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
Al Gatto began his military career with the Marines right after high school. He was sent to Camp Lejeune with orders to attend carpentry school but his interest in demolition called him to volunteer for Bomb Disposal. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, California then started a tour of duty with the Seventh Engineer Battalion/First Marine Air Wing at K-3 in Pohang, Korea in October of 1951.
When the Vietnam War escalated he served with the Ninth Infantry Division as a forward air controller, flying the O-1 Bird Dog.
His F-100 years would come later when he flew with the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
