Death of Billy Mitchell
On February 19, 1936, Billy Mitchell died in New York City. He’s often considered the father of the United States Air Force, having dedicated much of his career promoting air power in warfare.
Air Force
Happy Birthday Chuck Yeager
The first person to break the sound barrier, Chuck Yeager was born on February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia. He was also a WWII dogfighter and commanded fighter squadrons in Vietnam.
Happy Birthday Lucky Lindy!
Aviation pioneer Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902, in Detroit, Michigan. He was the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean and helped to promote and expand aviation and airmail.
Happy Birthday George Marshall
Army general and statesman George C. Marshall was born on December 31, 1880. His leadership was instrumental in several conflicts and his plan helped Europe recover from World War II.
Battle of Khe Sanh
On January 21, 1968, one of the most controversial and highly publicized battles of the Vietnam War began at Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) in South Vietnam.
Birth of Richard Byrd
Richard Evelyn Byrd was born on October 25, 1888, in Winchester, Virginia. Byrd led three Antarctic expeditions and was the US Navy’s youngest admiral at the time.
First Supersonic Flight
On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier. He reached a speed of 700 miles per hour and accelerated past Mach 1 – the speed of sound.
First U.S. Stamp with Scrambled Indicia
On September 18, 1997, the USPS issued the US Air Force stamp, the first US stamp to have a hidden image using Scrambled Indicia.
NASA Unveils Enterprise
On September 17, 1976, America’s first space shuttle, the Enterprise, made its debut public appearance.