Pentagon forensic scientists have identified the remains of Maj. Richard G. Elzinga, of Shedd, Ore., an Air Force pilot who went missing in action on March 26, 1970, along with his co-pilot, when his O-1G Bird Dog failed to return from a familiarization flight over Laos. They have returned his remains to his family; his burial, with full military honors, will take place Friday at Arlington National Cemetery. Search and rescue crews looked for Elzinga and his co-pilot in vain for two days after controllers lost radio contact with their aircraft. Between 1994 and 2009, DOD teams found Elzinga’s remains during on-site investigations and several field surveys with Laotian counterparts. (DOD release)
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.