Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Art Cader received a Distinguished Flying Cross during a ceremony at Travis AFB, Calif., May 7. Cader earned the award for his participation in a Sept. 30, 1944, B-24 bombing mission to strike Japanese refineries on the island of Borneo. Cader diverted his B-24 to protect other airmen bailing out of a bomber hit by Japanese fighters, and, despite damage to his aircraft’s engine, he brought his B-24 safely back to base.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.