The remains of four airmen missing in action since the Vietnam War have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors, the Defense Department announced Monday. They are: Capt. Peter H. Chapman, II, Centerburg, Ohio; TSgt. Allen J. Avery, Auburn, Mass.; TSgt. Roy D. Prater, Tiffin, Ohio; and Sgt. James H. Alley, Plantation, Fla. These four airmen were among the six aboard a HH-53C helicopter during a combat search and rescue mission on April 6, 1972, over Quang Tri province in South Vietnam. The helicopter was hit by enemy ground fire and crashed. Prater is to be buried in Columbia City, Ind., on June 19. Other burials are being scheduled individually by these airmen’s families, said defense officials. Just last week, DOD announced the recovery of the remains of nine other airmen missing in action in Vietnam since 1968. (DOD release)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.