Memorial held for Thunderbirds pilot killed in crash

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Fighter jets flew overhead in the missing-man formation during a Southern California memorial for a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot who was killed in a crash during training.

Family, friends and fellow pilots remembered Maj. Stephen Del Bagno during the gathering Sunday at Saugus High School, his alma mater.

His father, Joe, spoke of Del Bagno’s pride in being part of the Air Force and a fellow member of the flight demonstration team praised his skills.

RELATED

More shows canceled as Air Force Thunderbirds mourn lost pilot

The Thunderbirds have canceled two more shows in the wake of the crash that killed one of its pilots.

By Stephen Losey

The 34-year-old Del Bagno died April 4 when his F-16 Fighting Falcon known as Thunderbird 4 crashed in the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Nellis Air Force Base.

Del Bagno’s name will be added to a wall at his high school that honors heroes.

In Other News

Senate VA committee chairman Tester loses to Navy vet challenger

Tim Sheehy's win coupled with other GOP victories will give Republicans control of the Senate next year.

DOD fixes problem that mistakenly dropped 16K Tricare beneficiaries

Defense Health officials advise those who briefly lost Tricare coverage to call the DEERS support office to confirm their eligibility.

Best for Vets: Colleges work to build community for military students

Military Times' annual Best for Vets list looks at the top-100 veteran-friendly colleges and universities.

Lawmakers accuse VA leaders of exaggerating budget shortfall

Congress approved $3 billion in emergency VA funding in September, but officials now say they did not need the money to cover immediate bills.

Rival nations try to ‘divide, degrade, deceive’ US voters, experts say

Foreign actors, like Russia and Iran, have been trying to convince American voters that the process is too corrupt to participate in, experts say.

Load More