On This Day in History

1981:   SPACE SHUTTLE’S MAIDEN VOYAGE. The Space Shuttle Columbia launches on the first flight of a reusable spacecraft.

1944:   MEDAL OF HONOR. Lt Edward Michael receives medal for saving himself, crew member, and B-17 with successful crash landing. 1966: MEDAL OF HONOR. Pararescueman A1C William H. Pitsenbarger hoists nine soldiers to safety aboard

1967:   Operation POKER DICE. SAC beds down B-52s at U-Tapao with the first 3 aircraft arriving during the day. Later in the day they fly their first bombing mission from U-T.

1974:   Between 9 April and 11 May, USAF conducts the flyoff between the A-10 and A-7 at Edwards AFB.

1952:   KOREAN WAR. Capt Iven C. Kincheloe, Jr., 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, destroys MiG, becomes war’s tenth ace. (Shown with Maj James Jabara)

1986:   A 40,000 gallon  jet fuel tank explodes and burns at Osan AB; A1C John A. Loomis receives the Airman’s Medal for his life-saving response.

1975:    Operation BABYLIFT. A MAC C-5 crashes in an emergency landing near Saigon while flying the op’s 1st mission; 138 die and 176 survive the crash. Flight Nurse 1Lt Regina C. Aune ignores a

1996:   A 76th Airlift Squadron CT-43 transport crashes near Dubrovnik, Croatia killing 35, including Commerce Secretary Ronald Brown. Brown was on an economic development mission to the former Yugoslavia.

1915:   President Wilson appoints the first members to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). In 1958, NACA becomes NASA.

1944: Army Air Forces reaches WW II high total of 2, 411, 294 persons assigned.