On This Day in History

1964:    1st armed reconnaissance mission is flown in Laos, code named Barrel Roll. This mission initiates continuous tactical fighter operations in SEA.

1933:    President Franklin D. Roosevelt presents the first Air Mail Flyer’s Medal of Honor to Mal Bryan Freeburg.  

1944:    MEDAL OF HONOR: Maj Richard I. Bong, with 38 aerial victories, receives the medal from General MacArthur in ceremonies in the Philippines.

1969:    The Air Force’s YF-12A 06935 supersonic interceptor aircraft makes its first flight from Edwards AFB under joint USAF-NASA sponsorship.

1995:    Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. The first C-17 flies into Sarajevo with 154,000 pounds of heaters and pressed wood, offloading in 32 minutes.

1941:    The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, bringing US into World War II. 18th Pursuit Wing P-40 pilots shoot down 10 enemy planes, 4 by 2Lt George S. Welch.

1961:    In a joint Navy-Air Force ceremony, new astronaut wings are pinned on Cmdr Alan B. Shepard (USN) and Capt Virgil I Grissom (USAF).

2001: Operation NOBLE EAGLE. The 125th Fighter Wing (Florida ANG) sends its F-15s to patrol the skies over the Kennedy Space Center for the Space Shuttle Endeavor launch. It was the first shuttle launch since

1996:    At Hill AFB an F-16 Fighting Falcon logs the five millionth hour of flying time for the F-16 fleet. Captain Kurt Gallegos of the West Coast F-16 Demonstration Team flies the Falcon. Major Mike

1942:    BEGINNING OF THE “HUMP” AIRLIFT. Air Transport Command activates its India-China Division.