This week in history: April 19 - 24

Published April 22, 2009
By John Murphy
436th AW historian

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- April 19, 1930: Mickey Efferson, a noted wing walker and parachutist, married Mildred Hitch while flying over Wilmington, Del. The ceremony took place in a six-seat Bellanca aircraft. Allison Buck piloted the aircraft and Rev. Ralph Minker officiated over the exchange of vows.

April 23, 1954: Dover Air Force Base officially entered into the passenger and cargo movement business with the opening of its air freight terminal. J. Caleb Boggs, Delaware Governor; Col. Paul A. Zartman, 1607th Air Base Group commander; and Lt. Col. Howard W. Abel, 1607th Air Traffic Squadron commander presided over the ceremony. The first recorded freight movement totaled 150 pounds.

April 23, 1976: Dover received its first 5,000-gallon shipment of unleaded fuel. This new type of fuel would not be distributed throughout the base until mid-May. Prior to this date, the types of fuels used by the base included motor gas and jet-propellant.