The 8th Air Force Museum at Barksdale AFB, La., on June 9 took possession of the journal of the late Stanley Bolesta, a World War II airman who chronicled his experiences in a German POW camp. Bolesta’s widow Joy donated the journal. “This is not just a story about a World War II prison camp; it is the day-to-day memoirs of a US airman who lived through the experience of being a prisoner of war in a German Stalag,” explained Maj. Harry Dyson, staff director for Barksdale’s 2nd Bomb Wing. Bolesta, then a second lieutenant, was captured in November 1943 in France after evading capture for several months following the downing of his B-26 bomber. Museum officials plan to display copies of the journal pages while the actual journal is preserved under protective glass. (Barksdale report SrA. Chad Warren)
The incoming head of the 7th Air Force will face an intense mission while relying on fourth-generation fighters to stave off looming threats from North Korea and China.