More than
500 friends, family members, and military personnel gathered July 2 at Hurlburt Field, Fla., home of Air Force Special Operations Command, to honor retired Brig. Gen. Heinie Aderholt, who died May 20, at the age of 90. Aderholt, known as “Air Commando One,” is considered one of the pioneers in the establishment and maturation of USAF special operations. His military career ranged from World War II to Vietnam. “With his passing, our nation has lost a storied member of the greatest nation, a visionary leader of combat air power, and a founding father of modern special operations,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, who spoke at the remembrance ceremony. Medal of Honor recipient retired Air Force Col. Bud Day also attended. (Hurlburt report by SrA. Ryan Whitney)
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.