Category AIRFORCE

January 8 At Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, the Military Airlift Command (MAC) receives the first improved C-5B Galaxy transport aircraft.

At Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, the first overseas meteorological data system circuit is installed by the Air Force to replace the obsolete weather teletype sys­tem already in place.

January 28 At Cape Canaveral, Florida, tragedy strikes when the space shuttle

Challenger explodes after liftoff. Among those killed are Air Force pilots Francis R. Scobee, Gregory B. Jarvis, Ellison S. Onizuka.

FEBRUARY 18—22 In Northern Califor­

nia, Air Force H-3s, HH-53s, and C – 130s of the 49th and 129th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Groups evacuate 500 civilians from along the Russian and Yuba Rivers after they were stranded by severe flooding. Three thousand sandbags are also delivered to Army troops on the ground.

FEBRUARY 25—26 In the Philippines, five H-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters from the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (ARRS) convey President Ferdinand Marcos and 51 peo­ple from his palace to Clark Air Base for ultimate removal to Hawaii.

MARCH 3 At Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, the reconnaissance Cessna O-2 aircraft is replaced by the OT-38 Talon.

MARCH 4 In Egypt, operation bright STAR unfolds as aircraft from the United States and Egypt conduct their first joint exercise; this also marks the first time that foreign aircraft are refueled by Air Force tankers.

MARCH 5 Once over the Atlantic, a KC – 10 aircraft, piloted by Captain Marc C. Felman, refuels another KC-10 and three Navy A-4 Skyhawks that were nearly our of fuel. For relieving this emergency sit­uation by launched in zero visibility weather; Felman and his crew win a Mackay Trophy.

In Pakistan, the Air Force beings trans­porting Afghan refugees and patients to the United States in accordance with the 1986 McCollum Amendment. Afghani­stan is then in the throes of a violent Soviet occupation.

MARCH 25 At Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, the first all-woman Minuteman missile crew, belonging to the 351st Strategic Missile Wing, is placed on active alert.

April 5—6 At Osan Air Base, South Korea, a large jet fuel tank fire results in four C-141 Starlifters and one H-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopter from the 63rd

Airlift Wing transporting fire-suppressant foam; burn victims are also conveyed to medical facilities in Seoul for treatment.

APRIL 14—15 Over Libya, Operation el dorado canyon unfolds as 24 F-111F bombers from the Statue of Liberty Squadron, 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, launch from Great Britain and perform a retaliatory strike against Tripoli, Libya. Lacking overflight permission from Spain and France, they fly a 5,500-mile round trip around Continental Europe, and inflict heavy damage on the Jamahiriya Military Barracks and Benina Military Airfield. They are also carrier aircraft launched from the America and Saratoga; one F-111 is lost in action. Equally significant, 28 KC-10 Extenders and KC-135 Stratotankers are employed during the attack, and they refuel the strike force six times in complete radio silence.

April 18 At Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, a Titan IIID rocket booster explodes after launching; Space Launch Complex Four sustains damage and can­not operate again until August 15.

April 28—May 7 The Air Weather Ser­vice launches several WC-130s to track and analyze the radioactive fallout in the wake of a nuclear reactor accident at Chernobyl, Soviet Union.

June 17 The last remaining UC-133K Provider is retired from spraying activities by the Air Force.

July The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard receive their first C-141 Starlifter transports.

July 19 The United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) declares Rapier surface-to-air missile units operational.

July 19-28 Operation SOUTHERN HAYLIFT unfolds once severe drought conditions across the southwestern United States result in 24 C-141s and 8 C-130s carrying

19,0 bales (536 tons) of hay to livestock farmers in afflicted areas.

July 27 At Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany, an Air Force C-9 Nightingale transports Father Lawrence Jenco, recently released by Muslim extremists, to medical facilities.

AUGUST 27-29 In Cameroon, West Africa, a C-130 Hercules is dispatched from 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron with 250 tents for villagers fleeing volcanic fumes escaping from Lake Nyos.

SEPTEMBER 1 At Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, the last operational Cessna O-2 Bird Dog arrives for disposal in the “bone yard.”

SEPTEMBER 5 In Frankfurt, West Ger­many, a C-141 Starflifter transports Americans injured during a hijacking attempt to medical facilities. The flight originates in Karachi, Pakistan.

September 18-20 At Luzon, Philip­pines, two C-5 Galaxies are dispatched by the 436th Military Airlift Wing with 93 tons of food and medical supplies as per the Foreign Assistance Act of 1985.

October 10 The new LGM-118A (MX), or Peacekeeper, intercontinental ballistic missile achieves operational status for the first time. This weapon is capable of attacking up to 10 different targets with its multiple independent reentry vehicle (MIRV) warhead.

October 11-16 After San Salvador, El Salvador, is destroyed by an earthquake,

Air Force transports begin delivering food and relief supplies to survivors.

