• 5 August 1964: After orders from President Lyndon B. Johnson the Navy launches Operation Pierce Arrow striking petroleum storage facilities and naval assets in North Vietnam. Two aircraft are lost in the operation, an A-1H Skyraider flown by LTJG Richard Sather and an A-4 Skyhawk flown by LTJG Everett Alvarez Jr. Sather is killed in action, but Alvarez is captured, becoming the first prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He is held for 8.5 years until February 1973.
• 5 August 1969: Five years after taking their first prisoner, the North Vietnamese release three POWs. Included was Seaman Douglas B. Hegdahl who had memorized the names of those being held. This verified that many pilots thought to have been killed in action were alive.
• 6 August 1945: The Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress “Enola Gay” drops the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The bomb was armed by Navy Captain William “Deke” Parsons. Killed in the blast were two Navy prisoners of war from VB-87, LTJG Raymond Porter and Aviation Radiomen Third Class Normand Brissette. Three days later the second atomic bomb was dropped from another B-29 with Navy CDR Frederick Ashworth aiming the weapon.

FLY NAVY!