This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

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

Guenther, Elmer W., Jr.

Elmer W. Guenther, Jr.

Preferred Name: Gus

Date of Birth: February 9, 1932

Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel

Hometown: Versailles, MO

I enjoyed the year of combat in the F 100 and considered it my best assignment.

Units Assigned

1952 Aviation Cadet 54 ABC, Lackland AFB (Pre-Flight)
1953 Kinston, NC Primary (PA 18, T-6)
1953 Greenville, Miss (T-28)
1953 James Connelley AFB, Waco, TX (T-33)
1954 Lead-in gunnery training, Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX (AT-33)
1954 Gunnery school, Luke AFB, AZ (F-84 E/G)
1954 Air and Ground Controller, K-47/K-55 Korea (T-6)
1955 Itazuke AFB, Japan (F-86F)
1957 Tinker AFB, OK (F 84, F-100)
1959 Instructor Pilot, Luke AFB, AZ (F 100)
1962 Dhahran AFB, Saudi Arabia (F-86F)
1963 Instructor & instructor upgrading, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
1967-1968 Phan Rang AFB, Vietnam (F-100 – 317 combat missions)
1968-1971 Luke AFB, AZ (F-100 & Staff Puke)
1971-1973 Davis Monthan AFB, AZ (A-7D)
1973-1976 Logistics staff officer, Langley AFB, MD
1976-1979 Selfridge ANGB (F-100, A-7D)
1979-1983 9th AF Director of Reserve Force Readiness, Shaw AFB, SC (A-10)

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster

Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters

Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star

Flight Info

PA-18
T-6
T-28
T-33
F-84 E/G
F-86 F
F-100
A-7 D
A-10

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

College BS Degree