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.

JANUARY 15 Army Lieutenants Joseph E. Carberry and Arthur C. Christie set a two-man altitude record by reaching 11,690 feet in a Curtiss 100 tractor biplane; they remain aloft an hour and 13 minutes doing so.

Over San Diego, California, Army Lieutenant B. Q. Jones sets a one-man endurance record by flying 8 hours, 53 minutes in a Martin T biplane. He consequently receives a Mackay Trophy for the effort.

FEBRUARY 19 Dr. Robert H. Goddard begins experimenting with Coston signal rockets, which are propelled by solid fuel, in order to measure their thrust and efficiency.

MARCH 3 In Washington, D. C., Congress creates the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA). This is the first government organization dedicated to advancing the state of avia­tion research and technology.

MARCH 4 In Washington, D. C., Congress allocates $300,000 for Army aviation during fiscal year 1916.

MARCH 12 Flying a Burgess-Renault biplane, Lieutenant Byron Q. Jones and Corporals Carl T. Hale and Robert H. Houser set a three-man endurance record of seven hours and five minutes.

April 13 Lieutenants Thomas D. Milling and B. Q. Jones are detached from the 1st Aero Squadron and ordered to deploy along the Mexican border with a single airplane to find the location of bandit leader Francisco “Pancho” Villa.

APRIL 20 Along the Mexican border, a single plane piloted by Lieutenants Thomas D. Milling and B. Q. Jones of the 1st Aero Squadron fly the army’s first combat reconnaissance mission.

April 23 In Washington, D. C., Brigadier

General George P. Scriven gains ap­pointment as chairman of the National Advisory Council for Aeronautics (NACA).

MAY 20 The Curtiss JN-2 is selected by Army Aviation Service as the first mass – produced aircraft in the United States. It will also outfit the embryonic 1st Aero Squadron.

July 3 Above San Diego, California, Lieutenant Byron Q. Jones is the first army pilot to successfully loop and stall his aircraft without crashing.

July 6 At North Island, California, Cap­tain V. E. Clark arrives for duty; he is the first air officer to receive a doctorate in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

July 12 Aviation mechanic examination requirements are adopted by the Signal Corps.

July 26 At San Diego, California, the 1st Aero Squadron under Captain Benjamin F. Foulois begins transferring its eight Curtiss JN-2 airplanes by rail to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to participate in observations experiments with the Field Artillery School there.

July 29 At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the 1st Aero Squadron transfers from August, Georgia, under Captain Benjamin D. Foulois. A crew and aircraft are sub­sequently flown to Brownsville, Texas, to support the Army’s border patrol efforts.

October 13 At Selfridge Field, Michigan, Lieutenant T. J. Koenig flies a LePere-Liberty 400 to victory in the Lib­erty Engine Builder’s Trophy Race with a top speed of 128.8 miles per hour.

NOVEMBER 1 In Mineola, New York, the 1st Aero Company, New York

National Guard, organizes under Captain Raynal C. Bolling. This is the first National Guard aviation unit and consists of four officers, forty enlisted men, and seven aircraft. The latter have been loaned by the New York City Aero Club.

November 18-19 At Fort Sill,

Oklahoma, six Curtiss JN-3s of the Army Air Service begin the first squadron-level cross-country flight, which ends at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 429 miles distant.

December 11 At San Diego, California, the Signal Corps Aviation School hosts four Portuguese Army officers; these are the first foreign pilots trained in the United States.

December 19 At Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the 1st Aero Squadron flies six Curtiss JN-3s in from Fort Sill, Oklahoma; this is also the first cross-country flight by an entire aviation unit.

JANUARY 9 In Washington, D. C., Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur and Chief of Naval Operations William V. Pratt agree to allow the Army Air Corps to monopolize coastal defenses, while the Navy remains free to concentrate on carrier aviation and mobile air operations at sea.

