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
Dick was born in Plainfield, New Jersey on July 17, 1942, and graduated from Bloomfield College in 1966 with a BA in Political Science and as President of his graduating class. His military career began as a Private in the Army in 1960 where he trained in Infantry, Artillery, and Airborne. After his Army active […]
Richard “Dick” Pietro, Capt USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on March 3, 2025 Read More »
William J. Hosmer, (call name “Hoz”) age 94, passed away peacefully at the VITAS In-patient Hospital Unit at Villa Rosa in San Antonio, Texas. He was the eldest son of John E. and Inez Hosmer. From his hometown of Dunseith, ND, to flying Left Wing with the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds and retiring as the 355th Wing
William “Hoz” Hosmer, Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on January 15, 2025. Read More »
Thomas P. “Tuck” McAtee died peacefully on Friday, January 24th, 2025, with his family by his side. He was born on March 28, 1939, in St. Louis, Missouri to Jack and Marjorie McAtee. He was the second of four brothers (Jack, Jim, and Stephen) whose boyhood tales of growing up in St. Louis are legendary.
Thomas “Tuck” McAtee, LtCol USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on January 24, 2025 Read More »