On This Day in History

1962: CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. The Air Force Reserve mobilizes eight troop carrier wings and six aerial port squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis.

2000: MACKAY TROPHY/ATTACK ON THE USS COLE. Crews from the 75th Airlift Squadron and 86th Aeromedical Squadron receive the trophy for evacuating 28 survivors of a 12 October terrorist attack on the USS Cole in

1973: YOM KIPPUR WAR/Operation NICKEL GRASS. Through 14 November (30 days), MAC delivers 22,395 tons of material from 20 locations in the US to Israel. MAC completes this airlift, with a one-way distance of 6,450

1999: The X-43A, the world’s first hypersonic air-breathing free-flight vehicle, arrives at Edwards AFB for testing. The X-43 involves Supersonic Combustible Ramjet, or “Scramjet,” technology.

  1944: Lt Chuck Yeager in his P-51 “glamorous Glenn II” downs five of his aerial victories a single engagement.

  PROJECT FARM GATE. President John F. Kennedy authorizes a detachment from the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron, later part of the 1st Air Commando Group, with 151 officers and enlisted men and eight T-28,

1993: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. The effort to airlift relief supplies to Bosnia surpasses the Berlin Airlift in duration, but not in tonnage or missions. This makes PROVIDE PROMISE the longest sustained relief operation to that

1918: 2Lt Samuel R. Keesler and pilot 1Lt H.R. Riley of the 24th Aero Squadron go on a special reconnaissance mission and are attacked in flight by four German fighters. Keesler tries to drive off

1918: MEDALS OF HONOR. Near Binarvelle, France, 1Lt Harold E. Goettler with the 50th Aero Squadron and 2Lt Erwin P. Bleckley (Kansas National Guard), flying as an observer, try to drop supplies to a surrounded

1984: FIRST SPACEWALK BY AN AMERICAN WOMAN. During the sixth Challenger Space Shuttle mission, astronauts record several firsts, including the first walk in space by an American woman (Kathryn D. Sullivan, Mission Specialist).