Good Wednesday Morning May the 5th Cinco de Mayo
A bit of history and some tidbits.
Regards,
Skip.
This day in Naval History May 5
1944 The hospital ship, USS Comfort (AH-6), is commissioned at San Pedro, Calif., and is the first ship to be manned jointly by U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel.
1948 Fighter Squadron Seventeen A (VF-17A), with 16 FH-1 Phantoms, becomes the first carrier-qualified jet squadron in the U.S. Navy.
1961 Cmdr. Alan Shepard Jr. makes the first U.S. manned space flight. USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) recovers the capsule after the 15 minute flight.
1979 USS Robert E. Peary (FF 1073) rescues 440 Vietnamese refugees from their disabled craft 400 miles south of Thailand.
2007 USS Hawaii (SSN 776) is commissioned at Groton, Conn. The Virginia-class submarine, the first to be named after the Aloha State, arrives at its homeport of Pearl Harbor July 23, 2009 following her maiden underway period.
2012 USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) is launched at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, Calif. The Military Sea Lift Commands dry cargo ammunition ship honors the prominent civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, who served in the Navy during World War II and later founded the National Farm Works Association, which becomes the United Farm Workers union.
2017
Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Kyle Milliken, 38, of Falmouth, Maine, is killed during a Somali National Army-led operation with U.S. Africa Command against al-Shabaab May 5 in a remote area approximately 40 miles west of Mogadishu.
Thanks to CHINFO
Executive Summary:
• National and international press reported on comments from senior Biden administration officials about U.S. policy toward China.
• Forbes published an article on DoN establishing culture of innovation.
• Trade press reported about the Navy's updated COVID-19 guidance.
Today in History: May 5
1494 Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Jamaica, which he names Santa Gloria.
1814 British attack the American forces at Ft. Ontario, Oswego, New York.
1821 Napoleon Bonaparte dies in exile on the island of St. Helena.
1834 The first mainland railway line opens in Belgium.
1862 Union and Confederate forces clash at the Battle of Williamsburg, part of the Peninsular Campaign.
1862 Mexican forces loyal to Benito Juarez defeat troops sent by Napoleon III in the Battle of Puebla.
1886 A bomb explodes on the fourth day of a workers' strike in Chicago.
1912 Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda begins publishing.
1916 U.S. Marines invade the Dominican Republic.
1917 Eugene Jacques Bullard becomes the first African-American aviator when he earns a flying certificate with the French Air Service.
1920 Anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are arrested for murder.
1935 American Jesse Owens sets the long jump record.
1942 General Joseph Stilwell learns that the Japanese have cut his railway out of China and is forced to lead his troops into India.
1945 Holland and Denmark are liberated from Nazi control.
1961 Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space.
1965 173rd Airborne Brigade arrives in Bien Hoa-Vung, Vietnam, the first regular U.S. Army unit deployed to that country.
1968 U.S. Air Force planes hit Nhi Ha, South Vietnam in support of attacking infantrymen.
1969 Pulitzer Prize awarded to Norman Mailer for his 'nonfiction novel' Armies of the Night, an account of the 1967 anti-Vietnam War march on the Pentagon.
1987 Congress opens Iran-Contra hearings.
2000 The Sun, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align - Earth's moon is also almost in this alignment - leading to Doomsday predictions of massive natural disasters, although such a 'grand confluence' occurs about once in every century.
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Thanks to Al from the archives
Monday Morning Humor--Cinco de Mayo
On May 5th, 1862 in Puebla, Mexico, 4,000 Mexican soldiers triumphed over twice as many French fighters. Mexicans celebrate that victorious battle as Cinco de Mayo.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is a joyous holiday celebrated with food, fun, parades, and plenty of cerveza or tequila. Held during the first week of May; Cinco de Mayo springtime events include carnivals, street fairs, and multi-day festivals across the USA.
In Mexico, the children play games on Cinco de Mayo as part of the fiesta to celebrate. One game involved the filling of a piñata or hanging paper bag full of "goodies". Children were allowed into a circle of their friends and had a small stick to wave around in an attempt to puncture the bag and gain the reward of the "goodies".
