On This Day in History

1918:   More than 250 bombers and 100 pursuit planes drop 32 tons of bombs in the cantonment district between La Wavrille and Damvillers.

1940:   The Royal Air Force forms 71 (Eagle) Squadron, the first of three Fighter Command squadrons composed principally of volunteer US pilots flying with the RAF. On 29 September 1942, pilots in this unit form

1918:   1st sustained aerial resupply attempt: 50th Aero Squadron begins effort to drop supplies and help locate the “Lost Battalion,” elements of the 77th Division cut off from the allies.

  1989:   A 96th Bomb Wing B-1B lands successfully at Edwards despite a retracted nose gear; the crew receives the Mackay Trophy.

1993:   PJ TSgt Timothy A. Wilkinson receives the Air Force Cross for saving five wounded Army Rangers after enemy forces shoot down their helicopter at Mogadishu, Somalia. This action was made famous in the book

1981:   Via National Security Decision Directive 12 (signed October 1st), President Reagan reverses several of President Carter’s defense decisions including ALCM, B-1B, and the MX missile,  to support force modernization.

Video:          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M68-Y9dGQcs 1947:   The first flight of North American’s prototype F-86 Sabre (XP-86) at Muroc Dry Lake.

1924: US Army Air Service crews achieve the first round-the-world flight in 175 days, covering over 27,553 miles. Two of the four modified Douglas DT-2s that started the flight, the Chicago and the New Orleans, complete

2005:   The 1st C-130 combat mission by an all-female crew is flown from a forward location in Southwest Asia, with 151 Marines and equipment.  

1918:   Between this date and 1 October, Air Service pilots shoot down 74 German aircraft and 15 balloons.