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

Thames, James D.

James D. Thames

Preferred Name: Jim

Date of Birth: December 15, 1942

Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

Jim Thames flew the F-100 with the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Phan Rang AB, Vietnam.

Units Assigned

1966 Graduated USAFA
Pilot Training, Craig AFB, AL
615th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phan Rang AB, Vietnam (F-100)
Instructor Pilot, Craig AFB, AL (T-38)
1974-1975 PE Instructor and Men’s Soccer Coach USAFA
425th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Instructor Pilot, Williams AFB, AZ (F-5)
314th Air Division, Plans and Programs, Republic of South Korea
Instructor and Head of Flight Safety, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ (A-10)
425th TTS, Instructor F-5, Williams AFB, AZ (F-5)

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100
T-38
F-5
A-10

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

1966 USAFA

Civilian Education:

Masters Guidance and Counseling, University of Northern Colorado