An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News Search
NEWS | July 11, 2011

This Week in Air Force History

By Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

July 10, 2002 - A C-5 from the 436th Airlift Wing left Dover Air Force Base, Del., for Kabul, Afghanistan, with 13,115 pounds of school supplies collected by children from 58 American schools.

July 11, 1993 - After one of the worst floods in American history covered 16,000 square miles in eight Midwestern states near the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, 20 C-5 and C-141 missions airlifted 800 tons of relief equipment, supplies and water purification systems to the area.

July 12, 1980 - The McDonnell-Douglas KC-10 tanker-cargo aircraft made its first flight.

July 13, 1967 - Nine Air Force, eight Navy, and one Marine astronaut received
Distinguished Flying Crosses for their Mercury and Gemini space flights.

July 14, 1970 - The C-5A Galaxy completed its first transpacific flight of 21,500 miles, inaugurating service to Hickam AFB, Hawaii, Andersen AFB, Guam, Clark AFB, Philippines and Kadena AFB, Japan.

July 15, 1961 - The first Minuteman I missile wing was activated at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

July 16, 1945 - The first atomic bomb, called the "Gadget," exploded at the Trinity Site near Alamogordo, N.M. The bomb had a yield of 19 kilotons. It was the prototype for the "Fat Man" bomb used against Japan.