1981-Continued

19 February VFA-125 became the first squadron to

receive the new F/ A-18 Hornet for fleet operations.

The Hornet was the Navy's newest strike fighter and

had been undergoing extensive operational test and

evaluation at Patuxent River, Md., and by VX-4 at

Point Mugu, Calif. VFA-125's mission was to train

maintenance personnel and pilots for future Hornet

squadrons.

16 March An A-6 Intruder from VA-lIS on board

Midway sighted a downed civilian helicopter in the

South China Sea. Midway immediately dispatched HC-

1 Det 2 helicopters to the scene. All 17 people aboard

the downed helicopter were rescued and brought

aboard the carrier. The chartered civilian helicopter

was also plucked out of the water and lifted to

Midways flight deck.

23 March The F/ A-18 Hornet began climatic testing

by the Air Force's 3246th Test Wing at the McKinley

Climatic Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The

tests were designed to evaluate the F/ A-18 airframe's

ability to withstand the wide range of temperatures

and climatic conditions which the aircraft would expe-

rience in its everyday operations.

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

333

12 April Space Shuttle Columbia was launched at

Cape Canaveral, Fla. The first reusable space vehicle

was manned by an all-Navy crew consisting of Naval

Aviators Captain John Young, USN (Ret), and Captain

Robert Crippen. Two days later, after 36 orbits

around the earth, the shuttle returned to earth and

touched down safely at Edwards Air Force Base,

Calif. The vehicle was then prepared for its next

flight into space. The space orbiter was designed to

carry satellite payloads into space and conduct

manned experiments.

13 April AV-8A Harriers were deployed as a Marine

Air Group aboard an LHA for the first time. Marine Air

Group 32, composed of VMA-231 and -542, began its

Sixth Fleet deployment aboard Nassau.

15 April Admiral John S. Thach, one of the Navy's

early fighter tacticians, died. He was commanding offi-

cer of VF-3 when World War II began and was per-

haps best known for developing a two-plane fighter

tactic which proved to be effective against the highly

maneuverable Japanese Zero. This innovation became

known as the "Thach Weave" and was taught to Navy

and Army Air Force pilots alike.

4 May America transited the Suez Canal, the largest

warship ever to do so. She was the first U.S. carrier to

travel through the canal since

1 June 1967, when Intrepid

navigated the waterway.

The F/A-18 Hornet dwjng climatic testing at Eglin AFB, Fla.

19 May Astronauts Captain

John W. Young, USN (Ret),

and Captain Robert L.

Crippen, USN, were present-

ed medals by the President at

White House ceremonies for

their successful mission on

the first orbital flight of the

Space Shuttle Columbia.

Astronaut Young received the

congressional Space Medal of

Honor, the seventh person so

honored. Five of the seven

have been Navy or Marine

Corps Aviators.

20 May TACGRU One and

subordinate commands,

TACRONS 11 and 12, were

established. Their mission

was to perform all functions

relating to tactical control of

aircraft in support of amphibi-

ous operations.