Frank R. Walker, 66, an Air Force civilian supporting Operation Enduring Freedom died Oct. 28 of non-combat-related medical causes at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Walker, of Oklahoma City, Okla., was assigned to the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate at Tinker AFB, Okla., the Defense Department said in a release Oct. 31. The Tulsa World reported Nov. 1 that Walker died of a heart attack, citing a Tinker spokeswoman. Walker was a project construction manager with the US Army Corps of Engineers while overseas and was on his fifth trip to Afghanistan, according to the newspaper.
Three B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing flew over the Indo-Pacific alongside F-16s from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force as part of a joint large force exercise. The mission began and ended in the continental U.S. The bombers flew 31 hours and landed Jan. 11.