The best and most authentic Cinco de Mayo celebrations occur in locations with the highest concentration of Mexican people. Similar to St. Patrick's Day for the Irish and Columbus Day in New York state, Cinco de Mayo is one of those special times when everyone feels a little bit Mexican in their soul.
Cinco de Mayo Trivia and Interesting Facts about Mexico
· The Mexican community celebrates more than 365 festivals each year. Cinco de Mayo is just one of them.
· Although Cinco de Mayo is a big celebration in Puebla, where the battle was fought, Cinco de Mayo is much more popular in America.
· The festival was 'invented' in America by a group of students back in 1967. Each year since then Cinco de Mayo gets bigger thanks to people of Mexican descent - and those who just like a good margarita!
· Did you know Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.
· Around 28.3 million of USA residents were of Mexican origin in 2006. These residents constituted 9% of the nation's total population, and 64% of the Hispanic population.
· Approximately 630,000 of Mexican-Americans are USA military veterans.
· The Maya in Central Mexico were the first people known to harvest and use the peanut.
· Pineapple and papayas grew wild in Mexico, and were introduced to the rest of the world by Spanish explorers.
· Around the 1860s, three American travelers began exporting resin from the Zapote Blanco tree in Mexico after they noticed that it hardened when exposed to air. The men found a way to turn it into a waxy substance, added flavors and sweeteners, and sold it in small balls for a penny apiece, calling it Adam's Chewing Gum from New York. Today, Americans chew seven times more gum than the rest of the world.
· Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, is where the Mexican Hat Dance, sombreros and mariachi music are believed to have originated.
· The vanilla bean comes from an orchid plant discovered by Mexican Indians who used it to add flavor to their cocoa and corn drinks. The world's largest crop of vanilla beans still comes from Mexico.
Stupid Cinco de Mayo sayings:
· Remember, Cinco de Mayo isn't just about drinking margaritas. It's also about tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
· It's funny how Cinco de Mayo always seems to fall on May 5.
· As you all know, May 5 is the traditional Mexican holiday celebrated by filling up your sink with mayonnaise.
· Cinco de Mayo: The greatest Mexican holiday that few Mexicans even know about.
· Cinco de Mayo: As if I needed an excuse to get wasted on tequila.
· Cinco de Mayo: The only holiday where we celebrate binge drinking and cultural stereotypes…er, besides Saint Patrick's Day.
· "Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for 'the fifth of May' and not 'chug, chug, chug.' Anyway, salud!"
· "I'm not above using obscure Mexican battles to justify my drinking."
· "Is it really necessary to adopt another country's holiday just to have an excuse to drink tequila? You don't need one the other 364 days of the year."
· "Cinco de Mayo makes me long for a world in which all holidays are conveniently named after the dates on which they fall."
Groaners:
What do you call a group of skunks drinking tequila?
Stinko de Mayo!
How many Mexicans does it take to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
Just Juan!
How do they serve beer on Cinco de Mayo?
In Mexi-cans!
Which Disney princess only comes out on Cinco de Mayo?
Taco Belle!
What do you call a cargo ship full of mayonnaise that goes down in the ocean?
Sinko de Mayo!
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Juan.
Juan who?
Juan to go out for margaritas on Cinco de Mayo?
And finally, this standard…
Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico.... But as we know....the great ship did not make it to New York....The ship hit an iceberg and sank .... and the cargo was forever lost....
The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery .... were disconsolate at the loss....
Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning which they still observe to this day.... The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th.... and is known....of course....as Sinko de Mayo....
Have a great week and go easy on Cinco de Mayo,
Al
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Thanks to Tom……This week in NASA
Folks-
A happening week!
First, RIP to Michael Collins the Apollo 11 astronaut who spent days circling the moon, assuring the moon walkers had a workable ride home, called the command module. Met the man twice, a gentle soul. Another reminder, time is not our friend and no one gets out of here alive. RIP, Mike.
SAPCE_X – another success. This will be how low earth orbit (LEO) will be handled routinely in the next 10 years – NASA (I predict) will be totally out of the launch business….sort of like the wagon trains and the railroad – once railroad was completed – wagon trains –gone. Look for BIG happenings in this as a business area!
Ingenuity – first test flight! With 1% the atmosphere of earth, flying on Mars requires very VERY light weight and high performance craft – note the carbon fiber propellers!
