officials near Oude-Tonge began excavations that led to its identification as a fighter flown by Lt. Robert Stover, a member of the 56th Fighter Group “Wolfpack,” part of Eighth Air Force. A German Fw-190 hit Stover’s P-47; he bailed out but died upon impact after his parachute failed to deploy.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
