**Airmen Honored Ahead of Historic KC-46A Pegasus Deployment**

PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. – On Sept. 8, 2024, more than 180 Airmen from the New Hampshire National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing were honored inside Hangar 254 ahead of their historic deployment this fall to support U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Families, fellow Airmen, and members of Congress gathered for the ceremony to recognize these service members, who will participate in the first operational deployment of the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus refueler to a combatant command.

This landmark deployment, led by the 157th Air Refueling Wing with support from the active-duty 64th Air Refueling Squadron, will leverage the Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueler to support CENTCOM’s strategic mission. While deployed, the Airmen will contribute to efforts to deter Iran, counter violent extremist organizations, and engage in strategic competition with global powers.

The ceremony featured several dignitaries who expressed their pride and gratitude, including New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, U.S. Senators Jeane Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and Maj. Gen. David Mikolaities, adjutant general of the New Hampshire National Guard. Mikolaities reflected on recent discussions with military leaders in Washington regarding national security threats, emphasizing the importance of innovation in defense readiness.

“There’s no wing in the nation that has brought the future faster than the 157th Air Refueling Wing,” Mikolaities remarked to the crowd of more than 600 attendees. He highlighted several key accomplishments of the wing, including being the first to field the KC-46 alongside the active-duty Air Force, achieving initial operational capability, and completing a record-breaking 36-hour super-sortie to Guam. Now, they will mark another milestone by deploying the KC-46 in full operational support of CENTCOM.

Aerial refueling is the cornerstone of the 157th ARW’s mission, enabling global reach and mobility. Over the past decade, the wing has transitioned from the legacy KC-135 jets to the advanced KC-46 tanker, with 12 of the Air Force’s 87 KC-46As based at Pease.

Acknowledging the skill and dedication of the deploying Airmen, Mikolaities stated, “This would not be possible without the exceptional Airmen we have here today.”

Gov. Sununu expressed deep appreciation for the Airmen’s service and sacrifice. “Embrace the adventure and come home safe. We’ll be here waiting for you,” he said.

Col. Nelson Perron, commander of the 157th Air Refueling Wing, and Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Reiter, the wing command chief, reflected on the years of preparation that positioned the wing at the forefront of the KC-46 program. “This is why you wear this uniform,” Perron told the Airmen. “You will provide global reach and mobility to what has been called the most volatile security situation of the past half-century. Fly high, stay safe, and always remember you are the finest of our nation’s Airmen.”

For some Airmen, this deployment marks a significant personal milestone. Senior Airman Abby Stroup, a KC-46 boom operator, will be deploying for the first time since joining the Air National Guard three years ago. Her family’s deep military history—her father is currently serving at the National Guard Bureau, her mother recently retired from the Maine Air National Guard, and her sister is also with the 157th ARW—adds personal significance to her service.

“It’s the first time I’ll be away for the major holidays,” Stroup shared, reflecting on her upcoming absence from family gatherings. “My parents have been deployed before, but now I’ll see the other side and learn how to stay in touch while I’m over there.” Despite the challenges, Stroup looks forward to practicing her role and keeping the crews flying. “I’m ready to go and I’m super excited,” she added.

Lt. Col. James Lux, a 157th ARW KC-46 pilot, will serve as the deployed commander for the mission. He expressed pride in the team’s dedication over the past five years. “Everything we’ve done was to prepare for this,” Lux said, acknowledging the culmination of their hard work as they embark on this historic deployment.

**USS Richard M. McCool Jr. Commissioned in Pensacola Amid Honoring Legacy of Service and Heroism**

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29), the Navy’s newest San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, was officially commissioned during a ceremony on September 9, 2024, at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Throughout the week leading up to the ceremony, the ship’s crew, joined by the ship’s sponsor Shana McCool and her great-grandchildren, participated in numerous community events sponsored by local businesses. The festivities included flyovers by the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, a visit from the Pensacola Blue Wahoos baseball team, and various events hosted by NAS Pensacola.

The commissioning ceremony featured significant participation from Marine Aviation Training Support Groups 21 and 23, Navy Training Wing Ten’s VT-10 Wildcats, Navy Band Southeast, McGuire’s Pipe and Drum Band, and 350 Junior ROTC and Navy League Sea Cadets representing Alabama, Arkansas, and Pensacola.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro served as the guest speaker, honoring the ship’s namesake, Captain Richard M. McCool Jr., as the ship was ceremonially brought to life. “Captain McCool’s leadership in the face of grave danger and his acts of heroism to save his crew and the ship entrusted to him are an example for all,” Del Toro said. He went on to highlight the Navy’s commitment to advancing its amphibious fleet by pursuing a multi-ship procurement contract for three additional San Antonio-class ships, alongside an America-class amphibious assault ship.

Del Toro commended the sailors and Marines who will serve aboard USS Richard M. McCool Jr., stating, “I am proud to see these brave men and women bring this incredible warship to life in service to our nation, much like its courageous namesake.”

Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, also spoke at the ceremony, emphasizing the critical role the Navy-Marine Corps team plays in national defense. “The LPD is the workhorse of our Amphibious Fleet,” she said. “With McCool now commissioned, it will embark, transport, and land elements of our Navy-Marine Corps team, providing another powerful asset for America’s Warfighting Navy.”

Franchetti underscored the importance of the ship’s commissioning, which will enhance the Navy’s ability to provide more strategic options to national leaders in times of conflict. “This ship increases our capabilities in deterring and, if necessary, winning wars,” she said.

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. C.J. Mahoney, further elaborated on the capabilities of the USS Richard M. McCool Jr., which is equipped with advanced systems such as the SPY-6 air and missile defense radar and Next Generation Surface Search Technology. “This ship represents a shift in what an amphibious warship is capable of,” Mahoney explained. “It enhances reconnaissance on the forward edge of the battlespace and gives decision space to our Fleet and Joint Force Commanders.”

Gen. Mahoney concluded by highlighting the ship’s role in potential future conflicts, stating, “If the Marine Corps is a bullet to be fired by the Navy, the USS Richard M. McCool Jr.—with the crew you see here today—will pull the trigger.”

Capt. Jeff Baker, commanding officer of the USS Richard M. McCool Jr., expressed gratitude to the families, friends, and communities that supported the ship’s crew throughout its development and commissioning. Baker thanked those in attendance, as well as those who could not be present, including Gulf Coast shipbuilders whose work brought the ship to life.

Echoing Captain McCool’s Medal of Honor acceptance speech, Baker stressed the importance of teamwork aboard the ship. “I hope we’ve made him proud and will continue to honor his legacy,” Baker said. “The remarkable warship moored behind me is full of potential energy, but it takes 330 officers, chief petty officers, and enlisted crew to sail her and make her ready for tasking. These men and women are the finest our country has to offer, and I couldn’t be prouder of them. The ship needs them, I need them, and our Navy and country need them.”

Baker also pointed out that LPD 29 is equipped with the most advanced weapons system in existence—the United States Marine Corps. “When deployed, McCool will carry Marines, whose reach, lethality, and combat effectiveness are unmatched by any adversary.”

The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. is the 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy and the first to bear this namesake. The ship honors Captain Richard M. McCool Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. After kamikaze attacks struck his ship, USS LCS 122, McCool, despite suffering from shrapnel wounds and severe burns, led efforts to extinguish fires and rescue injured sailors.

McCool’s life and military career were defined by service. In addition to commanding USS LCS 122, he also commanded USS LCS 44 and served on USS McKean (DD-784), USS Frank Knox (DD-742), and USS Leyte (CV-32). His career spanned multiple prestigious assignments, including roles at the University of Oklahoma, Eighth Naval District in New Orleans, the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C., and as Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces Information School at Fort Slocum, New York.

McCool’s leadership extended internationally, serving with the South East Asia Treaty Organization in Bangkok, Thailand, and as Commander of both the U.S. First Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Seventh Fleet in Japan. After 35 years of active duty, McCool retired as a captain in 1974 and continued serving his community through local politics in Bremerton, Washington. He passed away in March 2008 and was laid to rest at the Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.

San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships are designed to embark, transport, and land elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. They are modern, sea-based platforms equipped with state-of-the-art systems to operate in the 21st century. These ships, including the USS Richard M. McCool Jr., are capable of carrying and deploying the MV-22 Osprey, the upgraded Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and future technologies that will support the Marine Corps’ efforts to deliver Marines ashore.

**Search for Army Pilot John Wesley Fisher Uncovers Heroic WWII Story and Bravery of U.S. Airmen in England**

On September 10, 2024, it was revealed that dozens of U.S. airmen in England had participated earlier this year in an archaeological dig that sought the remains of Army Air Forces Lt. John Wesley Fisher, a pilot lost during World War II. Their efforts also shed light on one of the war’s most ambitious, yet ill-fated secret missions against Nazi Germany.

The search for Lt. Fisher, who hailed from Peekskill, New York, brought the airmen to a field in Suffolk, England, near the English Channel. Senior Airman Wyatt Stephensen, part of the 100th Maintenance Squadron, 100th Air Refueling Wing, joined the mission and spent five days helping with the search. His work involved digging up muck and running it through sieves in hopes of finding remnants of Fisher or his aircraft.

Reflecting on the experience, Stephensen shared, “It was a big honor to be able to look for his remains.”

Fisher, then 21, embarked on a top-secret mission on August 4, 1944, piloting a B-17 Flying Fortress, dubbed “Wantta Spar,” which referenced a boxing term. The mission was an extraordinary one—the bomber carried the largest conventional bomb load ever placed aboard a U.S. aircraft at that time. Fisher, joined by Tech. Sgt. Elmer Most as co-pilot, had no other crew aboard the aircraft, a stark contrast to the typical 10-man team for such flights.

Their orders were to fly the B-17, loaded with 21,170 pounds of Torpex, a highly powerful explosive, to an altitude of around 2,000 feet. They were then to bail out after turning over radio control of the bomber to a Lockheed Ventura medium bomber flying above. The plan was for the pilotless B-17 to serve as a combat drone, guided by remote control, to strike a hardened German target. However, things went tragically wrong when the handoff failed. Most managed to bail out, but Fisher stayed with the aircraft and is believed to have steered it away from populated areas before crashing into a woodland, leaving behind a massive crater.

