1966-Contin ued

Lovell, Jr., and Edwin A. Aldrin, Jr., and their space-

craft 600 miles southeast of Cape Kennedy. The astro-

nauts were lifted from their spacecraft to the ship by

an SH-3A helicopter of HS-ll.

1967

26 February The first application of aerial mining in

Vietnam occurred when seven A-6As, led by

Commander Arthur H. Barie of VA-35's Black Panthers,

planted minefields in the mouths of the Song Ca and

Song Giang rivers. This operation was aimed at stop-

ping coastal barges from moving supplies into imme-

diate areas.

1 April The status of Overhaul and Repair

Departments at six Navy and one Marine Corps air sta-

tion was changed to that of separate commands, each

titled Naval Air Rework Facility.

12 April A wing insignia for Aviation Experimental

Psychologists and Aviation Physiologists was

approved. The new design was similar to Flight

Surgeons Wings except for use of the gold oak leaf of

the Medical Service Corps in place of the leaf with

acorn of the Medical Corps.

24 April Seventh Fleet carrier aircraft launched their

first strikes on MiG bases in North Vietnam with an

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

263

attack on Kep Airfield, 37 miles northeast of Hanoi.

The attack was delivered by A-6 Intruders and A-4

Skyhawks from Kitty Hawk and was followed-up by

another A-6 attack the same night. While providing

cover for the bombers during the first attack,

Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Southwick and

Lieutenant Hugh Wisely, flying F-4B Phantom lIs of

VF-ll4, each were credited with a probable MiG-17

kill in aerial combat.

15 May The Chief of Naval Operations directed that a

new department titled Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance

(AIMD) be established in all operating carriers except

the one operating with the Naval Air Training

Command. The function of the new department was to

assume responsibility for maintenance afloat formerly

held by Air Wing and Air Group commanders.

19 May Two A-7 A Corsair II aircraft, piloted by

Commander Charles Fritz and Captain Alex Gillespie,

USMC, made a trans-Atlantic crossing from NAS

Patuxent River, Md., to Evreux, France, establishing

an unofficial record for long distance, nonrefueled

flight by light attack jet aircraft. Distance flown was

3,327 nautical miles; time of flight was seven hours

and one minute.

24 May The seaplane tender Currituck returned to

North Island, Calif., after completing a 10-month tour

in the western Pacific and the last combat tour for

ships of her type.

Electronics

enables A-6 to

bomb accurately

through clouds

1143448

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