While flying as a substitute gunner with a French squadron in World War I, Lt. Stephen W. Thompson becomes the first American to record an aerial victory while a member of the U.S. military. He shoots down a German Albatros D.III. Because of his unique status on the mission, he was not officially given credit for the victory until 1967.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
