US air force arrests man who deserted 35 years ago
A US air force pilot who disappeared 35 years ago has been found alive and well, living in California under a false identity.
Captain William Howard Hughes Jr, now 66, was last seen withdrawing $28,000 (about £53,000 in today’s money) from a bank in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the summer of 1983.
He was a radar surveillance specialist and had been involved in classified planning and analysis of Nato’s control, command and communications surveillance systems during the Cold War.
After a tour of duty in the Netherlands and two weeks on holiday in Europe, he vanished. Attempts to track him down failed and he was declared a deserter on Dec 9, 1983.
Then last week the air force said Capt Hughes had been found living under the alias of Barry O’beirne. He told the authorities he had been depressed about being in the air force, so left. He had been living in California ever since.
Special agents from Travis air force base arrested him at his house and he is being held at the base, the air force said. It is unclear what charges he faces, although there are no suggestions of links with espionage or Russia.