December 7 A WC-130 Hercules of the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron lands on Saipan, Mariana Islands, in the wake of Typhoon Kim, and delivers seven tons of relief supplies, food, and toys for children.

December 10 Air Force helicopters res­cue 19 members of the Norwegian research ship Geco Alpha several miles off the coast ofDestin, Florida, after it caught fire; casualties are subsequently flown to Eglin Air Force base for medical treat­ment.

December 14-23 From Edwards Air

Force Base, California, the experimental Voyager aircraft, piloted by Richard G. Rutan and Jeana L. Yeager, flies

25,0 miles, nonstop and unrefueled, around the world; they win a Collier Trophy for this record, nine-day venture.

December 18 In the South China Sea, the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (ARRS) dispatches two H-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters that rescue 13 survivors from a sinking Filipino ves­sel. The injured are then delivered to medical facilities at Cubi Air Station, Philippines.

December 22 At F. E. Warren Air Base, Wyoming, a tenth Peacekeeper intercon­tinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is deployed, leading to all weapons being placed on operational status.

DECEMBER 31 In San Juan, Puerto Rico, 75 people stranded on the roof of the Dupont Plaza Hotel during a fire are res­cued by H-3 Sea King helicopters of Composite Squadron 8 (VC-8).

FEBRUARY Over Edwards Air Force Base, California, an F/A-22 aircraft undergoes an icing test at altitude by being sprayed with water from a modified KC-135 tanker.

FEBRUARY 14 At Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, F-15 fighters and 150 ground support crews transfer to Gwalior Air Force Station, India, to train with the Indian Air Force. This constitutes the first joint venture between the two services since the 1960s.

June 23 At Cape Canaveral, a three-stage Delta II launch vehicle hurls a replacement

satellite into orbit as part of the Air Force Global Positioning System (GPS).

July 23 In the Caribbean, a HC-130 from the 38th Rescue Squadron airdrops two pararescue men into the water. These deploy a rubber boat and paddle to a Chinese fishing vessel to assist a crew­man who had a life-threatening chest injury.

September 4—8 Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is struck by a hurricane, and members of the 45th Space Wing response team are called in to survey the damage.

SEPTEMBER 14 Over Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, an F-16 suddenly bursts into flame during a Thunderbird exhibition, and the pilot is forced to eject. None of the 60,000 spectators are hurt.

September 15 In Washington, D. C., ground-breaking ceremonies unfold for the site of the new Air Force Memorial, located near the Potomac River, and directly across from the Pentagon.

DECEMBER 3 Over Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft goes airborne for the first time with an integrated battle manage­ment and Beam Control/Fire Control (BC/FC) systems onboard.

December 12 At Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Airborne Laser (ABL) team concludes a successful round oftests with its high-energy beam weapon.

FEBRUARY 10 The Air Force Strategic Missile Evaluation Committee announces a major breakthrough in the size and weight of nuclear warheads. It therefore recommends that a special group be tasked to help accelerate the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

MARCH 1 In the Marshall Islands, a 15- megaton bomb is tested by the United States for the first time. This device is a thousand times more powerful than the atomic bombs utilized during World War II.

MARCH 5 Over Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Lockheed XF-104 proto­type performs its maiden flight. It sub­sequently enters service as the F-104 Starfighter.

April 1 In Washington, D. C., President

Dwight D. Eisenhower signs legislation creating the U. S. Air Force Academy. In lieu of a permanent campus, the first classes will be conducted at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado.

The first Convair C-131A transports, the military version of the Model 240 Airliner, is accepted into the Air Force inventory.

April 8 In Washington, D. C., the Air

Force Assistant Chief of Staff for Guided Missiles is created at the Pentagon.

June 18 The Martin B-57B Canberra flies for the first time. This model is specifically designed for ground interdic­tion purposes.

June 4 Over California, a Bell X-1A research aircraft piloted by Major Arthur Murray sets a world altitude record of 90,000 feet.

June 21 At Yokota Air Base, Japan, three 22nd Bombardment Wing B-47 Strato – jets commanded by Major General Wal­ter C. Sweeney, Jr., make a 6,700-mile nonstop flight from March Air Force Base, California, in only 15 hours. The flight requires two in-flight refuelings from KC-97 tankers.

June 26—July 17 In Indochina (Vietnam) Operation wounded warrior unfolds as transports of the 315th Air Division, Military Air Transport Service (MATS), evacuate 500 injured French soldiers back to France, via Japan.

June 28 The Douglas RB-66 prototype reconnaissance aircraft flies for the first time.

July 1 The Western Development Division is established under Brigadier General Bernard A. Schriever. It is tasked with developing the Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile system, particularly as it relates to the ongoing Atlas program.

July 15 In Seattle, Washington, the Boe­ing KC-135, which is based on the

Model 707 airliner, makes its maiden flight. This aircraft enters service as the KC-135 Stratotanker, and serves as an essential component of the Strategic Air Command (SAC).