FEBRUARY 15 At Selfridge Field, Michi­gan, the first nighttime deployment of aircraft unfolds when 19 planes take off, navigate nocturnally, then land safely at Bolling Field, Washington, D. C.

May 9 The War Department approves

reproduction of the A-2 leather flying jacket as stand issue for aviators.

May 21—30 Brigadier General Benjamin D. Foulois directs a massive aerial training exercise, involving 667 aircraft and 1,400 crew members, as it commences across the nation. Every manner of aerial opera­tion, including pursuit, bombardment, and observation, is successfully con­ducted; Foulois receives the Mackay Tro­phy for directing these ambitious maneuvers.

MAY 27 At Langley Field, Virginia, Army and NACA personnel construct the nation’s first full-scale wind tunnel for testing full-size aircraft.

July 15-31 Maxwell Field, Montgom­ery, Alabama, becomes the new site of the Air Corps Tactical School. It becomes a hotbed of new air power theories throughout the ensuing decade. Foremost among them is the notion oflong-range, daylight strategic missions employing

precision bombing techniques. This becomes the backbone of American aerial strategy during World War II.

July 29 At Tokyo, Japan, Colonel Charles Lindbergh, accompanied by his wife, flies a Lockheed Sirius in from New York in one of the earliest transpa­cific flights.

AUGUST 11 At Maxwell Field, Alabama, Major John Curry gains appointment as commander of the Air Corps Tactical School.

September 4 A Laird Racer flown by Lieutenant James H. Doolittle wins the first Bendix Transcontinental Race by flying from Los Angeles, California, to Cleveland, Ohio, in 9 hours and 10 minutes. He then refuels and contin­ues on to Newark, New Jersey,
completing a coast-to-coast flight in only 11 hours and 16 minutes. Doolittle refuels again, returns to Cleveland to claim his trophy, then flies into St. Louis, Missouri, and home.

NOVEMBER 1 At Randolph Field, Texas, the aviation school enrolls its first class of 198 students, which includes members from West Point, the enlisted ranks, and civilian candidates.

DECEMBER 18 Over Hawaii, a glider flown by Lieutenant William A. Cooke sets an airborne record of 21 hours, 34 minutes, and 15 seconds.

December 19 In Washington, D. C., Major General Benjamin D. Foulois gains appointment as commander of the Army Air Corps.

he popular expression “Wild Blue Yonder” conjures up imagery of fleets of American warplanes, invincible in combat and in seemingly end­less abundance. However, such popular notions belie the relatively humble origins of the U. S. Air Force, and its forebears. American military aviation is rooted in the U. S. Army Signal Corps, which operated reconnaissance balloons during the Civil War. It was not until airplanes became tech­nologically feasible that the Signal Corps Aeronautical Division manifested in 1907, which, in turn, gave way to the Signal Corps Aviation Section in 1917. However, the United States had fallen far behind Europe in terms of military aviation by the advent of World War I, and it was not until May 1918 that the U. S. Army Air Service arose to manage the 10-fold increase in machines and personnel. Despite this shaky start, the Air Service acquitted itself well in combat, downing 756 enemy aircraft and 76 balloons at a cost of 289 aircraft, 48 bal­loons, and 237 crewmen. Success here stimulated cries for an independent air force, free of army control, and of which General William G. “Billy” Mitchell was the most vocal proponent.

Over the next decade a series of aviation boards and studies concluded that American air power merited greater recognition as a quasi-independent arm, so in 1926 the Army Air Corps was born. Despite a lack of funding brought on by the Depression era, America airmen managed to make signifi­cant technological and doctrinal strides with a number of historic flights, and new institu­tions such as the Air Corps Tactical School. Among the most significant creations was the General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ), which enjoyed a measure of autonomy from the Army and formed the kernel of American strategic bombing. By 1941, the inadequacies of the Army Air Corps forced it to give way to the new Army Air Forces (AAF), whereby commander General Henry “Hap” Arnold enjoyed coequal status and recognition with leaders of traditional ground forces. The war was also a turning point in American aviation history, for the AAF emerged as a conquer­ing force of 1.2 million men and 160,000 airplanes, unprecedented in the annals of warfare. Significantly, AAF B-29s named Enola Gay and Bock’s Car ushered in a defin­ing moment in human history by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, and heralding the dawn of nuclear warfare.

