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
Capt. Charles J. Manske was an F100 pilot assigned to the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam. Captain Manske entered the U.S. Air Force from Texas.
On May 24, 1969, he piloted a single-seat F-100D Super Sabre (tail number: 55-3553, call sign: Icon 62) that took off from Tuy Hoa Air Base, Republic of (South) Vietnam, as the second of two on a combat air support mission over southern Vietnam when his aircraft was hit by ground fire. Following the mission, while en route back to Tuy Hoa Air Base, the flight leader observed Capt Manske’s aircraft hit the water and explode on impact in the South China Sea approximately 25 miles southeast of the city of Qui Nhon.
Attempts to locate Capt Manske or his remains following the incident were unsuccessful. Manske was believed to have died in the incident.
At the time of his death, Charlie was married with children.
Charles J. Manske is listed among the missing because his remains were never found to send home to the country he served.
Capt. Manske is buried or memorialized at Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, and is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. His name is inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 24w, Line 96.
Sources: Bio info /photo HonorStates.org, POW/MIA Network, The Vietnam Wall of Faces
