This WWII pilot crash-landed into a field hosting a Nazi soccer match
Maj. Donald K. Willis crash-landed his plane in Nazi-occupied Holland then stopped at cafes for beers — all while evading the capture for two months.
Your Air Force
World War II bomber crash left 11 dead. Four are finally coming home.
All 11 men aboard the bomber were killed. Their remains, deep below the sea, were designated as non-recoverable. That changed in 2023.
Lingering cost worries cloud plans for veterans disability reform bill
Advocates hope to restart momentum in Congress this year on the Major Richard Star Act.
VA drops secondary review rule for community care medical appointments
Congress last year passed legislation designed to simplify the process for veterans seeking medical help outside the VA health care system.
Congressional appropriators criticize VA’s unapproved funding moves
Department leaders shifted about $340 million in budget savings to outside health care accounts without lawmakers' OK.
Federal budget plans still in limbo as Memorial Day approaches
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of May 19, 2025.
Vets disability claims backlog down to 200K cases, a post-pandemic low
The number of overdue disability claims rose to more than 400,000 cases after COVID-19 office closures and toxic exposure benefits expansion.
Trump’s vow of ‘substantial’ pay raise for troops counters budget plan
The White House spending plans call for a 3.8% pay boost next year, a smaller raise than troops saw in January.
VA errors in benefits payouts down, but still total more than $1.3B
Recurring errors in VA benefits processing amounted to hundreds of millions in losses for U.S. taxpayers in fiscal 2024.
Trial opens for Navy vet arrested near Obama’s DC home in 2023
Investigators found two guns, roughly 400 rounds of ammunition and a machete in Taylor Taranto’s van after he showed up near Obama’s home.
Sunken USS Yorktown leaves researchers ‘flabbergasted’ in latest dive
Eighty-three years after sinking during the Battle of Midway, the USS Yorktown is still revealing secrets.
Breaking down Trump’s executive order mandating multiple VA reforms
The president signed an executive order Friday calling for several sweeping changes in VA operations and construction goals.
Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard outline FY26 budget needs this week
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of May 12, 2025.
How a soldier’s relentless charge broke Japan’s line on Okinawa
The enemy positions that Pfc. Clarence Craft took out one by one added up to victory on Hen Hill.
Felon hid dead uncle in trash can to keep stealing his vets benefits
A Missouri man has been charged with fraud and theft for concealing the death of his veteran uncle to continue collecting his disability checks.
Europe marks 80th anniversary of World War II’s end
This V-E Day marks the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's surrender to Allied forces.
VA’s online legacy project adds names of 210,000 vets lost overseas
The expansion of the veterans online memorial includes the names of almost 93,000 veterans killed overseas during World War II.
