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