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
Col. Bergman entered the Air Force in December 1954, completing Basic Military Training at Samson Air Base NY. He was selected to attend Aviation Cadet Training, graduating in 1956 as a 2nd Lieutenant with a Radar Observer rating.
His next assignments were to Goose AB Labrador and Otis AFB, MA. Bergman then attended Pilot Training, earning his wings at Laredo AFB, TX in 1961. He completed advanced Fighter Training in the F100 Super Sabre at Luke AFB, AZ, with follow-on assignments to Germany, Vietnam, and Nellis AFB, NV.
After completing Air Command and Staff College in 1968, Col. Bergman was assigned to Tactical Air Command Headquarters at Langley AFB, VA to participate in the development of the F15 Eagle. In 1971 he was assigned to Edwards AFB CA as a test pilot for the initial flight tests of the F15. In 1974 he transferred to Luke AFB to direct operational testing, completing some 200 hours of test flights in the F15.
He attended Air War College at Maxwell AFB, AL, and in 1976 was again assigned to Langley AFB. In 1979 he was assigned to Davis Monthan AFB, AZ, and served as Commander of the 355th Tactical Training Wing flying the A10 Thunderbolt II.
Col. Bergman retired in 1981. His decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and fourteen Air Medals.
Source: https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/arthur-j-bergman
