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 Clyde Seiler (Misty 73) was flying F-100 Super Sabre jet fighter-bomber #54-1897 when he was shot down by enemy ground fire while conducting a strafing mission in support of American forces.
Just two months earlier he had set the squadron record of flying its 5,000th combat sortie mission since the unit arrived in Vietnam in May 1968.
Major Seiler began his career in 1951, having 18 years of service, most if not all in the Air National Guard.
Clyde Seiler is buried or memorialized at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado. He is also honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 28w, Line 64.
Bio info/photos – HonorStates.org; Assignments – TogetherWeServed.com;