July 26 The distinction of serving as the first superintendent of the Air Force Academy goes to Lieutenant General Hubert R. Harmon.

AUGUST 5 The first production B-52 Stratofortress rolls off the assembly line. This eight-jet behemoth becomes the backbone of the Strategic Air Command for a decade and is still employed in front-line service to the present.

AUGUST 6—7 This day a pair of 308th Bombardment Wing B-47s flies nonstop from Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, to French Morocco, and back. Concur­rently, the 38th Air Division contributes two B-47s which also depart Hunter AFB on a simulated bomb run over

French Morocco. Both units conse­quently win the Mackay Trophy.

AUGUST 23 The Lockheed YC-130 turboprop-powered transport prototype flies for the first time. This enters service as the C-130 Hercules, which remains in front-line service over half-a-century later.

AUGUST 26 Over Edwards Air Force Base, California, a Bell X-1A piloted by Major Arthur Murray reaches a record altitude of 90,440 feet, where the curva­ture of the Earth can be clearly observed.

September 1 At Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Continental Air Defense Command establishes its headquarters under General Benjamin W. Chidlaw.

The Fairchild C-123B Provider prototype performs its maiden flight. This aircraft will see extensive service throughout the Vietnam War, a decade hence.

September 27 At George Air Force Base, California, the F-100A Super Sabre jet fighter is declared operational.

September 29 The McDonnell F-101A Voodoo all-weather interceptor flies for the first time. This is an outgrowth of the earlier XF-88. It serves with distinc­tion throughout the Vietnam War as a reconnaissance platform.

OCTOBER 8 Over Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Bell X-1B rocket research aircraft flies for the first time with Major Arthur Murray at the controls.

OCTOBER 9 In Washington, D. C., the Department ofDefense adds an additional $500 million to this year’s guided missile budget in an attempt to accelerate devel­opment of the Atlas ICBM.

OCTOBER 12 Over Wichita, Kansas, the Cessna XT-37 jet trainer flies for the first time. This unique, side-by-side aircraft also serves with distinction as a light attack bomber during the Vietnam War.

OCTOBER 18—19 Distinguished scientist Theodore von Karman convenes the ad hoc committee of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board for the purpose of con­sidering nuclear power as a source ofmis – sile propulsion. They ultimately recommend that the issue remain closely studied to maintain cogency in this field.

OCTOBER 27 Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, son of the Army’s first African American general, becomes the first minority brigadier general in Air Force history.

November 1 The venerable Boeing B – 29 Superfortress, the aircraft that helped to end World War II, is finally retired from active service.

November 2 At San Diego, California, the Convair XFY-1 Pogo, a vertical lift­off fighter, performs its maiden flight from Lindbergh Field. After rising from the ground like a helicopter, it transitions to horizontal flight and then lands verti­cally. This spectacular vehicle does not enter into production.

November 7 Off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, an RB-29 reconnaissance aircraft is attacked by Soviet MiG-15s and shot down.

November 17-19 A B-47 Stratojet flown by Colonel David A. Burchinal is forced by bad weather to remain aloft over England and France for 47 hours and 35 minutes. He is forced to refuel in the air nine times while waiting for clear weather to land.

December 7 At Edwards Air Force Base, California, a fully automated approach and landing system successfully brings an X-10 Navajo missile back to base.

DECEMBER 10 Aviation medicine research Colonel John P. Strapp endures a rocket-sled test that accelerates him to 630 miles per hour, which is the same as ejecting from an aircraft at Mach 1.7. That he emerges unhurt demonstrates the resiliency of the human body.

December 20 The revamped F-102A, now endowed with a “wasp waist” as per the new “area rule,” is successfully tested for the first time. It enters service as the Delta Dagger, becoming the first Air Force jet armed solely with guided missiles.

DECEMBER 23 The Air Force, the Navy, and NACA sign a joint memoranda to begin shared development of a hyper­sonic research aircraft, which emerges as the X-15.

JANUARY 28 Over South Vietnam, the final ranch hand defoliating mission is conducted by Fairchild UC-123B sprayer aircraft.

January 31-February 9 The Apollo 14 expedition arrives at the moon and safely returns. Air Force astronaut Stuart A. Roosa pilots the Command Module that remains in orbit.

MARCH 17 At Auburn University, Ala­bama, 2nd Lieutenant Jane Leslie Holley is the first woman to be commissioned through an Air Force ROTC program.

April 26 An SR-71 Blackbird piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas B. Estes and Lieutenant Colonel Dewain C. Vick sets a speed record for covering 15,000 miles in 10 hours and 30 minutes, nonstop; the flight wins a Mackay Trophy along with the Harmon International Aviator Award.

July 16 In Washington, D. C., Colonel Jeanne M. Holm is promoted to brigadier general, becoming the first female general in the Air Force. She remains as director of Women in the Air Force.