The dream of an independent air arm was finally realized in 1947 when the U. S. Air Force emerged through the National Secu­rity Act of that year. The new organization performed splendidly during the Korean War, 1950-1953, the West’s first challenge of the Cold War, and by decade’s end had pioneered the development and deployment of new Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, despite more capable aircraft and heroic sacrifices, the Air Force proved unable to materially change the course of events in the Vietnam War, or its collateral theaters in Laos and Cambodia. Thereafter, the Air Force concentrated on the acquisition of even more modern weapons systems, lavish in price and capabilities in combat, and proved itself capable of neutralizing the threat posed by the mighty Red Air Force. Ironically, its greatest challenge was mounted not by the Soviet Union but rather Iraq, during its invasion of neighboring Kuwait. The Air Force proved itself up to the challenge of defeating this modern, up-to-date adversary in an aerial campaign lasting 39 days, which enabled Operation desert storm to triumph in only 100 hours on the ground. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, the Air Force has continued displaying its global flexibility and capacities in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, all of which reinforce its reputation as a high-tech, unbeatable adversary, and

America’s first line of defense in the war against terrorism.

This chronology is an attempt to capture the impressive historical sweep of the U. S. Air Force, and its antecedents, in a single volume. To that end, all important conflicts and personages are covered to properly con­textualize military events at the time they occurred. Great care is also taken to mention important laws, military texts, schools, weapons systems, and occasional political developments affecting military affairs. Overall, this book should sketch out for lay readers the growth and maturation of American military aviation, while the detailed bibliography ofthe latest scholarship points the way to subsequent inquiries. It will also afford prospective researchers a workable time frame, or stepping-off point, from which they can investigate events and personalities of interest. The author would like to thank editors Padraic Carlin and Andy McCormick for their support and advice in compiling what the author hopes is a useful and relevant addition to any library shelf, public or private.

—-John C. Fredriksen, Ph. D.

June 18 In Virginia, Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe sends the first aerial telegraph message from a balloon tethered to the vessel Enterprise.

September 24 Over Washington, D. C., Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe flies a balloon 1,000 feet across the Potomac

River; his messages assist Union gunners bombarding Confederate positions in Virginia.

OCTOBER 1 The U. S. Army establishes a Balloon Corps, which musters fifty men and five balloons. This is the first forma­tion of its kind in military history.

