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
Major Dawson was a member of the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He had served his country during the Korean War before being deployed to Vietnam.
On March 23, 1966, he was the pilot of an F-100F Super Sabre #58-1212 on a SAM mission during “Iron Hand” near Vinh North Vietnam, when his aircraft crashed and he was killed, considered missing. Also in the aircraft was Captain Donald E Clark Jr.
Major Dawson’s remains were recovered on September 30, 1977 and identified on October 25, 1977. He has been laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
