Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter ace in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. With 26 aerial victories, he was the United States’ most successful fighter ace in the war and is considered to have received the most awards for valor by an American during the war. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the long-time head of Eastern Air Lines. 1. He loved auto racing. In his first automobile race, Rickenbacker failed to finish a ..read more

A look at improvements required for U.S. space warfare capability By: Lt. Col. Michael A. Buck, USAF (Ret), Daedalian Life Member #128      With the creation of the U.S. Space Force two years ago, many of our nation’s traditional military space activities have been consolidated under its umbrella. These missions include 1. Missile warning and tracking. 2. Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation and timing. 3. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). 4. Global communications.       On Jan. 18, 2022, retired Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton partic ..read more

How we got here and where we are going By: Ms. Autumn Bernhard, Daedalus Flyer Editor & Order of Daedalians Communications Manager Since the first satellite was launched into orbit in 1957, we have had a continuous fascination with the final frontier. However, the thought of space becoming a warfighting domain wasn’t in our line of sight. But, for retired Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, this idea was lightyears away from farfetched. In fact, he, along with the majority of his predecessors at Air Force Space Command, saw the writing on the wall. It was just a matter of time before we would lo ..read more

Low Earth orbit satellite to enhance situational awareness By: 1st Lt. Nick Nowland, USAF, Daedalian Member #4921 Drones, missile strikes and late-night raids on enemy high-value targets — these are the bits of news that occasionally percolate out of the United States’ ongoing conflicts. However, behind all the advanced technology and dramatic action, there is a system that provides American forces with their real secret weapon: situational awareness of the battlefield. Precise weapons, high flying aircraft and meticulously trained special operators are only useful if you can determine friend ..read more

Commentary By: Lt. Col. Ron Davis, USAF (Ret), Daedalian Life Member #238 The founding of the United States Space Force in 2019 marked a milestone in our defense establishment. It is the first new military service created since the U.S. Air Force in 1947. Its creation acknowledged the importance of space operations and advanced technology, both as a capability in and of itself, but more importantly as a set of tools that have become force multipliers for our warfighters.      Founding the Space Force was certainly less contentious than the decades-long battle for an independent ..read more

By: Ms. Autumn Bernhard, Daedalus Flyer Editor & Order of Daedalians Communications Manager Autumn Bernhard: What drew you to the Navy? Tim Pinkney: It all started when I was 5 years old when I first took control of the family airplane. My dad had been a co-pilot and flew B-24 bombers, so when he got out of the service, he bought himself an airplane. My mom learned to fly and became quite an accomplished aviatrix. So, I was flying at 5. I got my private pilot’s license when I was three months out of high school, and got my multi-engine rating shortly before I joined the Navy. Dad was an e ..read more

By: Ms. Autumn Bernhard, Daedalus Flyer Editor & Order of Daedalians Communications Manager Science fiction dubbed space as the final frontier in 1966. But in a time that resembles science fiction more than the previous centuries of industrial based, is space still the final frontier?      The building blocks for the general public to reach space began back in October 1957 with the launch of the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, Sputnik. Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite, went into orbit a few months later on Jan. 31, 1958. On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the ..read more

Celebrating the pioneers of the final frontier By: Ms. Taylor E. Watson, Order of Daedalians Operations Officer For over 60 years, the Daedalians have accepted and welcomed leaders in the development of American space power into our organization. Since the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created in July 1958, we have celebrated the achievements of those risking their lives for the benefit of all mankind through exploration on the final frontier. THE ORIGINAL SEVEN Project Mercury was the first U.S. program to put humans in space. On April 9, 1959, NASA introduced its first as ..read more

  When war broke out in Europe in 1914, the airplane was hardly more than a dangerous plaything employed at fairs and circuses. Its potential was regarded lightly, when not contemptuously dismissed. Yet, in less than three years, it had gained such a measure of military respectability on the fighting front that when the United States entered the war, the Allies requested the United States furnish 5,000 combat pilots on the Western Front by early spring of 1918! This was a gigantic order. In military aviation, the United States had lagged far behind. Only 40 military pilots had been traine ..read more

Brig Gen Robert L. Cardenas, USAF (Ret) March 10, 1920 – March 10, 2022 Brig General Robert Cardenas passed peacefully in his sleep on 10 March 2022, his 102nd birthday. General Cardenas had a very distinguished Air Force career. Some highlights included: Establishing the Army Air Corps Glider School. Flying the B-24 with the 44th Bomb Group during WWII. On his 20th mission his aircraft was shot down but he escaped capture and eventually returned to his unit in England. Piloting a captured Me 262 and Ar 234 when assigned to the Flight Test Division at Wright Field. Performing as the Officer ..read more