The final resting site of a memorial to the 40 US soldiers killed in June 1943 in a B-17C Flying Fortress crash in Bakers Creek, Australia, remains in limbo. The Washington Post reports that the Army recently rejected proposals to place the granite memorial stone, which was donated by Australia and has been located at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C., at Arlington National Cemetery or nearby Ft. Myer in Virginia. According to the Post, the Army said it will not place commemorative monuments in Arlington without Congressional authorization and instead views the Air Force’s offer to house the stone at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Ohio as the best solution. The B-17 was ferrying troops that had been on rest and recuperation leave back to the frontlines in New Guinea. Only one person survived the crash, which remained classified until 1958.
The Air Force’s plans for its portion of joint all-domain command and control have taken a major step forward. The service awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, multiple-award contract worth up to $950 million to 27 companies. The IDIQ deal will give 27 contractors the opportunity to compete for work…