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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

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Turner, Wilburne W., Jr.

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  • Turner, Wilburne W., Jr.

Wilburne Wells Turner, Jr.

Preferred Name: Wells
Nickname/Call Sign: Whiskey
Date of Birth: June 19, 1945
Highest Military Grade: Select
Hometown: Teachey, NC
Headed West Date: September 14, 2023
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West

Wells Turner flew the F-100 in 1970 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron/3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, out of Bien Hoa, Vietnam and the 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron/35th Tactical Fighter Wing out of Phan Rang, Vietnam. He was then assigned to the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron/4403rd Tactical Fighter Wing, out of England AFB, LA.

Units Assigned

  • 1970 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron/3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa, Vietnam
  • 1970 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron/35th Tactical Fighter Wing, Phan Rang, Vietnam
  • 1970-1972 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron/4403rd Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, LA

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • 1968 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Wilburne “Wells” Turner, “Headed West” on September 14, 2023.

Well’s wife Bridget told us “Wells was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on 06 April 2023, he passed away five months later on 14 September 2023.

Wells read every single word of every issue of The Intake. Wells was grateful for you, Jim and The Intake team for creating the Super Sabre Society and publishing The Intake. I attended a few of the reunions in Las Vegas with Wells. Reconnecting with his fellow F-100 pilots was one of the highlights of Wells’ life.”

Wall of Honor Location

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