In the year 1992 of this day, the last active US Navy Battleship — USS Missouri (BB-63) was decommissioned for the last time in Long Beach, California.

The BB-63, also known as “Mighty Mo” or “Big Mo” is an American battleship primarily used by the U.S Navy. The Big Mo was the third ship of the U.S Navy named in honor of the U.S state of Missouri. Missouri was noted as the last battleship to be built by the United States and the site of the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII. She was considered as one of the Iowa-class “fast battleship” designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. The Mighty Mo was ordered on June 12 1940. On January 6, 1941, her keel was laid at the New York Navy Yard in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. She was launched on January 29 1944 and commissioned on June 11 of the same year. The ship was the fourth of the Iowa class and the final battleship commissioned by the US Navy. The ship was christened at her launching by Mary Margaret Truman, daughter of Harry S. Truman, a former senator from Missouri.

Missouri saw action at the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, and shelled the Japanese home islands of Hokkaido and Honshu during World War II. Missouri fought in the Korean War, then was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets in 1955. She was recommissioned in the 1980s, and refitted with modern armaments. She also participated in the Gulf War in 1991.

President George Bush delivered a 40-minute opening remark at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.  The president’s remarks focused on the importance of the United States continuing its military and economic aid to Iraq to liberate the Iraqi people and remove a regime threatening free nations.
 

“The Air Force was critical in liberating the people of Afghanistan, the people of Iraq and taking the fight to the enemy overseas so we do not have to face them here at home.”

Air Force One touched down on the flightline here at 9:40 a.m.  The president was met by General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command.  President Bush presented the President’s Volunteer Service.  During his speech at the museum, President Bush said Airmen are adding to the tradition of the great aviators honored by the museum.  He also noted that military achievements in Iraq have been accompanied by a political transformation.
   

“It can feel like distant history, but it was only five years ago that Iraq was one of the most brutal dictatorships on Earth, a totalitarian nightmare where any nightmare where any election was a sham and dissenters often found themselves buried in mass graves.  In a matter of 15 months, the Iraqi people reclaimed their sovereignty.  They went on to choose an interim government and to ratify the most democratic constitution in the Arab world.  And in December 2005, 12 million Iraqis elected a government under that constitution, a display of courage that defied the terrorists, disproved the critics and should always inspire the world.”

“This partnership would help assure Iraqis that political, economic and security cooperation between our nations will endure.  This partnership would also ensure protections for American troops when the United Nations mandate for Multi-National Forces in Iraq expires in December.”

“This partnership would not bind future presidents to specific troop levels.  This partnership would not establish permanent bases in Iraq.  It would be similar to partnerships that we have with
Afghanistan and other free nations around the world.  My administration will work to complete this strategic partnership in the coming months.  The Iraqi people have chosen to stand with
America against our common enemies.  And it’s in our interest that we stand with them.” 

President Bush said in his closing remarks: Airmen are among the many patriots who uphold America’s highest ideals.

As BA transfers more than 70% of its London Heathrow Airport operations to Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 (T5) on March 27, a giant game of musical chairs begins. Some 50 of the more than 90 airlines serving the airport will move terminals over the next 10 months.

The changes will be intensified by the transfer of some BA and all American Airlines services from Gatwick Airport to Heathrow as the Open Skies treaty between the US and the European Union comes into effect on 30^th of March. Only a few carriers could fly between the US and Heathrow.

The airport is being re-organized largely around the three major global alliances of airlines. Most of the airlines serving Heathrow belong to one or other of these alliances. When completed, this co-location will allow alliance members to offer smoother connections and to reduce costs and share facilities such as check-in and lounges.

The demolition of T2 later this year will allow room to build the initial phase of a new facility, Heathrow East, for the Star Alliance in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games. After the initial phase of Heathrow East is complete, T1 will be demolished to make room for a second phase.

So, for passengers not traveling through the T5, the next few years will be testing and unpleasant as BA’s competitors try to run operations in old, dingy terminals alongside major building sites.

Two Russian Bear long-range bombers were escorted by two USAF F-15 Eagles out of an air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, U.S. military officials yesterday. U.S. radar picked up the Russian turbo-prop Tupolev-95 planes about 500 miles off the Alaska coast. The U.S. fighters from Elmendorf Air Force Base were dispatched to meet the bombers and escorted them out of the region without incident, the officials said.

The United States maintains the air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, barring unidentified aircraft or aircraft that don’t file flight plans inside that area.

The last case of Russian aircraft approaching the U.S. coastline or ships in the Pacific was in February. Then, four Bear bombers flew near the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, with one of them flying about 2,000 feet from the Nimitz’s deck. Russia’s Defense Ministry said at the time there was no violation of flight regulations during the incident. A ministry official described the flights as standard operating procedure for air force training.

Meanwhile, U.S. military officials stated the incidents are not a concern. They say it’s the Russian military flexing its ability and presence.