On This Day in History

1946:     Gen. Carl A. Spaatz is designated Commanding General, Army Air Forces, succeeding Gen. Henry H. Arnold.

1918:   The Army changes its aircraft insignia to concentric circles of red and blue around white. British                                     

2005:   The YAL-1 Airborne Laser jet completes its airworthiness testing at Edwards.

1967:   A2C Duane Hackney, the most decorated enlisted airman in the Vietnam war, receives the Air Force Cross for rescuing a downed pilot near Mu Gia pass, N. Vietnam.

  1951: KOREAN WAR/Operation ROUNDUP. To disrupt a new enemy offensive, the U. S. X Corps advances with strong air support near Hoengsong, northeast of Wonju in central Korea. In a 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron F-51

  1974:   The General Dynamics YF-16 fighter prototype makes its first official full-scale flight at Edwards AFB; it attains 400 MPH and 30,000 feet in altitude.

1950:   Continental Air Command (CONAC) is directed to set up a civil air raid warning system.

    1991:   BATTLE OF KHAFJI. Iraqi forces cross the Kuwaiti border into Saudi Arabia. The USAF suffers its greatest loss of the war when the Iraqis shoot down the AC-130H Spectre gunship “Spirit 03,”

  1948:   Orville Wright dies in Dayton, Ohio. He was 76.

1915:   The first 20 aviation mechanics are designated after passing specified exams.