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![The crews of AC-130J Ghostrider gunships "Shadow 77" and "Shadow 78," 73rd Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Joint Special Operation Air Component-Central, receive Mackay Trophy 2021 awards for their support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, which provided close-air support for 2,000 American evacuating the embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August 2021. The awards ceremony took place at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on Dec. 7, 2022. (Ty Greenlees/Air Force)](https://www.militarytimes.com/resizer/v2/IZ5K46XAMJCQ3GYWTXHZISYNMY.jpg?auth=7825385908198bee7578de4c6f82ff15bff6d84871354ba134c61a11fa1d8ee2&width=1000&height=666)
AC-130J crews honored for being ‘eyes in the sky’ over Kabul in 2021
AC-130J crews at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates got the call: They were needed in Kabul.
SOCOM boss: Adversaries are disabling Air Force gunships in Syria
Adversaries in Syria are attempting to use aggressive electronic warfare capabilities to disable the Air Force's gunships.
Spooky 43 gunship crew honored for actions during grueling Afghan battle
The 14 crewmembers of Spooky 43, an AC-130U gunship that fought a ferocious battle in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, last November were honored with the Mackay Trophy Wednesday.
Kremlin downplays Russian Defense Ministry blunder
The Kremlin is downplaying the Russian Defense Ministry’s blunder when it backed its allegations of the U.S. colluding with the Islamic State group in Syria with a screenshot from a video game.
Russian Ministry of Defense posts video game screenshot as evidence of US collusion with ISIS
The Russian MOD claims the U.S. military helped provide cover to an ISIS convoy fleeing the Syrian town of Abu Kamal on Nov. 9.
By Shawn Snow
Air Force combat controller, AC-130 crew honored for valor in Afghanistan
The Air Force Cross and 10 other medals for valor were awarded at a ceremony Tuesday to airmen who fought in a pitched battle Nov. 2 in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan.
By Kyle Rempfer