Number 409
Col. Damian McCarthy, 36th Operations Group commander, receives incoming fire from a fire hose held by his wife, Jennifer. Colonel McCarthy flew in the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber here January 3 and was only the 409th person to ever fly the aircraft, a number which he will own forever. A unique facet of the stealth bomber aviation community is when someone actually flies in the aircraft; they are issued a number that numerically documents their having flown in the jet. The next person who rides in a stealth bomber will be issued number 410. Other individuals that “own” numbers documenting their ride in America’s most lethal and advanced bomber are Representative Ike Skelton and The History Channel’s R. Lee Ermey. (Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Steven Wilson)