The Pentagon announced that its forensic scientists have identified the remains of SSgt. Marvin J. Steinford of Keystone, Iowa, an airman missing in action since March 1945. DOD officials returned Steinford’s remains to his family; his burial with full military honors was scheduled for Tuesday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Steinford bailed out of a B-17G Flying Fortress over Gic, Hungary, on March 24, 1945, after enemy anti-aircraft fire hit the aircraft during a bombing mission against Germany. Steinford was struck by small arms fire while parachuting into a firefight between Soviet and German forces. His body was last seen beside a German tank near Gic. DOD researchers visiting Hungary in 2003 began to uncover specific information related to Steinford’s case that led to an exhumation of remains in July 2009 that the forensic scientists identified as his. (See also Vinton Today report and Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier report.)
The White House announced its United States Space Priorities Framework in a document released concurrently with Vice President Kamala Harris' first National Space Council meeting. Listed among five U.S. priorities is to “defend its national security interests from the growing scope and scale of space and counterspace threats.”