Space Launch System – NASA's version of the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR)….ready for assembly. Based on above comment, I expect this to go "operational;" and fade to obscurity in favor of commercial vehicles. The rocket version of the 1958 Packard (planned but….never happened)
Bill Nelson is our new administrator in DC. And we have a new center director….sadly:
From: Geyer, Mark S. (JSC-AA111)
Sent: Monday, May 3, 2021 11:13 AM
To: JSC-DL-JSC-Civil-Servants JSC-DL-JSC-Contractors
Subject: Update
JSC team,
What a fantastic month of crewed launches and landings supporting our ISS missions. It's incredible that we had a launch or landing each week for 4 weeks. Thanks to all of you that were part of these complex flights that were so successful for our crews and mission. Now that those critical operations are behind us, I thought it was important to transition my own life a bit. I have decided that given the time and physical demands of battling cancer, it is best for me to step down as JSC Center Director. My last official day as center director is today.
Vanessa Wyche has been named acting JSC center director. As you know, Vanessa has been a leader at JSC for many years including being my deputy. Also, during that time she led JSC's pandemic response. Vanessa is a great leader, has a passion for NASA and JSC, and I know she will do a great job.
I arrived at this center just a little over 31 years ago. I have been so blessed in the assignments I was given. I have met so many incredible people and been a part of historic human exploration milestones – but my greatest blessing was working with all of you every day. The NASA team (civil servant and contractors) continues to overcome challenges and change the world with its accomplishments. I know NASA and JSC have a bright future in your hands.
I recorded a short video message that you can access through this link.
As you continue to execute these exciting human spaceflight missions and tackle pandemic mitigations and social justice efforts, remember to be patient with yourselves and one another. In the end we are fellow human beings banded together for an incredible common purpose, to further humankind's exploration of the universe.
MG
We all pray for healing of this gentle soul and friend….
Tom
AGENCYWIDE MESSAGE TO ALL NASA EMPLOYEES
Points of Contact: Jim Wilson, jim.wilson@nasa.gov and Andre Valentine, andre.valentine-1@nasa.gov, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters
------------------------------------------------------------------------
View the Latest Edition of "This Week @NASA" (Published April 30, 2021)
View the latest "This Week @NASA" produced by NASA Television for features on agency news and activities. Stories in this program include:
· Nelson Confirmed as NASA Administrator
· Crew-1 Preparing for Return to Earth
· NASA Remembers Astronaut Michael Collins
· Next Steps for Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
· Artemis I Rocket's Core Stage Arrives at KSC
· RS-25 Rocket Engine Testing Continues
To watch this edition of "This Week @NASA" dated April 30, 2021, click on the image below:
Watch the Video
To access this edition of "This Week @NASA," you may also visit:
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
LOOKING BACK 55-YEARS to the Vietnam Air War— ... For The List for Wednesday, 5 May 2021... Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-68)...
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com posts (2) for 5 May 1966...
"Admiral 'Gus' Kinnear... RIP"...
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/rolling-thunder-remembered-5-may-1966-gus/ and...
http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/in-memory-of-admiral-george-e-r-kinnear-ii/ SEE COMMENT: "The Mustang Prayer" submitted by Commander (Chaplain) Charles Lapp
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 5
1864 – The forces of Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee clash in the Wilderness, beginning an epic campaign. Lee had hoped to meet the Federals, who plunged into the tangled Wilderness west of Chancellorsville, Virginia, the day before, in the dense woods in order to mitigate the nearly two-to-one advantage Grant possessed as the campaign opened. The conflict quickly spread along a two-mile front, as numerous attacks from both sides sent the lines surging back and forth. The fighting was intense and complicated by the fact that the combatants rarely saw each other through the thick undergrowth. Whole brigades were lost in the woods. Muzzle flashes set the forest on fire, and hundreds of wounded men died in the inferno. The battle may have been particularly unsettling for the Union troops, who came across skeletons of Yankee soldiers killed the year before at the Battle of Chancellorsville, their shallow graves opened by spring rains. By nightfall, the Union was still in control of the major crossroads in the Wilderness. The next two days brought more pitched battles without a clear victory for either side. Grant eventually pulled out and moved further south toward Richmond, and for the next six weeks the two great armies maneuvered around the Confederate capital.
