On This Day in History

1962:    The Air Force Reserve mobilizes eight troop carrier wings and six aerial port squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Photo shows Gen LeMay and staff briefing President Kennedy.

  1918:    Brig Gen William “Billy” Mitchell briefs General John J. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, on a plan to airdrop elements of 1st American Infantry Division behind German lines. General Pershing tentatively

1958:    North American Aviation Inc. at Downey, CA receives a contract to build the Hound Dog air-to-surface missile, designed for nuclear warhead delivery.  It moved from production contract to the USAF in only 30 months;

1952:    After a respite of almost a year, N. Korea, using small fabric-covered biplanes, hassles Cho-do and the Seoul area with “Bed Check Charlie” raids.

1944:    Lt Chuck Yeager earns “ace-in-a-day” recognition as he is credited with five aerial victories in a single engagement.

1958: The USAF launches Pioneer I, a lunar probe vehicle, nearly 80,000 miles in height before it falls back to earth on 13 October.

1972:    Competitive flight tests between the YA-9 and YA-10 begin.

1943:    British Air Chief Marshal Portal declared the B-17 bombing of the Focke-Wulf plant at Marienburg the “most perfect example of accurate distribution of bombs.”

1918:    For valorous service this date 1Lt Harold E. Goettler and 2Lt Erwin R. Bleckley receive the Medal of Honor. Citations: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2529/goettler-harold-ernest.php  http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2505/bleckley-erwin-r.php

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.