The remains of Army 2nd Lt. Vernal J. Bird, 26, an airman who had been missing in action since World War II, were laid to rest with full military honors in Springville, Utah. The memorial service took place on Sept. 28, reported the Daily Herald of Provo, Utah. Bird, a native of Lindon, Utah, was an A-20G Havoc pilot whose aircraft did not return to base from an attack mission on March 12, 1944, over the island of Papua New Guinea, according to the Pentagon’s Sept. 25 release announcing the identification of his remains. In 2001, a team of Defense Department investigators located an aircraft crash site in a remote area of Papua New Guinea after a local resident turned in human remains and aircraft data plates that correlated to Bird’s aircraft. These helped lead to his identification. (See also Salt Lake Tribune report.)
New Air Force PT Uniforms to Hit Shelves in July
May 1, 2024
The Air Force’s new physical training uniforms have been a long time coming. The clothing set was first unveiled in 2021, with a promised 2022 debut. But supply chain issues delayed its arrival multiple times, according to the Air Force. But finally, Airmen are expected to be able to buy…