Officials at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota have identified the airman who was killed April 29 during routine training as SrA. Richard Allan Gallelli Jr., 22, according to news reports. Gallelli, who was a member of the 17th Munitions Squadron, received a blow to his head from a dummy training missile during practice loading and unloading weapons on a B-52, reports Associated Press, via WDAY. According to an April 29 Minot release, he died of his injuries soon after the accident. AP also noted he had served at Minot, his first assignment, for more than three years. The Air Force has begun an investigation into the accident. (Also see Minot Daily News report)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
