The MH-53 Pave Low helicopter that was the lead command-and-control platform for the daring Son Tay raid into North Vietnam in November 1970 went on permanent display July 7 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the museum reported yesterday. This airframe, dubbed “Magnum” because its tail number shared the same last three digits as the famous 357 gun, flew for 38 years, including stints in Bosnia and Iraq, in addition to Vietnam. Its final combat mission before retirement was in Iraq on March 28.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…