1916 Posted by admin in AIRFORCE on November 9, 2015 JANUARY 5 In the Philippine Islands, the 1st Company, 2nd Aero Squadron deploys as the first complete aviation unit assigned outside the United States. January 17 The United States verges on the cusp of war with Germany, yet the Army Air Service only boasts 49 per­sonnel and 25 aircraft. By the end of 1918 they will possess 19,068 aircraft, but the bulk of these are obtained from either France or England. MARCH 15 At Columbus, New Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron under Captain Benjamin D. Foulois begins readying pilots and equipment to support General John J. Pershing in Mexico. This is the first American tactical air unit committed to military operations in the field and it operates a handful ofunderpowered Cur­tiss JN-2 biplanes. MARCH 16 Over Mexico, a Curtiss JN-2 makes aviation history’s first recorded reconnaissance flight. MARCH 21 In France, the French Air Service authorizes creation of the Esca – drille Americaine, better known as the Lafayette Escadrille, to recruit volunteer pilots from the United States. MARCH 27 The 1st Aero Squadron under Captain Benjamin D. Foulois begins making routine mail and dispatch flights for General John J. Pershing’s Punitive Expedition. April 2 In San Diego, California, Colonel William Glassford arrives to take charge of the Signal Corps Aviation School at Rockwell Field. April 3 Command of the Aeronautics Division, Signal Corps, passes to Captain William “Billy” Mitchell. April 5 At San Geronimo, Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron establishes a base camp for closer cooperation with ground units commanded by General John J. Pershing. April 7 Over Chihuahua City, Mexico, Lieutenant Herbert A. Dargue and Captain Benjamin D. Foulois are fired upon as they deliver dispatches to the U. S. Consul; this is the first American airplane to receive hostile fire. April 16 At Luxeuil-les-Bains (Vosages), France, the Escadrille Americaine forms from American volunteer pilots and becomes part of the French Aeronautique Militaire. It sees extensive service in skies over the Western Front and, that December, it is renamed the Lafayette Escadrille after famed Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette. April 20 In France, Sergeant Major Elliot Cowdin is the first American avia­tor to receive the Medaille Militaire. May 18 Over Thann, Alsace Region, France, Sergeant Kiffin Yates Rockwell of the Escadrille Americaine downs a German observer craft; this is the first aer­ial enemy kill by an American pilot. May 20 Lieutenant Colonel George O. Squier assumes command of the Aviation Section, Signal Corps. June 3 In Washington, D. C., Congress passes the National Defense Act, which greatly enlarges the Signal Corps Aviation Section beyond its present 60 officers and 260 enlisted men. June 18 Over Verdun, France, aviator H. Clyde Balsley becomes the first American shot down while flying with the Esca – drille Americaine. The French air com­mander subsequently flies to his airfield and presents the seriously wounded aviator with a Military Medal and a War Cross. June 23 Near Verdun, France, pilot Victor Emmanuel Chapman, flying with the Escadrille Americaine in France, is the first American pilot killed in World War I. Previously, Chapman had been shot down seven times in six weeks and also claimed four German kills. July 13 At Mineola, New York, the 1st Aero Company, New York National Guard, mobilizes for service along the Mexican border. They are not deployed; however, they are the first National Guard air unit requisitioned into federal service. AUGUST 28 Major Benjamin D. Foulois reports that his 1st Aero Squadron, despite severe operational conditions, managed to complete 540 reconnaissance flights, covering 19,533 miles and staying aloft for 346 hours without serious mishap. August 29 In Washington, D. C., Congress appropriates $14 million for use by the Signal Corps to pursue military aeronautics. NACA also receives $82,500 to construct a large aeronautical labora­tory at Langley Field, Virginia. SEPTEMBER 2 Over North Island, Cali­fornia, two Signal Corps aircraft, flown by Lieutenants William A. Robertson and Herbert A. Drague, successfully exchange radiotelegraph messages in flight at a distance of two miles. September 6 Army aircraft test drop the first fragmentation bomb. September 13 In San Diego, California, the first aeronautics course for field officers is founded at the Signal Corps Aviation School. OCTOBER 11 In Washington, D. C., the secretaries of War and the Navy agree to create a joint Aeronautics Board to evalu­ate the requirements for lighter-than-air machines. November 18-20 At Mineola, New York, seven Curtiss JN-4s ofNew York’s 1st Aero Company fly to Princeton, New Jersey, and back under Captain Raynal C. Bolling. They are there to attend a foot­ball game but also manage to showcase their cross-country flying ability to the public. December 20 The Army’s new Balloon School is instituted at Fort Omaha, Nebraska. DECEMBER 22 Elmer B. Sperry files a patent application for his “aerial tor­pedo,” an unmanned airplane piloted by one of his gyrostabilizers. December 30 North of Hampton, Virginia, the Army establishes a new aviation school; it is now Langley Air Force Base, the Air Force’s oldest active base. « Previous 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 … 10 Next » Tweet Copyright © 2024 Aviation – airports, aircraft, helicopters … - Everything about aviation. Aviation News from around the world. Commercial and General Aviation, airports, airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft.