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
Richard John Cowell enlisted in the USAF and was assigned as a pilot to the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron/35th Tactical Fighter Wing/7th Air Force out of Phan Range AB, Vietnam.
On June 13, 1967, Capt Cowell’s F-100D #56-3384 was hit by anti-aircraft artillery 21 miles West of Kam Duc. He was recovered and pronounced dead at Chu Lai Airbase of wounds received in action.
Richard is buried at Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. This is a National American Cemetery administered through the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. He is also memorialized on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 13w, Line 102.
Sources: Honorstates.org;vvfm.org; coffeltdatabase.com; findagrave.com
