Congress bestowed its highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, on the Doolittle Raiders, the collective group of American Fighter Aces, and the Civil Air Patrol’s World War II veterans this week. The Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday to award the Doolittle Raiders the Congressional Gold for their “outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service in the United States” on April 18, 1942, the first offensive mission following the deadly attacks on Pearl Harbor. The Raiders’ Gold Medal will be awarded to the group and will be housed at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, alongside the Doolittle Tokyo Raider’s goblets, according to a May 21 release from Brown’s office. Also this week, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the collective group of American Fighter Aces “in recognition of their heroic military service and defense of the nation’s freedom” and to the Civil Air Patrol’s World War II veterans—the volunteers who defended US shores from German U-boats. (Read the full story.)
Lawmakers are growing impatient for an overdue fighter recapitalization study from the Air Force, and members say they'll demand more detailed justifications for future aircraft retirements.