June 16-July 18 Over India, Operation bonny jack unfolds as Air Force C-130s and C-141s transfer 23,000 refugees from East Pakistan (Bangladesh) during a civil war there. A further 2,000 tons of relief supplies are also delivered.

June 26 At Phang Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, F-100 Super Sabres of the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing are relieved of front-line service as the unit redeploys back to the United States.

July 12 In Washington, D. C., retired general Benjamin O. Davis, the Air Force’s first African American senior offi­cer, is appointed Assistant Secretary of Transportation by President Richard Nixon.

July 26-AUGUST 7 At Cape Kennedy, Florida, an all-Air Force crew pilots Apollo 15 to the moon and back; this is the first mission to include a lunar rover.

July 29 The Air Force concludes research on the X-24A lifting body, information from which proved instru­mental in the space shuttle program.

AUGUST 1 In South Vietnam, General John D. Lavelle gains appointment as the new commander ofthe Seventh Air Force.

SEPTEMBER 21 Over North Vietnam, 200 Air Force fighter-bombers conduct the first all-instrument bombardment of the war by employing loran (Long Range Air to Navigation) to destroy the fuel and storage area at Dong Hoi, burning 350,000 gallons of fuel.

OCTOBER 1 In Washington, D. C., Richard D. Kisling is appointed the new chief master sergeant of the Air Force.

NOVEMBER 7-8 Over North Vietnam, Air Force fighter-bombers strike Com­munist airfields at Dong Hoi, Vinh, and Quan Lang.

DECEMBER 26-30 Over North Vietnam, Air Force aircraft launch over 1,000 sor­ties against targets south ofthe 20th paral­lel. This is the largest raid of its kind since 1968.

JANUARY 16 Over the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, a short-range attack mis­sile (SRAM) is fired for the first time by a B-1B Lancer.

FEBRUARY 3 At Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, the first Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters are delivered to the 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. The Pace Low III infrared sys­tem is retrofitted to them to facilitate long-range search and rescue missions.

FEBRUARY 13—15 On Vanuatu, New Hebrides, survivors of Typhoon Uma are assisted by two C-141 Starlifters and two C-130 Hercules, which transport 64 tons of tents and plastic sheeting for them.

FEBRUARY 16 In San Antonio, Texas, the Joint Military Medical Command, staffed by both Army and Air Force per­sonnel, is activated.

April 14 From Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, a B-1B Lancer flies 9,400 miles in 21 hours and 40 minutes, while utilizing five in-flight refuelings. This is the lon­gest flight to date by a bomber of this

type.

May 5 At Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, the Air Force retires the last liquid-fueled Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from active ser­vice. This is the largest ballistic missile fielded by the United States during the Cold War.

May 6 At Sembach Air Base, West Ger­many, the 43rd Electronics Combat Squadron receives the first EC-130H Compass Call aircraft.

JUNE 1 The Special Operations Com­mand is established by the Air Force.

June 10 At the Paris Air Show, France, the B1-B Lancer makes its first European debut.

July 4-September 17 A Rockwell B-1B Lancer piloted by Lieutenant Robert Chamberlain establishes 12 new world records for speed and payload. Another Lancer flown by Major Brent A. Hedgpeth sets an additional 9 speed records. For their efforts, the B-1B Sys­tem Program Office, Air Force Systems Command, wins the Mackay Trophy.

July 17 At Hurlburt Field, Florida, the Air Force Logistics Command delivers the first Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low heli­copter, and it begins operational service within a year. This machine is outfitted for poor weather/nighttime operations and is associated with Special Forces.

July 22—December 21 In the Persian Gulf, Operation earnest will unfolds as Air Force E-3A Sentry aircraft begin rou­tine patrols once the Iran-Iraq War begins spilling over into other countries. More­over, C-5A Galaxy and C-141 Starlifter transports convey mine-sweeping equip­ment to the region, while Air Force tank­ers assist Navy aircraft patrolling the gulf waters.

August 31-September 9 C-130 and

C-141 aircraft deliver 2,511 tons of fire retardant across the coastal regions of Oregon and Northern California, to com­bat a fire consuming 970 square miles.

September 17 A Rockwell B-1B Lancer piloted by Major Brent A. Hedgpeth sets

9 new world records during a five-hour sortie by carrying 66,140 pounds for 3,107 miles and at 655 miles per hour.

SEPTEMBER 24 Over Beijing, China, the Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron entertains a crowd of 20,000 onlookers.

September 28 A severe bird strike brings down the first B-1B during a training mission. The cost to the taxpayers is $100 million.

OCTOBER 1 At Onizuka Air Force Sta­tion, California, the Space Command takes command of the Air Force Satellite Control Network, a set of worldwide remote-tracking stations.

At Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and Clark Air Base, Philippines, the Pacific Air Forces retire their T-33 jet trainers after 32 years of distinguished ser­vice.

NOVEMBER 19 In California, the North-

rop Corporation contracts with the Air Force to design and construct the next generation of stealth aircraft, the B-2. While invisible to radar, projected costs per bomber are $1 billion, making them the most expensive aircraft ever built.

