The remains of Air Force Col. Gregg Hartness of Dallas, who has been missing in action since Nov. 26, 1968, when his O-2A Skymaster was struck by enemy fire over Laos and crashed, were identified from remains recovered in January and February in Laos, the Pentagon announced. About nine hours after the crash, a SAR team picked up Hartness’ co-pilot, 1st Lt. Allen S. Shepherd III, who had bailed out, but he did not see Hartness bail out. The SAR team located the crash site, saw the burning aircraft, but could not contact Hartness or detect an electronic signal. Burial is scheduled for Sept. 14 in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Air Force is preparing to unveil a 30-year fighter force design that calls for two new fighters—one for high-end fights and one for less demanding missions—a new way of providing close air support, and the retirement of the F-22 starting in about 2030, a top USAF official explained. Until…