1916 – U.S. marines invaded the Dominican Republic. The occupation began gradually. The first landing took place on May 5, 1916 when "two companies of marines landed from the U.S.S. Prairie at Santo Domingo." Their goal was to offer protection to the U.S. Legation and the U.S. Consulate, and to occupy the Fort San Geronimo. Within hours, these companies were reinforced with "seven additional companies." On May 6, forces from the U.S.S. Castine landed to offer protection to the Haitian Legation, a country under similar military occupation from the U.S. Two days after the first landing, constitutional President, Juan Isidro Jimenes resigned.
1945 – In Lakeview, Oregon, Mrs. Elsie Mitchell and five neighborhood children are killed while attempting to drag a Japanese balloon out the woods. Unbeknownst to Mitchell and the children, the balloon was armed, and it exploded soon after they began tampering with it. They were the first and only known American civilians to be killed in the continental United States during World War II. The U.S. government eventually gave $5,000 in compensation to Mitchell's husband, and $3,000 each to the families of Edward Engen, Sherman Shoemaker, Jay Gifford, and Richard and Ethel Patzke, the five slain children. The explosive balloon found at Lakeview was a product of one of only a handful of Japanese attacks against the continental United States, which were conducted early in the war by Japanese submarines and later by high-altitude balloons carrying explosives or incendiaries. In comparison, three years earlier, on April 18, 1942, the first squadron of U.S. bombers dropped bombs on the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Kobe, and Nagoyo, surprising the Japanese military command, who believed their home islands to be out of reach of Allied air attacks. When the war ended on August 14, 1945, some 160,000 tons of conventional explosives and two atomic bombs had been dropped on Japan by the United States. Approximately 500,000 Japanese civilians were killed as a result of these bombing attacks.
1961 – From Cape Canaveral, Florida, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. is launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. The suborbital flight, which lasted 15 minutes and reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere, was a major triumph for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA was established in 1958 to keep U.S. space efforts abreast of recent Soviet achievements, such as the launching of the world's first artificial satellite–Sputnik 1–in 1957. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the two superpowers raced to become the first country to put a man in space and return him to Earth. On April 12, 1961, the Soviet space program won the race when cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was launched into space, put in orbit around the planet, and safely returned to Earth. One month later, Shepard's suborbital flight restored faith in the U.S. space program. NASA continued to trail the Soviets closely until the late 1960s and the successes of the Apollo lunar program. In July 1969, the Americans took a giant leap forward with Apollo 11, a three-stage spacecraft that took U.S. astronauts to the surface of the moon and returned them to Earth. On February 5, 1971, Alan Shepard, the first American in space, became the fifth astronaut to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
O'DONOGHUE, TIMOTHY
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy, Born: 1841, Rochester N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as boatswain's mate on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning the fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was raised. Serving as gun captain, and wounded early in the battle, O'Donoghue bravely stood by his gun in the face of enemy fire until ordered to withdraw.
PATTERSON, JOHN H.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 11th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Wilderness, Va., 5 May 1864. Entered service at: New York. Birth: New York. Date of issue: 23 July 1897. Citation: Under the heavy fire of the advancing enemy, picked up and carried several hundred yards to a place of safety a wounded officer of his regiment who was helpless and would otherwise have been burned in the forest.
RICH, CARLOS H.
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company K, 4th Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Wilderness, Va., 5 May 1864. Entered service at: Northfield, Mass. Birth: Canada. Date of issue: 4 January 1895. Citation: Saved the life of an officer.
SWAP, JACOB E.
Rank and organization: Private, Company H, 83d Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Wilderness, Va., 5 May 1864. Entered service at: Springs, Pa. Birth: Calnehoose, N.Y. Date of issue: 19 November 1897. Citation: Although assigned to other duty, he voluntarily joined his regiment in a charge and fought with it until severely wounded.
WILKES, PERRY
Rank and organization: Pilot, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Indiana. Born: 6 June 1830, Indiana. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: Served as pilot on board the U.S.S. Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864. Proceeding up the Red River, the U.S.S. Signal engaged a large force of enemy field batteries and sharpshooters, returning their fire until the ship was totally disabled, at which time the white flag was ordered raised. Acting as pilot throughout the battle, Wilkes stood by his wheel until it was disabled in his hands by a bursting enemy shell.
