On This Day in History

1994: MACKAY TROPHY. An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Keflavik, Iceland, rescues six sailors from a damaged tugboat off the Icelandic coast. For this effort, the crew earns the 1994 […]

2005:   Colonel Joseph Lanni, the 412th Test Wing Commander at Edwards AFB, delivers an F/A-22 Raptor to Langley AFB, VA. That Raptor, the fifth built, forms the nucleus of the first operational F-22 squadron. (Stock

1965: The General Dynamics F-111A demonstrates the ability to fly with its wings swept back in an early test flight.

1972: President Richard M. Nixon announces his decision to develop a Space Shuttle system.

1994: Operation PROVIDE PROMISE. USAF forms a C-130 “Delta Squadron” under the 435th Airlift Wing at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, with Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard assets. The squadron joins the effort to

1966:  The No. 2 XB-70 flies for 3 minutes at 70,000 feet over Edwards AFB, CA for the first time. (Photo date unknown)

    1963: President Johnson approves the U-2 flights over SEA. The first Strategic Air Command U-2s arrive in the Far East in early February 1964.

1972:  Operation LINEBACKER II. President Nixon halts the bombing of North Vietnam north of the 20th parallel. Peace talks resume in Paris, France, on 8 January 1973.

1966: The USAF selects Cessna Aircraft Company to produce the O-2 for forward air controller, liaison, and observation functions.

1952: KOREAN WAR. An SA-16 crew of the 3d Air Rescue Squadron picks up a downed pilot in the Yellow Sea north of Cho-do. He was in the water less than three minutes.