On This Day in History

1942:    The War Department directs the Air Transport Command to provide aircraft and equipment to evacuate sick and wounded American servicemen and women throughout the world.

1987:       Col (Dr.) Thomas J. Tredici retires at Brooks AFB, the last remaining B-17 pilot from World War II to leave active duty.

1970:      Two HH-53s complete 1st nonstop transpacific helicopter flight as they land at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, after a 9,000-mile flight from Eglin AFB, FL.

1954:    Lockheed pilots Stanley Beltz and Roy Wimmer fly the Hercules YC-130 transport on its first flight.

1923:    Lt Harold R. Harris (pilot) and Lt Muir Fairchild (copilot) fly the XNBL-1 Barling Bomber, the Army’s first long-range night bomber, in its first flight at Wright Field.

1923: The first airways lighting occurs when 18- and 36-inch electric arc beacons are used to light 42 landing fields between Chicago and Cheyenne. They were visible for 50 miles.

1948:    The Berlin Airlift corridor is equipped with flight aids to ensure continuance of airlift operations in the coming winter.

1943:    8AF sends over 300 B-17s on raids of Schweinfurt and Regensburg, losing 60; leadership re-evaluates the need for fighter escort.

1960:    Capt Joseph W. Kittinger Jr. jumps from 102,800 feet over NM; reaches speeds over 600 mph during 13:08 min descent.

1973:    LAST SEA COMBAT MISSION. All US bombing in Cambodia ends after eight years; an A-7D from 354 TFW flies the last combat mission in SEA.