SSgt. Timothy Davis, who was killed by a bomb Feb. 20 in Afghanistan, was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal March 1. According to an Associated Press report (via the Bellingham Herald), Davis’s wife Meagan was presented with the medal during a ceremony in the high school in Montesano, Wash., where he graduated in 1999. The 28-year-old Davis, born in nearby Aberdeen, was a member of the elite 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died near Bagram of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. At least 80 of Davis’ special tactics colleagues were in attendance, according to AP. Davis also received a posthumous Purple Heart at the ceremony.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.