One Hundred Years of Flight USAF Chronology ... - The Air University

1968
March 25: The 944th Military Airlift Group (Associate) was activated at Norton
Air Force Base, California, becoming the first Reserve group to
function under the new associate-unit concept. Members of the
Reserve unit flew and maintained aircraft assigned to the associated
active-force unit.
May 1: For the first time, Air National Guard tactical-refueling units completed
one year of overseas duty on a continuous basis without mobilization.
May 3: The first Air National Guard unit called to active duty in the Vietnam
conflict—the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron from Buckley Air
National Guard Base, Colorado—arrived in South Vietnam and began
flying combat missions two days later.
May 12: Lt. Col. Joe M. Jackson landed his C–123 Provider aircraft at a special-forces
camp being overrun by the enemy. Despite intense hostile
fire, including that from light artillery, Colonel Jackson rescued a
three-man combat control team and thus earned the Medal of Honor.
May 13: In response to the Communist offensive in South Vietnam, President
Lyndon Johnson mobilized 22,200 reservists and guardsmen,
including 1,333 members of the Air National Guard. Seven Air Force
Reserve units were mobilized.
June 13: A Titan IIIC launch vehicle successfully placed in orbit eight communications
satellites from Cape Kennedy, Florida, to augment the
initial Defense Satellite Communications System.
June 17: The first C–9 Nightingale aeromedical-evacuation aircraft ordered
by Military Airlift Command for the airlift of patients within the
United States rolled out at McDonnell Douglas Corporation, Long
Beach, California.
104
Lt. Col. Joe M. Jackson earned the
Medal of Honor in Vietnam.