surface  force,  their  aircraft,  and  experienced  aircraft pilots. Five carriers took part in the Battle of Guadalcanal.  Carrier-based  aircraft  flew  interceptor patrols, offensive missions against shipping, and close air   support   for   ground   forces   until   the   island   was secured. 1943.   U.S.   Navy   enters   the   helicopter   field   of aviation  by  purchasing  helicopters  from  U.S.  Army. Also, the Navy purchased a helicopter manufactured to Navy    specifications    from    the    Sikorsky    Helicopter Company—the  YR-4B.  Westinghouse  developed  the first turbojet engine (19A) for the Navy. 1948. The Navy commissioned its first helicopter squadron—the HU-1, and the first carrier landing was made by a U.S. Navy jet (the FJ-1 Fury lands aboard the USS  Boxer). 1949.  The  first  use  of  a  pilot  ejection  seat  for  an emergency escape was made from an F2H-1  Banshee. Also,  a  new  fighter  aircraft  was  added  to  the  Navy inventory (the F9F-2/5 Panther), and was manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Company. 1950s Carrier   aircraft   went   into   action   in   the   Korean conflict, which ended July 27, 1953. 1953.    Naval    aircraft    conducted    initiation    test operations aboard the Navy's first angled deck carrier, the USS  Antietam. 1954.  Guided, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles were perfected and placed into operation.   The Polaris, Sidewinder,    Sparrow,    and    Petrel    missiles    became standard equipment. 1957. The    first    successful    Automatic    Landing System  test  was  done  on  the  USS   Antietam.  It  was designed to bring planes aboard the ship in all weather without   help   from   the   pilot.   Also,   the   first   F8U-1 Crusader was     delivered     to     the     fleet. The     first operationally equipped jet plane in history to fly faster than 1,000 mph. 1959. Four     naval     aviators     were     selected     as prospective     astronauts     under     Project Mercury—a program   of   space   exploration   and   manned   orbital flight.  The  Sikorsky  HSS-2  amphibious,  all  weather, antisubmarine helicopter made its first flight. 1960s Naval Aviation was approaching its golden anniversary,   and   support   of   the   space   program   was made   a   priority   as   manned   orbital   flight   became   a reality. Also, recovering space vehicles became one of the   Navy's   responsibilities.   A   carrier   recovery   ship, carrier-based  helicopters,  and  specially  trained  crews carried out this mission. 1961. The     United     States     becomes     officially involved in the Vietnam conflict. Naval aviator, Alan B. Shepard Jr., became the first American to go into space by completing a flight reaching 116 miles high and 302 miles  down  range  before  recovery  by  a  Navy  HUS-1 helicopter  and  the  USS   Lake   Champlain.   Also,  the worlds  first  nuclear-powered  aircraft  carrier,  the  USS Enterprise  (CVAN-65), was commissioned. 1962. The Naval Aviation Museum was established at  the  Naval  Air  Station,  Pensacola,  Florida,  by  the Secretary of the Navy. 1964.   Vertical  replenishment  by  helicopters  and picking up stores and delivering them to other surface combat  ships  began  with  the  commissioning  of  the combat stores ship USS  Mars  (AFS-1). 1965.   The  United  States  is  fully  involved  in  the Vietnam     conflict.     Seventh     fleet     air     units     begin operation   Rolling  Thunder,   a  systematic  bombing  of military  targets  throughout  North  Vietnam  waged  by land and sea based A-4  Skyhawks, F-4  Fanthoms, A-6 Intruders, and A-7  Corsair  aircraft. 1967.  Fire broke out on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal (CV-59)    and    soon    spread    below    decks igniting bombs and ammunition. Heroic efforts brought the fire under control but damage to the ship and aircraft was severe. These were 132 dead, 62 injured, and two missing     and     presumed     dead.     Also,     the     Aircraft Intermediate   Maintenance   Department   (AIMD)   was established by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on all operating aircraft carriers except the one operating with the Naval Air Training Command. 1969.   Apollo   11  lands  on  the  moon  with  naval aviator   Neil   Armstrong;   Edwin   Aldrin,   USAF:   and Michael Collins, USAF. Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the moon 20 and 21 July. 1970s Naval     aviation     beginning     its     seventh     decade heavily embroiled with Vietnam and a growing crisis in the  Middle  East  re-emphasized  the  importance  of  the U.S. Navy to keep the sea lanes open. This required the 1-4