Sierra Hotel Blog
On October 30, 1963, Lt. James Flatley landed a 121,000-pound four-engine KC-130F Hercules on the deck of USS Forrestal — with no tailhook and no catapult. He completed 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted takeoffs. The Navy deemed it too risky for regular use, but Flatley earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for what remains one of the most audacious carrier landings ever attempted.
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On December 4, 1950, Lt. Thomas Hudner deliberately crash-landed his Corsair behind enemy lines to save his wingman Ensign Jesse Brown — the first Black Navy pilot — trapped in his burning aircraft. Hudner received the Medal of Honor for his selfless act of bravery.
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On May 31, 1967, a lone USAF KC-135 Stratotanker crew commanded by Maj. John H. Casteel saved six Navy aircraft over the Gulf of Tonkin — two KA-3 Whales, two F-8 Crusaders, and two F-4 Phantoms — executing the first-ever triple air-to-air refueling in history. Running critically low on fuel themselves, the crew never considered leaving a fellow aviator behind. All four crew members received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Mackay Trophy.
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On December 4, 1959, Ensign Albert Joe Hickman's F3H Demon lost power on approach to Miramar with 750 children at recess directly in his flight path. He could have ejected safely. Instead, he stayed with the aircraft and guided it clear of the schoolyard, sacrificing his life at age 21.
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