FICHTER, HERMANN
Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Whetstone Mountains, Ariz., 5 May 1871. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 13 November 1871. Citation: Gallantry in action.
MILLER, DANIEL H.
Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Whetstone Mountains, Ariz., 5 May 1871. Entered service at:——. Birth: Fairfield County, Ohio. Date of issue: 13 November 1871. Citation: Gallantry in action.
MOTT, JOHN
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company F, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Whetstone Mountains, Ariz., 5 May 1871. Entered service at:——. Birth: Scotland. Date of issue: 13 November 1871. Citation: Gallantry in action.
YOUNT, JOHN P.
Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Whetstone Mountains, Ariz., 5 May 1871. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Putnam County, Ind. Date of issue: 13 November 1871. Citation: Gallantry in action with Indians.
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"This Day in Aviation History" brought to you by the Daedalians Airpower Blog Update. To subscribe to this weekly email, go to https://daedalians.org/airpower-blog/.
This Week in Aviation Heritage
May 5, 1917
Secretary of War Newton D. Baker agreed to a proposal from the Secretary of the Navy concerning the establishment of a joint board for the purpose of standardizing the design and specifications of aircraft. The board subsequently established was initially called the "Joint Technical Board on Aircraft, Except Zeppelins."
May 6, 1914
A Curtiss AH–3 hydroairplane, flown by Lt. P. N. L. Bellinger and Lt. R. C. Saufley of the Navy in a reconnaissance mission over Mexican positions near Vera Cruz, became the first U.S. airplane hit by hostile ground fire. Bellinger was Daedalian Founder Member #2101. Saufley was #13307.
May 7, 1958
Maj. Major Howard C. Johnson, the operations officer of the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron based at Hamilton AFB, California, zoom-climbed a Lockheed F-104A Starfighter, serial number 55-2957, to an altitude of 91,243 feet over Edwards AFB, establishing a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale altitude record. Major Johnson was part of a group of engineers and pilots awarded the Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association in 1958 for "the greatest achievement in aeronautics" because of their involvement in the Lockheed F-104 program.
May 8, 1911
The Navy ordered its first airplane, an A–1 amphibian, from Glenn Curtiss. By July the service was flying this aircraft at Hammondsport, New York.
May 9, 1932
Capt. Albert Francis Hegenberger, Air Corps, United States Army, flew the first solo instrument approach and landing, using a system which he had developed, at McCook Field, Ohio. The Hegenberger system, which was adopted by both civil and military aviation authorities, used a series of non-directional radio beacons and marker beacons on the ground, along with a radio-compass and other gyroscopic instruments and radio receivers aboard the aircraft, a Consolidated NY-2 biplane. This flight was the first solo blind instrument flight, approach and landing. (Lt. James H. Doolittle had made a blind instrument flight in 1929, but he carried a safety pilot aboard.) For his accomplishment, Captain Hegenberger was awarded an oak leaf cluster (a second award) for his Distinguished Flying Cross, and received the Collier Trophy, an annual award for the greatest achievement in aeronautics in America. He was Daedalian Founder Member #3827.
May 10, 1911
Lt. George Kelly becomes the first Army pilot to die in an airplane. He crashed to avoid striking encamped soldiers. While Lt. Thomas Selfridge died earlier (Sept. 17, 1908), he was flying as an observer, not as a pilot. Selfridge was the first person, and the first active duty person, to die in an aircraft crash. Kelly was Daedalian Founder Member #575, and Selfridge was #544.
