Ohio's Aviation Heritage Audio Tour National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Take just a moment to reflect on your location. You are standing on what was once the landing area for Wright Field. Established in 1917, Wright Field served as an important flight test and development facility from World War I through the end of World War II. Wright Field was consolidated with nearby Patterson Field in 1948, and to this day Wright-Patterson Air Force Base remains a key resource to the nation.

Many developments in aviation history have taken place in Ohio. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about some of the people and places who have played an important role in the history of military aviation.

Stand near the Gemini spacecraft.

Cleveland native Jim Lovell served in the U.S. Navy and as a NASA astronaut with the Gemini and Apollo programs.

On Dec. 4, 1965, Lovell and Frank Borman were launched into space on the history-making Gemini 7 mission. The flight lasted 330 hours, 35 minutes and included the first rendezvous of two manned maneuverable spacecraft. The Gemini 12 mission, commanded by Lovell with Pilot Buzz Aldrin, began on Nov. 11, 1966. This four-day, 59-revolution flight brought the Gemini program to a successful close.

Lovell served as command module pilot and navigator on the epic 6-day journey of Apollo 8 – man’s maiden voyage to the moon – from Dec. 21-27, 1968. He completed his fourth mission as spacecraft commander of the Apollo 13 flight from April 11-17, 1970, and became the first man to journey twice to the moon. Apollo 13 was programmed for 10 days. However, the original flight plan was modified en route to the moon when an oxygen tank in the service module of the spacecraft exploded. Lovell and fellow crewmen, John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, working closely with Houston ground controllers, converted their lunar module “Aquarius” into an effective lifeboat. Their emergency activation and operation of lunar module systems conserved both electrical power and water in sufficient supply to assure their survival while in space and for their safe return to Earth.

Lovell held the record for time in space with a total of 715 hours, 5 minutes until surpassed by the Skylab flights.

Stand near the John Glenn exhibit.

John H. Glenn Jr. was born in Cambridge and grew up in New Concord. In his long aviation career, he flew with the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Air Force, set a speed record and shot down enemy aircraft. But he is best known as the first American to orbit the earth and, later in life, as the oldest person to fly in space.

During the Korean War, Glenn was one of a handful of Marines selected to fly USAF F-86 Sabre jets in a pilot exchange program. Glenn shot down three North Korean MiG-15 fighters and soon became known as the “MiG Mad Marine.” Following the war, Glenn was called the first “supersonic Marine” when he set a speed record flying a Chance Vought F8U Crusader coast-to-coast across the United States.

In April 1959 he was selected as one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts. On Feb. 20, 1962, Glenn piloted the Mercury- Atlas 6 “Friendship 7” spacecraft on the first manned orbital mission of the United States. Launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, he completed a successful three-orbit mission around the Earth.

On Oct. 29, 1998, the first American to orbit the Earth made history again. Glenn became the oldest man to fly in space by serving as a payload specialist on STS-95 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Glenn spent most of his time in space participating in investigations on the aging process. Scientists recognize several parallels between the effects of spaceflight on the human body and the natural changes that take place as a person ages.

Glenn also served as U.S. Senator from Ohio for four terms.

Walk past the Bob Hope exhibit and through the connecting link. Turn left and go to the Combat Search and Rescue exhibit in the Southeast Asia War Gallery.

Pararescueman William H. Pitsenbarger, who was born in Piqua wanted to quit high school to join the U.S. Army Special Forces’ Green Berets. His parents convinced him to stay in school, and after graduating in 1962, Pitsenbarger joined the Air Force.

Arriving in Vietnam in August 1965, Pitsenbarger completed more than 250 missions, including one in which he hung from an HH-43’s cable to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier from a burning minefield. This action earned him the Airman’s Medal and the Republic of Vietnam’s Medal of Military Merit and Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm.

William H. Pitsenbarger was only 21 years old when he was killed in action. But in his short life and heroic Air Force career, Pitsenbarger was an example of dedication, compassion and tenacity for all those with whom he served. In his work, and especially on his final mission, Airman 1st Class Pitsenbarger embodied the pararescueman’s motto: “That Others May Live.”

For coordinating the successful rescues, caring for the wounded and sacrificing his life while aggressively defending his comrades, Pitsenbarger earned the Air Force Cross on June 30, 1966. After review, the original award was upgraded, and on December 8, 2000, the Medal of Honor was presented to his family in a ceremony here at the museum. Pitsenbarger is the 59th Medal of Honor recipient, and sixth enlisted recipient, from the Air Force and its predecessor organizations.

Walk through the Cold War Gallery and stand near the Apollo 15 Command Module at the entrance to the Missile and Space Gallery.

Wapakoneta native Neil Armstrong took his first airplane ride in a Ford Tri-Motor at the age of 6. As a young boy, he developed an interest in aviation and astronomy and earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16, before he learned to drive an automobile. In 1949 the U.S. Navy called him to active duty, and he served during the Korean War, flying 78 combat missions in Navy Panther jets.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955, he joined NASA’s Lewis Research Center and later transferred to the NASA High Speed Flight Station (now NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center) at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as an aeronautical research pilot. In this capacity, he performed as an X-15 project pilot. Other flight test work included piloting the X-1, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, B-47 and others.
Armstrong was selected as the first civilian astronaut by NASA in September 1962. As command pilot for the Gemini XIII mission, launched on March 16, 1966. Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space — the Gemini spacecraft and the Agena Target Vehicle.

Armstrong was the commander for Apollo XI from July 16-24, 1969 — the first manned lunar landing mission. He holds the distinction of being the first human to walk on the moon. On July 20, 1969, a Lunar Module camera provided live television coverage of Armstrong setting foot on the lunar surface at 10:56 p.m. Just as he stepped off the Lunar Module, Armstrong proclaimed, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Move to the front of the B-17.

Curtis LeMay has been called the “father of modern strategic bombing” and is one of America’s most famous air commanders. The Columbus native attended The Ohio State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. In 1928, he entered the Armed Services as a flying cadet.

LeMay participated in the first mass flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses to South America in 1938, and the Second Bomb Group won the Mackay Trophy for outstanding aerial achievement.

After carefully calculating the dangers, LeMay stopped maneuvering bomber formation to avoid antiaircraft fire and initiated straight-in bomb runs which improved bombing accuracy. He also devised new formations, techniques and procedures, which were eventually used by all B-17 and B-24 units throughout the European theater. He later used low-level night raids by B-29s against Japan.

In 1948, LeMay assumed command of the newly formed Strategic Air Command (SAC) and built an all-jet bomber force, manned and supported by professional Airmen dedicated to the preservation of peace. The general commanded SAC for nearly 10 years, and under his leadership and supervision, plans were laid for the development and integration of an intercontinental ballistic missile capability.

LeMay served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1961 to 1965.