10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and
1Lt Mark Constant Chenis was born in Fairfield, CT on November 10, 1944. In October of 1968, he was serving with the 7th Air Force, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Phan Rang AB, Vietnam.
On 17 October 1968, Chenis was flying F-100 #553661 when he attempted to abort his takeoff. The airplane overran the runway and crashed. Mark was KIA.
He is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC, with his name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 41w, Line 68, and is buried at the Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, CT.
