On This Day in History

  1918: Known as the “Ace of Aces” for that conflict, Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker shoots down his 26th and final enemy aircraft of World War I.

2004: NASA’s modified KC-135A aerospace vehicle trainer, the “Vomit Comet,” flies its final sortie. NASA used the “Comet” at Edwards AFB to provide zero gravity training to students at the Aerospace Vehicle Test Course. The

1925: The court-martial of Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell for insubordination begins. He is found guilty on 17 Dec and sentenced to five years’ suspension from active duty without pay or allowances. President Coolidge reduces

  1954: Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., becomes the USAF’s first African American general officer.

1956: Bell pilot Floyd Carlson flies the XH-40 helicopter for the first time at Fort Worth. Later, the XH-40 becomes the UH-1 Iroquois, or Huey, one of the most useful helicopters in the Vietnam war.

1983: Through 16 November, MAC flies 78 Americans injured in the terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut from Lebanon to medical facilities in the US and Europe on 8 C-141 and 12 C-9A

1957: FIRST CASUALTIES FROM VIETNAM. Eight US servicemen injured in an explosion in Saigon are evacuated to Clark Air Base for treatment at the 6208th USAF Hospital.

1965: Gen Curtis E. LeMay, former CSAF, receives the 1965 Collier Trophy, American aviation’s highest honor.

1944: RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES. Southwest Pacific Area forces land unopposed at two points. Gen Douglas MacArthur, accompanied by President Sergio Osmena, lands in the 24th Infantry Division area and delivers his “I have returned”

1968: Maj William J. Knight receives the Harmon International Aviator’s Trophy for 1968 as the world’s outstanding pilot for flying X-15 No. 2 to 4,520 MPH (Mach 6.72).