Today in Air Force History

March 9, 1955 Lt. Col. Robert R. Scott, in a F-84F Thunderstreak, set a three hour, 44-minute and 53-second record for the 2,446 mile flight from Los Angeles to New York.

March 9, 1959 The 16 Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Naha AB, Okinawa, became the first squadron in the Pacific Air Forces to convert to Convair's F-102 Delta Dagger. The unit, previously equipped with F-86D Sabres, became operationally ready later in September.

March 9, 1977 The 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C., received the first A-10 for hands-on-training.

March 9, 1998 Air Mobility Command performed 104 airlift and 110 air refueling missions for a six-nation tour of Africa through April 9. On March 22, President William J. Clinton, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright left Andrews AFB, Md., on Air Force One for a 12-day journey through sub-Saharan Africa. It was the first time a sitting American president visited Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, and Senegal. --Air Force, www.af.mil