November 24 An air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) is successfully deployed by a B-1B Lancer for the first time.

December 5 Six C-130 Hercules trans­ports from the 374th Tactical Airlift Squadron arrive in Luzon, Philippines, bringing in 34 tons of supplies, clothing, and rice to assist the victims of Typhoon Nina.

January 3—8 In Sri Lanka, a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft delivers a pair of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters follow­ing a destructive tsunami. C-130s also arrive from Japan to convey 145 tons of relief supplies.

MAY 12 At Langley Air Force Base, Vir­ginia, the first operational F-22A Raptor deploys with the 27th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing. This is the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, and incorporates such novel technologies as stealth and “supercruise.”

MARCH 1 The Air Force declares the

MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operational.

MAY 13 Over Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, massed C-17 Globemaster IIIs deploy to Biggs Army Airfield, Texas;

this is also the largest C-17 formation to fly cross-country.

June 16 Captain Nicole Malachowski

joins the Thunderbirds aerobatic team as the first female demonstration pilot ofany U. S. military high-performance jet team.

June 22 Over Southwest Asia, a U-2 aircraft from the 9th Reconnaissance Squadron experiences a catastrophic fail­ure in midair, and crashes; the pilot is killed.

July 29 In Rwanda, Air Force transports redeploy 1,200 soldiers to Sudan on yet the latest UN peacekeeping missions.

AUGUST 23—29 As Hurricane Katrina ravages the Gulf of Mexico, several Air Force bases in its path are evacuated in advance.

September 2 In Washington, D. C., General T. Michael Moseley gains appointment as chief of staff, U. S. Air Force.

September 10 Over Afghanistan, an all­female crew flies their first C-130 combat mission.

September 24 Near Houston, Texas, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) begins flying new GA-8 Airvan aircraft to assess dam­age in the wake of Hurricane Rita.

OCTOBER 15—18 From Langley Air Force Base, Virginia the 27th Fighter Squadron flies its F-22A Raptors to as part of Operation combat hammer at Hill Air Force Base, Utah,. There they drop their first JDAMs on a target range.

September 2 In Washington, D. C., Michael W. Wynne gains appointment as secretary of the Air Force.

NOVEMBER 5 At Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, the first TH-1H Huey train­ing helicopters are deployed.

November-January 2006 At Camp Lemonier, Africa, Air Force C-130s support military exercises as part of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

December 7 In a sign of the times, the new Air Force mission statement includes cyberspace to the existing combat domains of air and space.

December 15 The F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter is declared operational.

FEBRUARY 26 Off the coast of Califor­nia, test pilot George Smith is forced to eject from his F-100 Super Sabre at a speed of Mach 1.7. He is knocked uncon­scious by the blast of 64 g’s while exiting the aircraft, but is safely conveyed to the water by his shredded parachute. Smith is the first man to survive a supersonic ejection.

MARCH 1 At Otis Air Force Base, Maine,

the first operational Lockheed RC-121D airborne early warning platforms begin patrolling the East Coast of the United States.

In Washington, D. C., Trevor Gardner gains appointment as the first secretary of the Air Force for Research and Develop­ment.

MARCH 2 The Boeing Model 367-80 (KC-135) successfully demonstrates its new in-flight refueling system, which departs from the probe-and-drogue sys­tem pioneered by the British.

MARCH 6 In Washington, D. C., Air Force Chief of Staff General Nathan F. Twining announces that the Atlas, Nav – aho, and Snark programs will be acceler­ated in light of recent Soviet advances in missile technology.

April 6 Above Yucca Flat, Nevada, a B-36 bomber releases a nuclear-tipped missile at 42,000 feet, which then climbs six miles before detonating.

April 21 The Air Force launches its first

Aerobee-Hi sounding rocket, which reaches upwards for 123 miles while car­rying a 200-pound payload.

May 2 In Washington, D. C., the Depart­ment of the Air Force gives its nod towards the Western Development Division’s suggestion to construct a sec­ond, more capable type of intercontinen­tal ballistic missile, which emerges as the Titan.

May 10 The Air Force accepts the last of 448 Douglas C-124 Globemaster II trans­ports into active service. This capable craft was known as “Old Shaky” to those who flew it.

Over Schenectady, New York, an experimental GE XJ-79 turbojet engine is test flown in the belly of a RB-45C air­craft. The J-79 engine goes on to power an entire generation of Air Force fighters and bombers.

May 15 The governments of the United States and Canada agree on the details of a major construction project to build the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line. This consists of a series of radar sites across the northern hemisphere that will detect any incoming Soviet bomber aircraft.

June 11 At Wright-Patterson Air Force

Base, Ohio, an experimental F-80C fighter partially constructed of magne­sium alloys is used to test the strength and weight of new aviation alloys.