Just days later, on August 12, 1944, Navy Lt. Joseph Kennedy Jr., the elder brother of future President John F. Kennedy, embarked on a similar mission from the same Royal Air Force base in Fersfield. Kennedy and his co-pilot, Navy Lt. Wilford Willy, were flying a Consolidated PB4Y-1 B-24 Liberator packed with over 10 tons of Torpex. Tragically, their aircraft exploded mid-flight, potentially due to a short circuit, killing both men. Neither Fisher’s, Kennedy’s, nor Willy’s remains were ever recovered.

In May and June of this year, more than 90 U.S. airmen joined an extensive archaeological dig at the site of Fisher’s crash. The project, part of Operation Nightingale—a British Ministry of Defence initiative involving veterans in archaeological investigations—was intended to aid in the recovery of missing servicemen. The effort was coordinated with Cotswold Archaeology, a British organization that partners with the Pentagon’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) to search for missing U.S. service members.

Army Reserve Sgt. Michael Doherty, who volunteered as coordinator for the search, described the overwhelming response to his call for volunteers from airmen at RAF Mildenhall and U.S. European Command service members at RAF Molesworth. Doherty noted that many participants were placed on official orders to join the dig, while others volunteered during personal leave. In fact, there was even a waiting list for those eager to contribute.

During the search, Senior Airman Samson Bell of Washington, D.C., expressed how deeply the experience resonated with him. “I don’t want to say I got emotional,” he said, but “it touched me” to realize that Fisher was younger than him when he died.

Cotswold Archaeology reported finding over 5,000 fragments from Fisher’s aircraft, including what appeared to be pieces of oxygen mask tubing, possible parachute material, and a personal item belonging to Lt. Fisher. This personal artifact, which was not publicly identified, was sent to the DPAA for analysis and will eventually be returned to Fisher’s family. Among the other discoveries was a horseshoe, believed to have been aboard the aircraft, adding a poignant reminder of the era.

Rosanna Price, the digital engagement manager for Cotswold Archaeology, praised Fisher’s heroism. Based on witness accounts and records, it is believed Fisher pushed Most from the aircraft after his parachute became entangled, then returned to the cockpit to attempt to regain control of the malfunctioning bomber. Alone in the cockpit of what had become a flying bomb, Fisher managed to crash the plane in a small strip of trees, likely saving countless lives on the ground. His bravery in steering the aircraft away from populated areas may have been his final act.

The surviving co-pilot, Most, later recounted Fisher’s actions, which allowed historians and archaeologists to piece together the events of that fateful mission. Fisher’s gallant efforts earned him a Silver Star, though the one-sentence citation for the medal provided little detail about the extraordinary circumstances of his mission.

Lt. John Wesley Fisher, Joseph Kennedy Jr., and Wilford Willy will forever be remembered for their sacrifices during a pivotal time in World War II. Thanks to the airmen who assisted in this year’s archaeological dig, their stories, bravery, and contributions to the war effort have been given a renewed spotlight.

The U.S. airmen who volunteered felt a profound connection to this mission, understanding that, by uncovering the past, they were continuing a legacy of service that honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Historic Exercise Formosa 2024 Features U.S. Marines and Chinese Navy for First Time on Brazilian Soil

On September 10, 2024, Exercise Formosa 2024, a major combined military exercise in Brazil, has brought together personnel from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the Chinese Navy in a historic collaboration. This exercise is one of Latin America’s largest, held annually since 1998, and it marks the first instance of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) participation on Brazilian soil.

Previously, Exercise Formosa has seen around 3,000 military personnel from various nations, including Argentina, France, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, and South Africa. Last year, U.S. troops from Southern Command took part, while China observed the proceedings. The Brazilian Navy emphasized the significance of inviting friendly nations, highlighting that such collaborations foster integration between the Brazilian Navy and allied forces. The Brazilian Ministry of Defense explained that the exercise focuses on simulating amphibious operations, including warship attacks on hostile coastal areas using live ammunition.

The U.S. has underscored that Exercise Formosa reflects “200 years of strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Brazil,” praising the mutual respect, trust, and professionalism between the two forces. Lieutenant General Leonard Anderson, commander of MARFORSOUTH and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, stated that the exercise “underscores the importance of international cooperation in maintaining regional security,” emphasizing the enhanced capability for ensuring the security of both nations.

China’s participation represents a significant development in military cooperation between Beijing and Brasília, marking a continuation of their expanding collaboration. Chinese troops have previously engaged in training at Brazil’s Jungle Warfare Training Center in 2015 and later at the Brazil Joint Peace Operations Training Center in 2017.

Notably, this exercise marks the first joint military engagement between China and the United States since 2016, when Washington invited Beijing to the Pacific Rim Exercise, or RIMPAC. Following this, the U.S. withdrew its invitation due to concerns over China’s militarization of disputed areas in the South China Sea.