An F-16C fighter assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea, crashed Feb. 25 during a routine training mission, according to officials with Osan’s 51st Fighter Wing. The pilot, whose name was not initially released, ejected safely and was transported to the base hospital, they said. A board of officers will investigate the accident. Stars and Stripes reported Feb. 27 that the mishap occurred when the aircraft had nearly touched down for landing. It did not catch fire and remained structurally intact after the crash, according to the newspaper.
Gene Smith, Former POW and AFA Chair, Dies at 91
Jan. 19, 2026
Lt. Col. Richard “Gene” Smith, who overcame five and a half years as a prisoner of war in the notorious Hanoi Hilton from 1967 until 1973, died Jan. 16. He was one day short of his 91st birthday.