The first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile is test fired for the first time. This liquid-fueled weapon is capable of accu­rately hitting a target several thousand miles away with a nuclear warhead.

June 29 At Castle Air Force Base, Cali­fornia, the 93rd Bombardment Wing accepts delivery of the first production B – 52 Stratofortress.

July 1 Dr. S. J. Gerathewohl is tasked by the Air Force with directing a research program on weightlessness. He initiates airborne parabolic flight profiles that tem­porarily induce zero-gravity conditions while descending.

July 11 At Lowry Air Force Base, Colo­

rado, the first class of the U. S. Air Force Academy, consisting of 306 students, gathers for initial instruction.

July 20 The NB-36H Peacemaker research aircraft goes aloft for the first time, but the nuclear reactor it carries remains inactivated.

AUGUST 1 Lockheed F-80s and T-33s conduct the first zero-gravity research flight involving parabolic flight profiles.

AUGUST 4 At Groom Lake, central Nevada, the top secret Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft flies for the first time.

In China, the Communist government releases the crew of the B-29 Stardust 40; they had been held in captivity since being shot down over North Korea on January 13, 1953. They have been held prisoner longer than any other captives from this conflict.

AUGUST 8 Over California, a Bell X-1A explodes prior to being dropped by a B-29 mother ship; pilot Joseph A. Walker manages to escape the crippled craft, which is then released from the bomb bay.

AUGUST 20 Over the Mojave Desert, California, an F-100 Super Sabre piloted by Colonel Horace A. Hanes, who is also the director of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, set a world speed record of 822.1 miles per hour at high altitude. He consequently wins the Mackay Trophy.

OCTOBER 5 Boeing contracts with the Air Force to construct an initial batch of 29 KC-135 tanker aircraft, although over 700 will ultimately be acquired.

OCTOBER 20 At Biggs Air Force Base, Texas, the last Boeing B-50 Superfortress is finally retired from the 97th Bombard­ment Wing.

October 22 The Republic XF-105 prototype flies for the first time and breaks the sound barrier during its maiden flight. It enters service as the F-105 Thunderchief and serves with distinction throughout the Vietnam War.

November 8—14 Because President Dwight D. Eisenhower has pronounced the acquisition ofICBMs and IRBMs as the nation’s highest priority, the Air Force proffers streamlined procedures for their development and adoption.

November 18 Over California, the Bell X-2 research plane drops from an EB – 50A mothership with Lieutenant Colonel Frank Everest at the controls. On this ini­tial flight it reaches Mach 0.95, or 627 miles per hour.

December 10 The Ryan X-13 Vertijet makes its maiden flight. While designed for vertical lift-off, it is fitted with conventional landing gear for its initial foray and makes a conventional flight profile.

JANUARY 5 In Washington, D. C., President Richard M. Nixon declares that $5.5 billion has been budgeted for the new space shuttle program.

FEBRUARY 17 At Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, a VC-137 Stratoliner from the 89th Military Airlift Wing con­veys President Richard M. Nixon on his historic mission to Beijing, China.

February 20 In Illinois, an HC-130H Hercules sets a new world record by fly­ing in from Taiwan during a nonstop, unrefueled flight.

MARCH 30 In Washington, D. C., the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) authorizes 1,800 B-52 sorties throughout Southeast Asia. This total is up 600 sorties from a previous directive issued on February 8.

The massive Communist “Easter Offensive” erupts across South Vietnam as 40,000 North Vietnamese troops, backed by 400 tanks, attacks through the Central Highlands. They are largely halted by Air Force and Navy aircraft.

April 6 In light of the Communist offen­sive in South Vietnam, Air Force and Navy aircraft resume their bombardment of North Vietnam for the first time since 1968.

April 7 In South Vietnam, General John W. Vogt, Jr., gains appointment as head of the Seventh Air Force.

April 7—May 13 In South Vietnam, Operation constant guard unfolds as 200 Air Force aircraft, stationed stateside, arrive to help contain the Communist Easter Offensive.

April 16—27 Apollo 16 becomes the fifth successful lunar expedition as Air Force astronaut Charles Duke, Jr., and Navy astronaut John Young re­main a record 71 hours on the moon’s surface.

April 27 Over North Vietnam, Air Force warplanes use 2,000-pound laser – guided Paveway I “smart bombs” against the Thanh Hoa Bridge, dropping several spans. Previously, 850 conventional attacks failed to seriously damage this structure.

MAY 5 The new Pave PAWS system becomes operational, being specifically design to detect incoming, sea-launched ballistic missiles.

MAY 10-October 23 The Fairchild YA-10 prototype, conceived as a heavily armed and armored close support aircraft, flies for the first time; in January 1973 it enters production as the A-10 Thunder­bolt II.

Over North Vietnam, Operation free­dom train commences as the Air Force resumes full-scale aerial attacks against military and economic targets. Early on, the name is changed to Operation line­backer i. At one point in the campaign, F-4 Phantoms from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing knock out Hanoi’s Paul Doumer Bridge with precision-guided bombs.

