The Air Force identified the pilot who died when the U-2 he was flying in crashed during a training mission Tuesday morning near Beale AFB, Calif. Lt. Col. Ira S. Eadie, assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, and another pilot ejected before the TU-2S crashed near the Sutter Buttes in the Sacramento Valley shortly after takeoff at about 9:05 a.m.? local time, according to a release. The other pilot, who has not been identified, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is receiving care at a local facility. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…