Richard Bong Dies

Aug. 6, 1945
Army Air Force Maj. Richard I. Bong, America’ all-time leading ace, is killed in a P-80 accident. He had 40 confirmed victories.

Related

After Decades of Homeland Defense, Barnes ANG Base Bids Farewell to F-15s

Nov. 8, 2025
U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles have roared out of Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., for the last time. The 104th Fighter Wing’s last three F-15Cs departed the base Oct. 23 for the “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., ending the aircraft's era on the frontlines of homeland defense.

Hegseth: Pentagon ‘Fundamentally Reshaping’ Weapons Buying Process

Nov. 7, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…

Air Force’s New Fighter Goal: More Jets, But Who’s Paying?

Nov. 7, 2025
A new Air Force plan for how many fighters it needs in the next decade marks a sharp upturn from what it thought it needed just seven years ago. But analysts worry that the aspirational plan now in Congress' hands doesn’t make a tight enough connection to national strategy.

Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force

Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…

Three Air Force MAJCOMs Get New Leaders

Nov. 6, 2025
With less pomp and public attention because of the government shutdown, three Air Force major commands have gained new leaders in the past week—continuing a major revamp of the service’s senior leadership.

Airmen Cleared to Start Training on New EA-37 Compass Call Simulator

Nov. 5, 2025
The Air Force has approved Airmen to start training with the EA-37B Compass Call Mission Crew Simulator, BAE Systems announced. The system will provide realistic training and mission rehearsal for EA-37B crews, who perform long-range electromagnetic warfare missions.

Air Force Conducts Unarmed ICBM Launch as Trump Ponders Nuclear Tests

Nov. 5, 2025
Air Force Global Strike Command tested an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in the early hours of Nov. 5, the service announced. The test, the latest in a series of launches which have been carried out at regular intervals for decades, came as Russian President Vladimir Putin has touted…