On This Day in History

  1942:   The first women enter USAAF flight training at the Houston Municipal Airport; the unit is designated the 319th Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment.

1974:   McDonnell-Douglas delivers the first F-15 to TAC; President Gerald R. Ford accepts it at Luke AFB.

  1971:   Mariner IX, launched on 30 May 1971, goes into an elliptical orbit around Mars, and its first photographs are broadcast live by national television.

  1921:   FIRST AIR-TO-AIR REFUELING. Wesley May, with a 5-gallon can of gasoline strapped to his back, steps from the wing of a Lincoln Standard to the wing skid of a JN-4 and climbs to

1967:   MEDAL OF HONOR. For valorous service this date HH-3 pilot Capt Gerald O. Young receives the Medal.  Citation: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3455/young-gerald-o.php MEDAL OF HONOR. For valorous service this date Capt Lance P. Sijan receives the Medal

1942:   MEDAL OF HONOR. Col Demas T. Craw and Maj Pierpont M. Hamilton receive the Medal for valorous service in the invasion of Africa. Craw Citation: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2694/craw-demas-t.php Hamilton Citation: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2772/hamilton-pierpont-m.php

1918:   Dr. Robert H. Goddard demonstrates tube-launched solid-propellant rockets; this device evolves into the anti-tank bazooka of WW II.

1909:   The French government awards Orville and Wilbur Wright the Legion of Honor at its New York consulate.

1912:   Through 13 November, the Army uses aircraft to make artillery adjustments for the first time at Fort Riley, Kansas. In this demonstration, Capt Frederick B. Hennessy, Lt Henry H. Arnold, and Lt Thomas DeWitt

    2001:   A 20th Special Operations Squadron MH-53 helicopter crew receives the Mackay trophy for rescuing the crew of a 2nd MH-53 that had crashed in the Afghan mountains.