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Tag: aviation day

National Aviation Day and the 437th Airlift Wing
August 17, 2018 — President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation declaring August 19, 1939 National Aviation Day in honor of the 68th anniversary of Orville Wright’s birthday. Orville was the younger brother of Wilbur Wright, who, together, became American aviation pioneers. On December 17, 1903, the Wrights made aviation history, when they successfully completed the first controlled flight of a powered flying machine. To put that achievement into perspective, the 437th Troop Carrier Group (TCG) was activated a mere 40-years later on May 1, 1943 and a year later they were flying combat sorties over France during Operation NEPTUNE, known by most as D-Day. In 1947, the United States Air Force was established as a separate and equal service alongside the Army and Navy. Two years later, on June 27, 1949, the 437th Troop Carrier Wing (TCW) was activated as a reserve wing at Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, Illinois. ... MORE

The C-17 Globemaster III performs at the 2018 Air and Space Expo April 28, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The expo offered more than 50 demonstrations and displays ranging from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities to World War II static display aircraft and aerial demonstration performances highlighting the F-16 Fighting Falcon, C-17 Globemaster III, F-86 Sabre and more.