May 13 Over North Vietnam, 14 F-4 Phantoms drop laser-guided and conven­tional ordnance against the Thanh Hoa Bridge, dropping several spans and ren­dering it useless for rail traffic for several months.

JUNE 11 Over Hanoi, North Vietnam, laser-guided bombs dropped by B-52s destroy a major hydroelectric plant.

JUNE 29 In Quang Tri Province, an A-10 Bronco piloted by Captain Steve L. Bennett, 20th Tactical Air Support Squad­ron, attacks enemy units preparing to ambush friendly forces, despite the fact that no other air support is available. After his plane is shot, Bennett orders his observer to bail out, but he dies in an attempt to ditch in some nearby water; he receives a post­humous Congressional Medal of Honor.

July 26 Rockwell International is declared to be the prime contractor to build a fleet of space shuttles for NASA.

July 27 The McDonnell Douglas YF – 15A air superiority fighter performs its maiden flight; it enters production as the F-15 Eagle.

August 11 The Northrop F-5E Tiger II prototype is flown for the first time; this is
a single-seat, armed version of the T-38 Talon trainer.

August 28 Over North Vietnam, Cap­tains Richard S. Ritchie and Charles DeBellevue shoots down their fifth MiG-21, becoming the first Air Force aces of this war.

SEPTEMBER 9 Over North Vietnam, weapons systems operator Captain Charles DeBellevue downs his sixth MiG-21, becoming the highest-scoring ace of the war.

SEPTEMBER 11 Over North Vietnam, Air Force fighter-bombers drop precision – guided weapons on the Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, destroying it.

OCTOBER 2 At Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, an Atlas-Burner launch rocket carries two satellites aloft: Space Test Program 72-1, to measure radiation effects in space, and Radcat, a passive radar and optical calibration target.

OCTOBER 13 Over North Vietnam, weapons officer Captain Jeffrey S. Fein – stein shoots down his fifth MiG, becom­ing the final Air Force ace of the war. Feinstein, Richard S. Ritchie, and Charles B. DeBellevue all win the Mackay Trophy.

NOVEMBER 22 Over North Vietnam, a B-52 is damaged by a Communist SA- 2 missile and the crew manages to eject over Thailand; this is the first heavy bomber lost.

December 1 Colonel and astronaut Thomas P. Stafford is promoted to briga­dier general in the Air Force, aged 42 years.

DECEMBER 18—29 Over North Vietnam, Operation linebacker II kicks into effect in order to bring North Vietnam back to the Paris peace talks. All told, 741 B-52 sorties are flown, along with 796 flak sup­pression missions; 15 B-52s are downed, along with 2 F – 111s, 3 F-4s, 2 A-7s, 2 A-6s (Navy), 1 EB-66, 1 HH-53, and 1 RA-5C (Navy). On the first day of the attack, B-52 gunner Sergeant Samuel O. Turner downs a MiG-21 as it tries to attack.

DECEMBER 24 Over North Vietnam, B – 52 gunner Airman First Class Albert E. Moore shoots down the second MiG-21 scored in this fashion.

JANUARY 1 Mixed male/female teams to serve as Minuteman and Peacekeeper strategic missile crews are allowed by the Strategic Air Command (SAC) for the first time.

JANUARY 20 At Palmdale, California, the 100th Rockwell B-1B Lancer strategic bomber rolls off the assembly line. This is also the last example acquired.

JANUARY 25—28 In Manila, the Philip­pines, two C-5 Galaxy transports from the 60th Military Airlift Wing arrive with 102 tons of medical supplies to refresh the stocks of Americares, a private relief organization.

February 19-22 A C-141 of the 86th Military Airlift Wing conveys 50 tons of construction materials to repair housing in the Marshall Islands, recently battered by Typhoon Roy.

MARCH 16-28 In Honduras, Operation golden pheasant unfolds as Air Force transports convey 3,200 Army troops to counter Nicaraguan Sandinista threats to the region.

APRIL In Panama, 8 C-5 Galaxies and 22 C-141 Starlifters from the Military Airlift Command (MAC) convey 1,300 security specialists once political instability threat­ens the safety of Americans living there.

April 17-July 23 A C-5A Galaxy piloted by Captain Michael Eastman of the 436th Military Airlift Wing delivers nuclear test monitoring equipment to the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan. This is in support of joint verification experi­ments, and Eastman wins the Mackay Trophy for the efforts.

April 18 In the Persian Gulf, Air Force tankers actively refuel Navy aircraft during a confrontation with Iranian naval forces.

April 30 At McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, the final Rockwell B-1B Lancer arrives with the 384th Bombardment Squadron.

May At Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, C-5 Galaxy transports convey 73 tons of relief supplies to Islamabad, Pakistan, to assist refugees fleeing the onset of civil war in neighboring Afghanistan.

