On This Day in History

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

1993:    PJ TSgt Timothy A. Wilkinson receives Air Force Cross for saving five wounded Army Rangers after enemy forces shoot down their helicopter at Mogadishu, Somalia.

1918:    The pilotless aircraft. Army’s Kettering, “The Bug,” with preset controls begins flights at Dayton. It is called a guided missile in later years.

1918:    MEDAL OF HONOR. For valorous service this date 2Lt Frank Luke receives the Medal of Honor posthumously. Citation: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2555/luke-frank-jr.php

1983:    The USAF designates the new EF-111A tactical electronic jamming aircraft as the Raven.

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

1971:    Project STORMFURY. Air Weather Service WC-130s drop silver iodide into Hurricane Ginger to decrease the storm’s intensity.

1918:    For valorous service this date Lt Edward V. Rickenbacker receives the Medal of Honor. (Presented 6 November 1930). Citation: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2580/rickenbacker-edward-v.php

1993:    The 1st B-2 (#80329), called ACC-1 and later “Spirit of Missouri,” makes its first flight from Palmdale.

1938:    Maj Gen Oscar Westover, the Chief of the Army Air Corps, dies in an airplane crash near Lockheed Airport, Burbank. He is succeeded by B Gen Henry H. “Hap” Arnold.