May 11, 1964
The first prototype North American Aviation XB-70A-1-NA Valkyrie, 62-0001, was rolled out at Air Force Plant 42 near Palmdale, California. More than 5,000 people were there to watch. In August 1960, the U.S. Air Force had contracted for one XB-70 prototype and 11 pre-production YB-70 development aircraft. By 1964, however, the program had been scaled back to two XB-70As and one XB-70B. Only two were actually completed.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS
FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR MAY 5
THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1910: At Mount Weather Observatory in Virginia, a kite flew to a 23,800-foot world altitude record. (24)
1927: The Patent Office issued a patent on hinged inset trailing edge ailerons, an invention that later became a standard feature on aircraft. (20)
1947: McDonnell's H-20 Flying Bike, the world's first ramjet helicopter, completed its first flight. (3)
1948: Fighter Squadron VF-17A, equipped with 16 FH-1 Phantoms, became the first carrier-qualified jet squadron in the US Navy. (16) (24)
BOEING FLIGHT-TESTED B-29S MODIFIED FOR AERIAL REFUELING. To install the
basic British hose system on the B-29s, Boeing removed all armaments and most armor to install a
hose reel, hauling line, more fuel lines, and nylon-lined aluminum fuel tanks in the forward and aft
bomb bays. Receiver aircraft had some oxygen equipment removed and fueling lines added. The
success of the tests ultimately led the USAF to convert 92 B-29s into KB-29M hose-method tankers. Seventy-four B-29s were equipped to receive aerial refuelings by hose. (18)
1951: KOREAN WAR. A 3 ARS H-5 helicopter rescued a downed F-51 pilot north of Seoul. It encountered small arms fire in the area. (28)
1952: The Grumman XF10F-1 Jaguar first flew. It had a swept-wing variable geometry wing.
1954: The USAF issued a requirement for a turbo-jet tanker to support the refueling needs of jet aircraft.
(18)
1956: Operation REDWING. Press reports said the first shot in a test series on Eniwetok Atoll had been of a "pocket-size" H-bomb small enough for delivery by a small aircraft or missile. (16)
1961: Navy Lt Cmdr Alan B. Shepard, Jr., became the first astronaut to cross the space frontier in a Mercury-Redstone 3 capsule, Freedom 7. During a 14-minute, 22-second suborbital flight, he
reached 116 miles in altitude and 5,100 MPH. After lifting off from Cape Canaveral, Freedom
7 carrried him 302 miles to a landing zone in the Atlantic. He set a FAI altitude record without
leaving the Earth's orbit. Cameramen and equipment from Air Photographic and Charting Service's 1365th Photographic Squadron provided photographic coverage. (7) (9) (18)
1966: USAF A-1E Skyraider pilots flew their first strikes against targets in North Vietnam. (16) (26)
1969: The Smithsonian Institute received X-15 No.1 for display with other aircraft firsts. (3)
1971: The USAF's sea-launched ballistic missile detection and warning system, called the Pave
Phased Array Warning Sytem (PAWS), achieved its initial operating capability. (21)
1981: A B-52H from the 410 BMW at K.I. Sawyer AFB landed at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin for two days of public display. This event came after years of negotiating an agreement, signed in March 1981, to let B-52s land in Australia. On 22 June, the bomber flew an operational sortie from Darwin on a sea-search mission. (1)
1987: The last Titan II missile came off alert at Little Rock AFB, marking "the close of a quarter century of uninterrupted service as the vanguard of America's deterrent force." (16) (26)
1996: Colonel Betty L. Mullis became the first woman to command a flying wing when she assumed command of the 940 AREFW (AFRES) at McClellan AFB. (21)
1999: Operation PROVIDE REFUGE. A DoD-chartered Tower Air Boeing 747 landed at McGuire AFB with the first group of refugees from Kosovar, Serbia's southern province in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In this operation, up to 3,000 Kosovar Albanians were flown to Mc- Guire and temporary quarters at neighboring Fort Dix until arrangements could be made for
permanent resettlement with relatives or sponsors in the US. (22)
2001: The Boeing X-32B flew from Edwards AFB to NAS Patuxent River, Md., to validate the suitability of its direct-lift capability to Navy requirements. (3)
2003: Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Global Hawk (AV-3) landed at Edwards AFB after flying 19 sorties in 446.6 hours over Iraq to collect some 3,700 surveillance images. While only flying 5
percent of the surveillance sorties in the theater, the Global Hawk gathered more than 55 percent
of the data on time-sensitive targets. Subsequently, the Air Staff credited the Global Hawk with
destroying scores of Iraqi tanks and advancing the defeat of the Republican Guard by several
days. (3)
2004: Two C-130s from the 146 AW(California ANG), equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, dropped 21,600 gallons of fire-retardant on Santa Barbara County's Cachuma fire. (32)
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Thanks to Mike…See the attachment
1956 RB-47 Mission to Russia
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World News for 5 May thanks to Military Periscope
Please see attachment
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