June 2—August 11 Sectarian warfare in

southern Sudan prompts transports of the 60th and 436th Miliary Airlift Wings to convey 70 tons of plastic sheeting for shelters, along with food and medical supplies.

July 7 The last F-106 Delta Darts are ordered dropped from the Air Force inventory after three decades of distin­guished service.

August 1 The last three F-106 Delta Darts are retired by the 177th Fighter Group; many surviving aircraft end up as remote-controlled target drones.

August 15—28 Air Force C-5 Galaxies from the Military Airlift Command (MAC) fly in 500 UN peacekeepers to help monitor a cease-fire between Turkey and Iraq.

August 22-October 6 At Yellow­stone National Park, the Military Airlift Command (MAC) transports 4,000 firefighters and 2,500 tons of equipment directly into a raging fire zone. Other transports, fitted with spraying equip­ment, apply flame retardant over thou­sands of acres.

August 25—31 In Somalia, a C-141 Starlifter belonging to the 41st Military Airlift Squadron delivers a 200-bed emer­gency hospital weighing 200 tons, after the onset of civil war creates an acute ref­ugee problem.

AUGUST 28 On the island of Sao Tome off the west coast of Africa, a C-141 Star – lifter from the 20th Military Airlift Squadron delivers 29 tons of medical sup­plies and hospital equipment to various facilities.

September Over Seoul, South Korea, an Air Force E-3A Sentry aircraft, escorted by fighters, patrols the airspace above the peninsula to deter any North Korean aggression during the Olympic games there.

September 10—15 In Bangladesh, no less than four Airlift Wings—the 60th, 62nd, 63rd, and 436th—bring 100 million tons of humanitarian supplies to the victims after catastrophic flooding leaves 28 mil­lion people homeless.

September 29 At Cape Canaveral, Florida, Discovery is launched into orbit under Air Force Colonel Richard O. Covey. This comes two-and-a-half years after the Challenger space shuttle dis­aster.

OCTOBER 25 At Marikina, Philippines, severe flooding results in two HH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters from the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squad­ron (ASSR) saving 27 stranded residents over an eight-hour period.

NOVEMBER 9 At Niamey, Niger, the 709th Military Airlift Squadron dis­patches a C-5 Galaxy with a mobile den­tal clinic and two ambulances at the behest of the U. S. State Department.

November 10 The existence of the Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk is made known to the public. This light bom­ber employs the smallest radar cross­section of any aircraft at the time, and is virtually invisible to radar. The Air Force acquires 59 F-117s at $42.6 million apiece.

November 16—30 At Dakar, Senegal, aircraft of the 60th, 63rd, 437th, and 438th Military Airlift Wings deliver tons of insecticide to thwart major locust infestations.

NOVEMBER 22 At Palmdale, California, the new Northrop B-2 Spirit bomber is made public; it is reputedly invisible to radar, and also costs a whopping $1 billion per aircraft. The Air Force seeks to acquire 132 such aircraft as its front-line bomber.

November 29 The 60th and final KC – 10 Extender is delivered to the Air Force. This newest version employs wing – mounted refueling pods to complement the traditional, centerline boom.

December 12 In the Pacific Ocean, the 33rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (ARRS) dispatches a helicopter that saves 11 passengers on a life raft once their vessel sank. They are flown to Clark Air Base for treatment.

JANUARY 14 At the San Antonio Mon­ster Jam, Texas, the Air Force enters a monster truck christened Afterburner in a car-smashing contest; it loses to the equally huge competitor Grave Digger.

JANUARY 15 Over northwest Pakistan, a U. S. air strike in the Bajaur tribal region, intended for al-Qaeda second-in­command Ayman al-Zawahiri, kills sev­eral terrorists along with 18 civilians.

FEBRUARY 8 At Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, the first C-17 Globemaster III deploys to that state.

FEBRUARY 22—25 During a three-day aerial exercise off Okinawa, Japan, four F-15s of the 18th Fighter Wing simulta­neously target and fire at aerial decoys for the first time.

MARCH 20 The Air Force deploys the first of its CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor air­craft. Unlike the Marine Corps version, this variant is outfitted for special operations.

MARCH 22 At Davis-Monthan Force Base, Arizona, A-10 Thunderbolt IIs arrive for “Hawgsmoke 2006,” an annual ground support exercise.

JUNE Former astronaut Susan J. Helms takes command of the 45th Space Wing as a newly minted brigadier general.

JUNE 7 Near Baqubah, Iraq, an air strike by two Air Force F-16s kills terrorist ringleader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at his hiding place. The raid was directed by nearby Special Forces.

June 30 In Washington, D. C., Chief Master Sergeant Rodney J. McKinley gains appointment as chief master ser­geant of the Air Force.

OCTOBER 14 In Arlington, Virginia, cer­emonies mark the dedication of the new Air Force Memorial.

DECEMBER 15 The Lockheed Martin F – 35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter per­forms its maiden flight.