During an effective attack against vital oil installations in Ploesti, Romania, 1st Lt. Donald D. Pucket’s B-24 Liberator received direct hits from anti-aircraft fire just after “bombs away.” One crew member was instantly killed, six others were severely wounded, and the aircraft was badly damaged. After regaining control of the airplane and turning it over to his copilot, Pucket calmed the crew, administered first aid, surveyed the damage, and jettisoned all guns and equipment. But the airplane continued to lose altitude. He then ordered the crew to bail out, but three members were too badly wounded. After the other crew members jump, he refused to abandon his airplane and was last seen fighting to regain control before crashing on a mountainside. Pucket was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
