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
Carl says “Manning an LSD (large steel desk) got old fast.” From 1988 – 2004 he flew for Delta Air Lines in the 727, 737, 757, and 767. From 2004 – Present, he had a part time contract flying Citations.
“Been in the same house in Farmington, UT for almost 20 years. Guess I’ll be buried here. Who knew we’d live this long.”
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret. ) Carl William Shepard, Jr. flew F-4’s, F-100 Super Sabres, A-1 Warthogs and other models during his Air Force Career. Col. Bill Shepard logged more than 3,600 flying hours in fighter jets with one tour in Vietnam.
Today you can find him volunteering at the Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill AFB, Utah, educating visitors on the history of the USAF.
