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
After my 3 years at MAC, I got my shot at Viet Nam!
I was assigned to the 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom Thailand (NKP) and attended the pilot’s “Jungle Survival” School in the Philippines to be come eligible to fly combat. Because I was Deputy Wing Commander for Logistics (Aircraft Maintenance and Supply), I was able to fly only 20 combat missions. 17 in the small reconnaissance QU-22B, and 1 mission in the OV-10A Forward Air Control airplane, the A-1H Propeller Fighter Bomber and the AC-119 K Gun Ship…and a couple of flights in the CH-3 and 53 helicopters. (Not the “HH” rescue versions.)
After completing that one year tour I was sent back to Norton as Deputy Wing Commander for Logistics.
The rules had changed and the Air Force wouldn’t let O-6s fly any more unless they occupied a flying position…which I did not! So, then came retirement!