May 17, 1919
1919: The Director of the Air Service orders the use of the national star insignia on all service planes; This order is implemented in August. ...
May 16, 1947
1947: Over New York, 101 B-29s “theoretically” drop bombs in SAC’s first maximum effort mission.
May 15, 1918
1918: Pilots in the Army Aviation Section (Signal Corps) start the government’s first permanent airmail route from Washington to New York.
May 14, 1973
1973: From Kennedy Space Center, a two-stage Saturn V launches Skylab 1 into orbit, where its two Solar Array System wings fail to deploy. These ...
May 11, 1942
1942: President Roosevelt orders the Air Medal to be established for any military person who accomplishes meritorious achievement in aerial flight.
May 10, 1972
1972: LINEBACKER I: 8th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4s drop precision-guided munitions on the Paul Doumer Bridge in Hanoi, closing it to traffic. For a ...
May 9, 1961
1961: The 379th Bomb Wing at Wurtsmith AFB, MI., receives SAC’s first B-52H (number 60-0001, shown here later at Barksdale AFB). It was known as ...
May 8, 1970
1970: MACKAY TROPHY. An AC-119K gunship attacks a heavily defended road section in SEA. Despite losing 15 feet of the aircraft’s right wing and an ...
May 7, 1949
1949: Henry H. Arnold is named General of the Air Force. He was made a five star general of the Army in December 1944, and ...
May 4, 1942
1942: Through 8 May, the Battle of Coral Sea features the first naval engagement fought by aircraft, as the opposing ships made no contact with ...