First US Airmail by Balloon
On August 17, 1859, the first airmail in the United States was carried by balloon in Indiana, from Lafayette to Crawfordsville. Of the 123 letters sent by balloon mail, only about 23 are known to still exist.
Flight
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Graf Zeppelin Begins Round-The-World Journey From New Jersey
On August 8, 1929, the Graf Zeppelin departed the airfield in Lakehurst, New Jersey, to return 21 days later. The popularity of this trip created “Zeppelin Mania” and inspired several later flights.
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Wright Brothers Set Flight Record
On July 27, 1909, Orville Wright flew a plane a record one hour and 12 minutes. Nearly six years after their first historic powered airplane flight, the Wright brothers put their flight technology to the test, playing a major role in getting America’s Army airborne.
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First American Woman in Space
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. She was the third woman overall, after Soviet cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya.
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Allies Win Battle of Midway
On June 7, 1942, the Allies won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific, turning the tide of the war. It’s been called “the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare.”
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First Transatlantic Flight
On May 16, 1919, Albert Cushing Read departed Newfoundland, beginning the first transatlantic flight. On May 27, he touched down in Portugal, successfully crossing the Atlantic.
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Discovery of the Inverted Jenny
On May 14, 1918, stamp collector William Robey discovered the rare Inverted Jenny error sheet. One of the most famous US stamp errors, he found the only known sheet to reach public hands.
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First Flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour
On May 7, 1992, the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarked on its first mission, STS-49. America’s fifth and final operational shuttle, it would go on to fly 122,883,151 miles and spend 299 days in space.
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Opening of Seattle World’s Fair
On April 21, 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair, also known as the Century 21 Exposition, opened to the public. The fair’s themes of space and the future helped to make it a tremendous success – one of the few to turn a profit.
